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For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
https://electricscotland.com/scotnews.htm
Electric Scotland News
Each week I bring you the Rev. Nola Crewe's "Thoughts for a Sunday Morning" which is a YouTube video of about 10 minutes duration. I do take take the time each week to watch this and this weeks talk was about the loss of free speech.
A link to her talk can be found in the Electric Canadian section below.
-------
A new political party in Scotland called "Alliance for Unity".
SLOWLY the Scottish commentariat is beginning to acknowledge the grassroots movement Alliance for Unity as a force to be reckoned with at the coming Holyrood election. We have come a long way in a few months. George Galloway’s call to action struck a chord with many people from across the political divide, angry at the direction that Sturgeon’s sub-fascist nationalism is taking Scotland, with a seemingly impotent opposition unable to do anything about it.
See below for a link to an article about them in our news section. "Unionism is dead - long live Unity"
------
SNP being less that transparent.
I note that Scotland has gone over 5,000 deaths this week from the virus. There is discussion online about the lockdown in Scotland and obviously concern over Christmas celebrations or lack thereof.
There is also comment on how Scotland has done 20% less testing than England. When you remember how at the very start of the pandemic the SNP were silent on the Nike conference in Scotland where many were infected you just have to question it the one party state in Scotland, the SNP, is telling us the truth and being transparent with us.
There is also the Alex Salmond affair where the SNP are not providing information to the investigation committee which it was order to do by the Parliament as well as the SNP chairwoman of the investigation committee also being frustrated by their non compliance.
------
The Majority
A new online blog has started which is anti-SNP and pro-Union. I've added an article from them in the news section "The Scottish Empire, an inconvenient truth"
-----
Butterflies Explore Scotland - Possible Book Project
I'm considering creating a book (print and digital) of "Butterflies Explore Scotland". This was a series that Margo Fallis agreed to do for me to provide a little history of Scotland for children and is a collection of 36 chapters.
Thing is that to do that it's going to cost around $1,000 and so will need to fix a price for the book and e-book so that I might recover the cost.
I'm told if I agree to this contract which comes from the publication arm of Reader's Digest I would be given 5 print copies but other copies can be printed on demand. They'll place the book with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and others.
The idea behind the book was to provide wee stories about two butterflies visiting places throughout Scotland and the boy butterfly would be the history buff and he'd relate an historic story of the place they'd settled at in Scotland. Butterflies Explore Scotland is a set of stories about two butterflies who travel up the east coast of Scotland to the north and then back down the west side. Each story is a different adventure.
Any thoughts you might have on this would be welcome. Like (1) Do you think it would sell? and (2) what price would you set for a print edition and a digital edition?
You can find the stories at: https://electricscotland.com/kids/st...utterflies.htm and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this. I might add that if it goes ahead and is successful then I'd look at doing more of these from our collection of children's stories.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as world news stories that can affect Scotland and all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in a number of newspapers you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish which I do myself from time to time.
Scotland under the Conservatives, 1979-1997 - Part two.
THE FIRST PART of this section concentrated on Britain’s relative economic decline in the 1960s and 1970s.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/todays...ead_full=14334
The Scottish Empire, an inconvenient truth
Scotland’s empire did not end with the disaster of the Darien Scheme in February of 1700. Instead, it would go on to be an integral part of the largest empire the world has ever seen.
Read more at:
https://themajority.scot/2020/11/16/...venient-truth/
A view on Membership of the EU
From the Scots Independent Newspaper November 2020 issue.
Read more at:
https://electricscotland.com/independence/sieu.htm
Nicola Sturgeon shamed as Scotland testing LESS people than England
NICOLA STURGEON has been shamed after it emerged 20 percent less people were being tested for coronavirus in Scotland than in England.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...olyrood-latest
SNP accused of power grab to meddle in people's lives with Hate Crime Bill
THE SNP's hate crime Bill has been attacked for meddling in people's private lives by a Lord and former Scottish MP.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...olyrood-latest
Secrets of hidden stone circles on Scottish island to be unearthed
The hidden histories of a number of buried stone circles on the Isle of Lewis are to be revealed.
