august

August 4, 1870

Birth of the entertainer Sir Harry Lauder.

Sir Harry Lauder, one of Scotland’s most beloved entertainers, was born on August 4, 1870, in Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland. Lauder was a singer, comedian, and songwriter, widely known for his music hall performances and his signature style, which celebrated Scottish culture and humor.

August 16, 1766

Birth of Carolina Oliphant (Lady Nairne), poet and author of many Jacobite songs, including Charlie is my Darling. Her songs are second only in popularity to Burns.

August 2, 0939

Alan II Barbetorte (Twisted Beard) of Brittany defeats Normans.

Brittany is a large peninsula in the north-west of France, surrounded by the English Channel to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Historically, the region is made up of two distinctly different cultural and linguistic areas: Gallo, a Romance language, was spoken in the eastern part (Upper Brittany), while the inhabitants of the western part (Lower Brittany), spoke Breton, a Celtic language. Inevitably, two different cultural traditions and customs came hand-in-hand with the different linguistic traditions.

August 5, 1695

The Scottish Parliament established a General Post Office.

The establishment of a General Post Office by the Scottish Parliament took place in 1695, during the reign of William II of Scotland (William III of England). This was a significant development in the history of communications in Scotland, marking the formal creation of a national postal service that would facilitate the efficient delivery of letters and parcels across the country.