David Wingate (poet)
Encyclopedia
David Wingate was a Scottish
poet and miner, sometimes known as 'the collier poet'.
His father died when he was five years old. Wingate started work in the coal-fields near his home in Cowglen
, Renfrewshire
when he was nine, and at 17 he was the main breadwinner for his mother and family. He married Janet Craig in 1850 and had 11 children, including Walter who became a poet and teacher. In the 1850s he worked in Pollokshaws
and later Bellshill
. After his first wife died he married his first wife's cousin Margaret Thompson, a granddaughter of Burns
.
By 1862 he was living in Motherwell. In this year his Poems and Songs (1862) was published by William Blackwood
, favourably reviewed, then followed by Annie Weir (1866). After this he studied at the Glasgow
School of Mines, became a colliery manager, and devoted his increased leisure to study and further literary work. Lily Neil appeared in 1879, and was followed by another volume of Poems and Songs (1883). In 1882 he was granted a civil list
pension of £50 per year. A collection of his work came out in 1890 as Selected Poems.
He is buried in Motherwell.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
poet and miner, sometimes known as 'the collier poet'.
His father died when he was five years old. Wingate started work in the coal-fields near his home in Cowglen
Cowglen
Cowglen is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde....
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire (historic)
Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a registration county, the Lieutenancy area of the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, and one of the counties of Scotland used for local government until 1975. Renfrewshire is located in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland, south of the River Clyde,...
when he was nine, and at 17 he was the main breadwinner for his mother and family. He married Janet Craig in 1850 and had 11 children, including Walter who became a poet and teacher. In the 1850s he worked in Pollokshaws
Pollokshaws
Pollokshaws is a district on the southside of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The housing stock mostly consists of some sandstone tenement housing, tower blocks and modern brick tenement-style buildings...
and later Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
. After his first wife died he married his first wife's cousin Margaret Thompson, a granddaughter of Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
.
By 1862 he was living in Motherwell. In this year his Poems and Songs (1862) was published by William Blackwood
William Blackwood
William Blackwood was a Scottish publisher who founded the firm of William Blackwood & Sons.Blackwood was born of humble parents in Edinburgh. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a firm of booksellers in Edinburgh, and he followed his calling also in Glasgow and London for several years...
, favourably reviewed, then followed by Annie Weir (1866). After this he studied at the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
School of Mines, became a colliery manager, and devoted his increased leisure to study and further literary work. Lily Neil appeared in 1879, and was followed by another volume of Poems and Songs (1883). In 1882 he was granted a civil list
Civil list
-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom, the Civil List is the name given to the annual grant that covers some expenses associated with the Sovereign performing their official duties, including those for staff salaries, State Visits, public engagements, ceremonial functions and the upkeep of the...
pension of £50 per year. A collection of his work came out in 1890 as Selected Poems.
He is buried in Motherwell.