Read more at:
https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-an...arthed-3037629
UK military to get biggest spending boost in 30 years
The money will fund space and cyber defence projects such as an artificial intelligence agency, and could create 40,000 new jobs, the government said.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54988870
Dominic Cummings turns up with PM in Beanotown
This week's Beano comic includes a pull-out section called Bean-OLD, designed to cheer up adults in the midst of the pandemic - and who better to help in that than Mr Cummings, the former Vote Leave impresario who quit his government role last week?
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54976553
Tiny owl rescued from New York Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
A saw-whet owl is recovering at a wildlife refuge in New York state after it was discovered clinging to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54996314
Unionism is dead - long live Unity
SLOWLY the Scottish commentariat is beginning to acknowledge the grassroots movement Alliance for Unity as a force to be reckoned with at the coming Holyrood election.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/todays...ead_full=14338
A once envied reputation trashed - why Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence is anything but
THERE CAN BE very few people left in Scotland who consider Curriculum for Excellence to have been a positive step forward for the Scottish education system.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkb...ead_full=14337
It is time to call out the Scottish Government’s Voodoo Data
WHAT IS WRONG with Scotland?
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkp...ead_full=14336
Electric Canadian
The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada
Which are dependent on the Province of New York, and are a Barrier between the English and the French in that part of the world by the Hon. Cadwallader Colden in two volumes (1904)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ivenations.htm
Thoughts on a Sunday morning - 15th November 2020
By the Rev. Nola Crewe
As 2020 draws to a close and winter is near, let us look at one of the saddest aspect of the 21st century: not COVID-19 but the suppression of those deemed not politically correct and the loss of free speech in a nation founded upon that value. It is a strange and frightening world in which colonization rears its ugly head and silence is imposed on those who do not agree with those who consider themselves the superior in wisdom and truth.
This can be watched at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...-November-2020
A set of 6 Indian and Eskimo children's books (1900) (pdf)
You can read these at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...s_stories6.pdf
Transactions of The Canadian Institute
New Series - Volume 1 1898 (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...titute1897.pdf
Electric Scotland
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Got in Section 2 of the December 2020 issue.
Here is what Beth says about it...
Hi Everyone. My goodness, has someone invented something that makes the time go faster and faster? I would not be surprised if they have. The days just whiz by.
Here's the first part of the December issue. It has lots of things I hope you all will enjoy reading. It was, as always, fun for me to do. My friend, Keets, has an ad for a fancy slide that is for sale and which would make a great Christmas gift for a family with kidlets. The slide is already assembled and Keets says that is a really big deal. (See page 22.)
I used to write for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Florida. Years ago, I wrote about a Scotsman who almost single-handedly saved our buffalo from extinction. I was surprised to find, on electricscotland.com, the same story. It's on page 3 of this issue. If you are at a zoo or a national park which have American Bison in their collection of critters, those animals family tree will include Bison who were saved by James "Scotty" Phillip, who was born in Moray, Scotland. I cried again this time I read it, as well as the first time years ago. It's a lovely story.
In this BNFT, you'll find it is possible to adopt a Scottish Wildcat! Not to bring home, but to ensure the survival of the species. That's a great gift to give, too.
It looks like we will be living under more or less the way we are living today for quite a long time yet. Tom and I are continuing to be as careful as we can be so we can stay healthy. Patience is not one of our best qualities, but, we all will have to remain patient for yet a while. We read an article that said a vaccine would be available before Thanksgiving 2021.
Don't forget to send me your email address should it need changing.
If you are working on genealogy, remember, Genealogical Queries are free in BNFT. Just send the email changes and the query copy to bethscribble@aol.com.
With wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for even if we are "socially distancing" from those we love. My grandmother used to tell me, "This too, will pass." So far, other than right now, that has happened in my own life.
Aye,
beth
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/bnft/index.htm
Cadwallander Colden
A Representative Eighteenth Century Official by Alice Mapelsden Keys, Ph.D. (1906) (pdf). Another American Scot.
