Robert Louis Stevenson was born

As Robert Louis Stevenson was born and brought up in the New Town area of Edinburgh, he would have been able to check his pocket watch when the One o’ Clock Gun fired from the Half Moon Battery.

In his book ’Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes’ published in 1879 he wrote: ‘Perhaps it is now one in the afternoon: and at the same instant of time, a ball rises to the summit of Nelson’s flagstaff close at hand, and, far away, a puff of smoke followed by a report bursts from the half-moon battery at the Castle. This is the time-gun by which people set their watches, as far as the sea coast or in hill farms upon the Pentlands’.

The photograph showing Robert, his father Thomas and the family’s Skye terrier Coolin is reproduced courtesy of the Edinburgh Room, Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.

The Association’s ‘Colour Sergeant Scott & Greyfriars Bobby’ exhibition opens at Linlithgow Library on Saturday 27th March at 10.30 am. If you’re in the area please drop in. We’ll be glad to see you. The exhibition will be opened by Michael Connarty M.P. Blue our mascot will be firing his cannon.