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Hugh MacDonald (1817 – 1860) was a Scottish journalist, poet and author from Glasgow. He wrote for the newspaper the Glasgow Citizen for many years under the pen name 'Caleb'.[1] He is best known for his book Rambles Round Glasgow, published in 1854 by Thomas Murray and Son.[2]

Life

MacDonald was born on Rumford Street in Bridgeton, Glasgow on 4 April 1817.[3][4] He was one of 11 children. His parents had moved from the Highlands to find work in the Glasgow textile industry, and MacDonald's father worked as a dyer in the Monteith and Company works in the Barrowland area.[5] MacDonald started work as a 'tearer' (junior assistant) at the same factory at the age of seven.[5] He was apprenticed to a block printer at the Barrowfield calico-printing works[2] and briefly ran a grocer's shop in 1848.[4] When the shop failed, he worked as a block printer for Harrow, McIntyre and Co. of Colinslie, Paisley. He initially continued to live in Bridgeton and walked to Paisley for work each day,[3] before temporarily relocating to Paisley.[6]

MacDonald was a member of the City Club, a literary and artistic gathering which met in the Bank Tavern in Glasgow,[7] and was a founder member of the Ramblers Association.[5]

After around 1840 MacDonald moved into writing. He was a supporter of the Chartist movement and initially wrote poetry and articles for Chartist publications[4] such as the Chartist Circular.[5] In 1847 he came to public attention when he wrote a letter to the Glasgow Citizen defending the poetry of Robert Burns against an attack by Rev. George Gilfillan of Dundee.[5] MacDonald was a great enthusiast for Burns and quoted him extensively in his writing.[1]

James Hedderwick, who was editor of the Glasgow Citizen, then invited him to write for the paper.[8] MacDonald joined the staff of the paper in 1849. He wrote articles under the pen name Caleb, many of them of on social or political issues,[2] but it was his series of Glasgow travelogues, published over a period of three years, for which he became well known. These 'rambles' in the countryside around Glasgow were collected into a book, Rambles Round Glasgow, in 1854, which MacDonald dedicated to Hedderwick.[9] The book was very popular[7] and went through several editions.[10] MacDonald followed it up in 1857 with Days at the Coast, a travelogue of locations on the Firth of Clyde, which was also well received.[7]

MacDonald became sub-editor of the Glasgow Citizen. He later went on to write for the Glasgow Morning Journal and the Glasgow Sentinel , and edited the Glasgow Times.[4]

MacDonald married twice. His first wife, Agnes, died within a year of their marriage along with their newborn child. His second wife, Alison, had been a bridesmaid at Agnes and Hugh's MacDonald's wedding. Agnes had no living children but Alison had one son and four daughters with Hugh MacDonald.[3]

MacDonald became ill in spring 1860 after an expedition to Castlemilk to research his planned book, Footsteps of the Year.[5] He died on 16 March 1860 at the age of 42[5] and is buried in the Southern Necropolis.[2] He was survived by his wife Alison and their five children.

Publications

• Rambles Round Glasgow, 1854
• Days at the Coast, 1857
• Poems and Songs of Hugh MacDonald, 1864

Memorials

• There is a memorial fountain for MacDonald on Glasgow Green, the location of his first 'ramble'.[11] This originally stood on Gleniffer Braes, Paisley, but was moved to Glasgow Green in 1881.[12] The fountain was designed by John Mossman[12] and paid for by the Glasgow Ramblers Club.[13]
• A memorial water stoop stands on Gleniffer Braes, Paisley,[2] the location of another 'ramble'.[14] It was erected in 1883 by the Paisley Old Weavers Society.[15]
• One of the entrances to Glasgow Green is known as 'Hugh MacDonald's Gate'. It is situated at the corner of King's Drive and Arcadia Street.[16] A paving slab at that gate commemorates his book Rambles Round Glasgow.

References

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