You can read about him at: https://electriccanadian.com/history...adercolden.pdf
Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland Society of Scotland
Volume 9 (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/agricul...New-Series.pdf
Report on the Recent Work of the Geological Survey in the North-West Highlands of Scotland
Communicated by A. Geikie, LL.D., F.R.S., Director-General (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...l44188geol.pdf
Our Ten Christian Colleges
In Asia, Africa, and the West Indies of the United Free Church of Scotland by George Smith (pdf)
A short article which can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/bible/o...ancolleges.pdf
A view on Membership of the EU
From the Scots Independent Newspaper November 2020 issue.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/independence/sieu.htm
Clan Henderson videos on YouTube
I created a page to view these at:
https://electricscotland.com/webclan...son_videos.htm
Clan Henderson Newsletter
Got in their December 2020 issue which can be viewed at:
https://electricscotland.com/familyt...rson/index.htm
Edinburgh Natural History Society
Their Journal which can be viewed at:
https://electricscotland.com/nature/...orySociety.htm
The Continuation, Breadth, and Impact of Evangelicalism in the Church of Scotland, 1843-1900
A Thesis Submitted to The University of Edinburgh, New College In Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Edinburgh, United Kingdom by Andrew Michael Jones (2018) (pdf)
This can be read at: https://electricscotland.com/bible/Jones2018.pdf
Story
Social Legislation
Mr Forbes MacKenzie's Act
William Forbes Mackenzie (18 April 1807 – 24 September 1862) was a Scottish Conservative politician and temperance reformer. He is best known for the Forbes MacKenzie Act, legislation passed in 1853 to regulate public houses in Scotland.
Born in Exmouth, Devon, he was the third son of Colin MacKenzie, writer to the signet in Edinburgh and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo. He studied for the law, and was called to the bar in 1827. In 1830 he married Helen Anne Montgomery, daughter of Sir James Montgomery, and they had two children. In 1831 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Peeblesshire.
At the 1837 general election he was elected to the House of Commons as member of parliament for Peeblesshire. He was re-elected as member for the constituency in 1841 and 1847. He was one of Sir Robert Peel's junior Lords of the Treasury from 26 April 1845 until the end of the latter's second premiership. He was an advocate of Catholic and Jewish emancipation and supported the administration's increase of the grant to Maynooth College. However in May 1845 he threatened to resign from office as he felt that the Jewish Disabilities Reform Bill did not carry reforms far enough. He finally resigned from the government on 11 April 1846 over the Corn Laws, an issue which quickly led to the collapse of the administration.
In 1852 he was elected one of two Conservative members of parliament for Liverpool. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury in Lord Derby's protectionist government from February 1852 to January 1853. In April 1853 he introduced the Public Houses (Scotland) Bill to the Commons. The Bill, which was eventually enacted as the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict. c.67), forced the closure of pubs in Scotland on Sundays and at 10pm on weekdays. Because of his active involvement in promoting it, the legislation was popularly known as the "Forbes Mackenzie Act".
In the meantime he had been forced out of parliament. The two defeated Liberal candidates at Liverpool had issued an election petition contesting the results. In the ensuing court proceedings the Conservative election agents were found to have been guilty of bribery and treating. On 21 June 1853 the election was declared void.
Forbes MacKenzie made an attempt to re-enter parliament at Derby in 1857, but failed to be elected. In 1859 he was made chairman of the Scottish Lunacy Commissioners.
He died suddenly in September 1862 while visiting Sir Charles Tennant at Glen House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire.
I found an article about this act in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (pdf)
https://electricscotland.com/history...kenzie_act.pdf
END.
And that's it for this week and hope you all have a great weekend and mind and keep your distance, wash your hands and stay safe. Don't be stupid or selfish and instead be considerate of others and wear a mask if going shopping or into a crowded place and consider whether you should indeed go into a crowded space in the first place.
