Samuel Rutherford Crockett
Encyclopedia
Samuel Rutherford Crockett (24 September 1859 – 16 April 1914) was a Scottish
novelist, born at Duchrae, Balmaghie
, Kirkcudbrightshire
, the illegitimate grandson of a farmer.
He was raised on his grandfather's Galloway
farm, and graduated from Edinburgh University during 1879. After some years of travel he became in 1886 minister of Penicuik
. During that year he produced his first publication, Dulce Cor (Latin: Sweet Heart), a collection of verse.
He eventually abandoned the Free Church ministry for novel-writing.
The success of J.M. Barrie and the Kailyard school
of sentimental, homey writing had created a demand for stories in Lowland Scots
when Crockett published his successful story of The Stickit Minister
during 1893. It was followed by a rapidly produced series of popular novels frequently featuring the history of Scotland
or his native Galloway. Crockett made considerable sums of money from his writing and was a friend and correspondent of R. L. Stevenson.
During 1900 Crockett wrote a booklet published by the London camera manufacturer, Newman & Guardia
, comparing cameras favorably to pen and pencil and explaining how he encountered the N and G advertisement.
He died in France on holiday in early 1914 and the subsequent outbreak of the First World War meant a delay in his remains being buried in his home kirkyard at Balmaghie.
A monument to Crockett can be seen at Laurieston, near Castle Douglas
, Kirkcudbrightshire.
A good biography of S.R. Crockett was published in 1991 by Dr Islay Donaldson.
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...
novelist, born at Duchrae, Balmaghie
Balmaghie
Balmaghie , from the Scottish Gaelic Baile Mac Aoidh, is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland and was the seat of the McGhee family. It is bordered by the River Dee to the north and east...
, Kirkcudbrightshire
Kirkcudbrightshire
The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright or Kirkcudbrightshire was a county of south-western Scotland. It was also known as East Galloway, forming the larger Galloway region with Wigtownshire....
, the illegitimate grandson of a farmer.
He was raised on his grandfather's Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
farm, and graduated from Edinburgh University during 1879. After some years of travel he became in 1886 minister of Penicuik
Penicuik
Penicuik is a burgh and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk. The town was developed as a planned village in 1770 by Sir James Clerk of Penicuik. It became a burgh in 1867. The town was well known for its paper mills, the last of which closed in 2005....
. During that year he produced his first publication, Dulce Cor (Latin: Sweet Heart), a collection of verse.
He eventually abandoned the Free Church ministry for novel-writing.
The success of J.M. Barrie and the Kailyard school
Kailyard school
The Kailyard school of Scottish fiction was developed about the 1890s as a reaction against what was seen as increasingly coarse writing representing Scottish life complete with all its blemishes. It has been considered as being an overly sentimental representation of rural life, cleansed of real...
of sentimental, homey writing had created a demand for stories in Lowland Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
when Crockett published his successful story of The Stickit Minister
Stickit minister
A Stickit minister is a term of obloquy in Scotland, for a candidate for holy orders who has failed to pass the necessary examination, or to give satisfaction before whom he preached the probationary sermon. The Scottish Gaelic equivalent is ministear-maide...
during 1893. It was followed by a rapidly produced series of popular novels frequently featuring the history of Scotland
History of Scotland
The history of Scotland begins around 10,000 years ago, when humans first began to inhabit what is now Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last ice age...
or his native Galloway. Crockett made considerable sums of money from his writing and was a friend and correspondent of R. L. Stevenson.
During 1900 Crockett wrote a booklet published by the London camera manufacturer, Newman & Guardia
Newman & Guardia
Newman & Guardia were a British manufacturer of cameras and other fine instruments including early aircraft instruments.The company was in existence between 1893 and 1956 and may have continued beyond that date....
, comparing cameras favorably to pen and pencil and explaining how he encountered the N and G advertisement.
He died in France on holiday in early 1914 and the subsequent outbreak of the First World War meant a delay in his remains being buried in his home kirkyard at Balmaghie.
A monument to Crockett can be seen at Laurieston, near Castle Douglas
Castle Douglas
Castle Douglas , a town in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway, lies in the eastern part of Galloway known as the Stewartry, between the towns of Dalbeattie and Gatehouse of Fleet.-History:...
, Kirkcudbrightshire.
A good biography of S.R. Crockett was published in 1991 by Dr Islay Donaldson.
Works
- The Raiders, The Lilac Sun-bonnet and Mad Sir Uchtred (1894)
- The Men of the Moss Hags (1895)
- Sweetheart Travellers (1895)
- Cleg Kelly and The Grey Man (1896)
- The Surprising Adventures of Sir Toady Lion (1897)
- The Red Axe (1898)
- The Black Douglas (1899)
- Kit Kennedy (1899)
- Joan of the Sword Hand and Little Anna Mark in 1900
- Flower o' the Corn (1902)
- Red Cap Tales (1904)
- Maid Margaret (1905)
- The Adventurer in Spain (non-fiction) (1905)
- Red Cap Adventures (1908)
- Silver Sand (1914)
External links
- Works by Samuel Rutherford Crockett at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...