The blue-gowns were an order of paupers in Scotland, called also the King's -Bedesmen, to whom the kings annually distributed certain alms on condition of their praying for the royal welfare. Their number was equal to the number of years the king had lived. The alms consisted of a blue gown or cloak, a purse containing as many shillings Scots (pennies sterling) as the years of the king's age, and a badge bearing the words 'Pass and reposs', which protected them from all laws against mendicity. Edie Ochiltree, in Sir Walther Scott's novel of the Antiquary, is a type of the class. The practice of appointing bedesmen was discontinued in 1833, and the last of them drew his last allowance from the exchequer in Edinburgh in 1863. Research Blue-Gowns
George Brown was a Canadian journalist and politician. He was born in 1818 at Edinburgh, Scotland and died in 1880 when he was shot by a sacked employee. Educated at the High School at Edinburgh, he emigrated to the United States with his father, and assisted in the management of a newspaper at New York; but in 1843 removed to Toronto, Canada, where he founded a newspaper, The Globe, which was very successful.
In 1852 he was returned to parliament, and rapidly rose to the first rank as a debater and advocate of reforms. In 1858 he was called to the office of premier, and formed an administration, which, however, owing to an adverse vote of the assembly, lasted only three days. In 1862, while on a visit to Scotland, he married Miss AnnieNelson, daughter of the well-known Edinburgh publisher. On his return to Canada he joined, in 1864, the coalition government as leader of the reform section, and took an active part in the conferences held at Charlottetown and Quebec on the subject of the federation of the North American colonies; but resigned his office as minister in December 1865. He was called to the senate in 1873, and the year after went to Washington along with Sir Edward Thornton to negotiate a commercial treaty with the United States.
George Brown, though perhaps wanting in some of the qualities which make a successful parliamentary leader, was a great personal force in Canadian politics, and contributed powerfully to the cause of reform.
George Douglas Brown was a Scottish author. He was born in 1869 at Ochiltree and died in 1902. After graduating at Oxford in 1895 he went to London and entered a literary and journalistic career working as literary advisor to the publisher Macqueen. In 1901 his novel 'The House With The Green Shutters' was published under the pen-name 'George Douglas'.
Sir George Brown was a distinguished British general. He was born in 1790 near Elgin and died in 1865. He served in the Peninsular War and in the American campaign of 1814. He was knighted in 1855. Research George Brown
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Research Blue-Gowns