Alastair
https://electricscotland.com/scotnews.htm
Electric Scotland News
Each week I bring you the Rev. Nola Crewe's "Thoughts for a Sunday Morning" which is a YouTube video of about 10 minutes duration. I do take take the time each week to watch this and this weeks talk was about the loss of free speech.
A link to her talk can be found in the Electric Canadian section below.
-------
A new political party in Scotland called "Alliance for Unity".
SLOWLY the Scottish commentariat is beginning to acknowledge the grassroots movement Alliance for Unity as a force to be reckoned with at the coming Holyrood election. We have come a long way in a few months. George Galloway’s call to action struck a chord with many people from across the political divide, angry at the direction that Sturgeon’s sub-fascist nationalism is taking Scotland, with a seemingly impotent opposition unable to do anything about it.
See below for a link to an article about them in our news section. "Unionism is dead - long live Unity"
------
SNP being less that transparent.
I note that Scotland has gone over 5,000 deaths this week from the virus. There is discussion online about the lockdown in Scotland and obviously concern over Christmas celebrations or lack thereof.
There is also comment on how Scotland has done 20% less testing than England. When you remember how at the very start of the pandemic the SNP were silent on the Nike conference in Scotland where many were infected you just have to question it the one party state in Scotland, the SNP, is telling us the truth and being transparent with us.
There is also the Alex Salmond affair where the SNP are not providing information to the investigation committee which it was order to do by the Parliament as well as the SNP chairwoman of the investigation committee also being frustrated by their non compliance.
------
The Majority
A new online blog has started which is anti-SNP and pro-Union. I've added an article from them in the news section "The Scottish Empire, an inconvenient truth"
-----
Butterflies Explore Scotland - Possible Book Project
I'm considering creating a book (print and digital) of "Butterflies Explore Scotland". This was a series that Margo Fallis agreed to do for me to provide a little history of Scotland for children and is a collection of 36 chapters.
Thing is that to do that it's going to cost around $1,000 and so will need to fix a price for the book and e-book so that I might recover the cost.
I'm told if I agree to this contract which comes from the publication arm of Reader's Digest I would be given 5 print copies but other copies can be printed on demand. They'll place the book with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and others.
The idea behind the book was to provide wee stories about two butterflies visiting places throughout Scotland and the boy butterfly would be the history buff and he'd relate an historic story of the place they'd settled at in Scotland. Butterflies Explore Scotland is a set of stories about two butterflies who travel up the east coast of Scotland to the north and then back down the west side. Each story is a different adventure.
Any thoughts you might have on this would be welcome. Like (1) Do you think it would sell? and (2) what price would you set for a print edition and a digital edition?
You can find the stories at: https://electricscotland.com/kids/st...utterflies.htm and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this. I might add that if it goes ahead and is successful then I'd look at doing more of these from our collection of children's stories.
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as world news stories that can affect Scotland and all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in a number of newspapers you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish which I do myself from time to time.
Scotland under the Conservatives, 1979-1997 - Part two.
THE FIRST PART of this section concentrated on Britain’s relative economic decline in the 1960s and 1970s.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/todays...ead_full=14334
The Scottish Empire, an inconvenient truth
Scotland’s empire did not end with the disaster of the Darien Scheme in February of 1700. Instead, it would go on to be an integral part of the largest empire the world has ever seen.
Read more at:
https://themajority.scot/2020/11/16/...venient-truth/
A view on Membership of the EU
From the Scots Independent Newspaper November 2020 issue.
Read more at:
https://electricscotland.com/independence/sieu.htm
Nicola Sturgeon shamed as Scotland testing LESS people than England
NICOLA STURGEON has been shamed after it emerged 20 percent less people were being tested for coronavirus in Scotland than in England.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...olyrood-latest
SNP accused of power grab to meddle in people's lives with Hate Crime Bill
THE SNP's hate crime Bill has been attacked for meddling in people's private lives by a Lord and former Scottish MP.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...olyrood-latest
Secrets of hidden stone circles on Scottish island to be unearthed
The hidden histories of a number of buried stone circles on the Isle of Lewis are to be revealed.
