May 9 in Scottish History

Today in 1918 John MacLean, Glasgow schoolmaster, labour leader and first Soviet Consul in Britain, was tried in the Edinburgh High Court for sedition. MacLean dedicated his life to the cause of the working class. A controversial figure, his Marxist views were seen as extreme even by some of the Left. His opposition to the war led to his arrest on a number of occasions, losing him his teaching job, and culminating with a sentence of 5 years for sedition in 1918. However, a combination of the signing of the Armistice and weekly marches by supporters in Glasgow saw him released in December 1918, having served eight months. He was granted a royal pardon by the King, which he refused, on the grounds that it was the workers of Glasgow, rather than the King, who had secured his release. In November 1923, already in poor health from the rigours of prison, he contracted pneumonia and died, aged only 44.

On 9 May 1645, the Marquis of Montrose and his Royalists camped at Auldearn near Nairn, en route to attack Inverness. The Covenanters, reinforced by troops withdrawn from England because of the threat from Montrose, gathered at Inverness before marching overnight in an attempt to surprise Montrose at Aldearn. The Royalists won a fierce fight, killing 2000 Covenanters for the loss of 200 of their own men.

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