Allan Ramsay (1684-1758)

Poet

Allan Ramsay was born on 15 October 1684 at Leadhills in Lanarkshire, the son of John Ramsay and Alice Bower. He was apprenticed to an Edinburgh wigmaker and eventually set up his own business. He was involved in the city’s societies and began writing poems in the vernacular. In time he became a book-seller who also dealt in prints. Between 1723 and 1737 he published a collection of Scots songs, a drama ‘The Gentle shepherd’, and a volume of Scots proverbs. As his reputation and wealth grew he moved his shop to the Luckenbooths near St Giles, a focal point for Edinburgh society. There he started a circulating library as well as staging plays. On retirement he had a house built near to Edinburgh Castle in what is now Ramsay Gardens. This was shared with his son, Allan Ramsay, the portrait painter.

Marriage in 1712

Allane Ramsay married Christian Ross on 14 December 1712. The entry in the Old Parish Register for Edinburgh is dated 16 November and gives his occupation as 'wigomaker burgos in N K paroch' (wigmaker and burgess in North Kirk parish). Christian was 'daughter to the deceast Robert Ross wrytor in SSE paroch'.

Marriage entry for Allan Ramsay (49 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 685-1/46, page 67

Death in 1758

Mr Allan Ramsay was buried on 9 January 1758. The entry in the Old Parish Register for Edinburgh Greyfriars gives the cause of death as 'old age' (end column). The place of burial is described as 'd B D p SW the blew ston apoile'.

Burial entry for Allan Ramsay (33 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 685-1/95