Read more at:
https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-an...arthed-3037629
UK military to get biggest spending boost in 30 years
The money will fund space and cyber defence projects such as an artificial intelligence agency, and could create 40,000 new jobs, the government said.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54988870
Dominic Cummings turns up with PM in Beanotown
This week's Beano comic includes a pull-out section called Bean-OLD, designed to cheer up adults in the midst of the pandemic - and who better to help in that than Mr Cummings, the former Vote Leave impresario who quit his government role last week?
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-54976553
Tiny owl rescued from New York Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
A saw-whet owl is recovering at a wildlife refuge in New York state after it was discovered clinging to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54996314
Unionism is dead - long live Unity
SLOWLY the Scottish commentariat is beginning to acknowledge the grassroots movement Alliance for Unity as a force to be reckoned with at the coming Holyrood election.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/todays...ead_full=14338
A once envied reputation trashed - why Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence is anything but
THERE CAN BE very few people left in Scotland who consider Curriculum for Excellence to have been a positive step forward for the Scottish education system.
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkb...ead_full=14337
It is time to call out the Scottish Government’s Voodoo Data
WHAT IS WRONG with Scotland?
Read more at:
https://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkp...ead_full=14336
Electric Canadian
The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada
Which are dependent on the Province of New York, and are a Barrier between the English and the French in that part of the world by the Hon. Cadwallader Colden in two volumes (1904)
You can read this at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ivenations.htm
Thoughts on a Sunday morning - 15th November 2020
By the Rev. Nola Crewe
As 2020 draws to a close and winter is near, let us look at one of the saddest aspect of the 21st century: not COVID-19 but the suppression of those deemed not politically correct and the loss of free speech in a nation founded upon that value. It is a strange and frightening world in which colonization rears its ugly head and silence is imposed on those who do not agree with those who consider themselves the superior in wisdom and truth.
This can be watched at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...-November-2020
A set of 6 Indian and Eskimo children's books (1900) (pdf)
You can read these at: http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...s_stories6.pdf
Transactions of The Canadian Institute
New Series - Volume 1 1898 (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...titute1897.pdf
Electric Scotland
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Got in Section 2 of the December 2020 issue.
Here is what Beth says about it...
Hi Everyone. My goodness, has someone invented something that makes the time go faster and faster? I would not be surprised if they have. The days just whiz by.
Here's the first part of the December issue. It has lots of things I hope you all will enjoy reading. It was, as always, fun for me to do. My friend, Keets, has an ad for a fancy slide that is for sale and which would make a great Christmas gift for a family with kidlets. The slide is already assembled and Keets says that is a really big deal. (See page 22.)
I used to write for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Florida. Years ago, I wrote about a Scotsman who almost single-handedly saved our buffalo from extinction. I was surprised to find, on electricscotland.com, the same story. It's on page 3 of this issue. If you are at a zoo or a national park which have American Bison in their collection of critters, those animals family tree will include Bison who were saved by James "Scotty" Phillip, who was born in Moray, Scotland. I cried again this time I read it, as well as the first time years ago. It's a lovely story.
In this BNFT, you'll find it is possible to adopt a Scottish Wildcat! Not to bring home, but to ensure the survival of the species. That's a great gift to give, too.
It looks like we will be living under more or less the way we are living today for quite a long time yet. Tom and I are continuing to be as careful as we can be so we can stay healthy. Patience is not one of our best qualities, but, we all will have to remain patient for yet a while. We read an article that said a vaccine would be available before Thanksgiving 2021.
Don't forget to send me your email address should it need changing.
If you are working on genealogy, remember, Genealogical Queries are free in BNFT. Just send the email changes and the query copy to bethscribble@aol.com.
With wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for even if we are "socially distancing" from those we love. My grandmother used to tell me, "This too, will pass." So far, other than right now, that has happened in my own life.
Aye,
beth
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/bnft/index.htm
Cadwallander Colden
A Representative Eighteenth Century Official by Alice Mapelsden Keys, Ph.D. (1906) (pdf). Another American Scot.
You can read about him at: https://electriccanadian.com/history...adercolden.pdf
Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland Society of Scotland
Volume 9 (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/agricul...New-Series.pdf
Report on the Recent Work of the Geological Survey in the North-West Highlands of Scotland
Communicated by A. Geikie, LL.D., F.R.S., Director-General (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...l44188geol.pdf
Our Ten Christian Colleges
In Asia, Africa, and the West Indies of the United Free Church of Scotland by George Smith (pdf)
A short article which can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/bible/o...ancolleges.pdf
A view on Membership of the EU
From the Scots Independent Newspaper November 2020 issue.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/independence/sieu.htm
Clan Henderson videos on YouTube
I created a page to view these at:
https://electricscotland.com/webclan...son_videos.htm
Clan Henderson Newsletter
Got in their December 2020 issue which can be viewed at:
https://electricscotland.com/familyt...rson/index.htm
Edinburgh Natural History Society
Their Journal which can be viewed at:
https://electricscotland.com/nature/...orySociety.htm
The Continuation, Breadth, and Impact of Evangelicalism in the Church of Scotland, 1843-1900
A Thesis Submitted to The University of Edinburgh, New College In Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Edinburgh, United Kingdom by Andrew Michael Jones (2018) (pdf)
This can be read at: https://electricscotland.com/bible/Jones2018.pdf
Story
Social Legislation
Mr Forbes MacKenzie's Act
William Forbes Mackenzie (18 April 1807 – 24 September 1862) was a Scottish Conservative politician and temperance reformer. He is best known for the Forbes MacKenzie Act, legislation passed in 1853 to regulate public houses in Scotland.
Born in Exmouth, Devon, he was the third son of Colin MacKenzie, writer to the signet in Edinburgh and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo. He studied for the law, and was called to the bar in 1827. In 1830 he married Helen Anne Montgomery, daughter of Sir James Montgomery, and they had two children. In 1831 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Peeblesshire.
At the 1837 general election he was elected to the House of Commons as member of parliament for Peeblesshire. He was re-elected as member for the constituency in 1841 and 1847. He was one of Sir Robert Peel's junior Lords of the Treasury from 26 April 1845 until the end of the latter's second premiership. He was an advocate of Catholic and Jewish emancipation and supported the administration's increase of the grant to Maynooth College. However in May 1845 he threatened to resign from office as he felt that the Jewish Disabilities Reform Bill did not carry reforms far enough. He finally resigned from the government on 11 April 1846 over the Corn Laws, an issue which quickly led to the collapse of the administration.
In 1852 he was elected one of two Conservative members of parliament for Liverpool. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury in Lord Derby's protectionist government from February 1852 to January 1853. In April 1853 he introduced the Public Houses (Scotland) Bill to the Commons. The Bill, which was eventually enacted as the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict. c.67), forced the closure of pubs in Scotland on Sundays and at 10pm on weekdays. Because of his active involvement in promoting it, the legislation was popularly known as the "Forbes Mackenzie Act".
In the meantime he had been forced out of parliament. The two defeated Liberal candidates at Liverpool had issued an election petition contesting the results. In the ensuing court proceedings the Conservative election agents were found to have been guilty of bribery and treating. On 21 June 1853 the election was declared void.
Forbes MacKenzie made an attempt to re-enter parliament at Derby in 1857, but failed to be elected. In 1859 he was made chairman of the Scottish Lunacy Commissioners.
He died suddenly in September 1862 while visiting Sir Charles Tennant at Glen House, Innerleithen, Peeblesshire.
I found an article about this act in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (pdf)
https://electricscotland.com/history...kenzie_act.pdf
END.
And that's it for this week and hope you all have a great weekend and mind and keep your distance, wash your hands and stay safe. Don't be stupid or selfish and instead be considerate of others and wear a mask if going shopping or into a crowded place and consider whether you should indeed go into a crowded space in the first place.
Alastair