1824 in Scotland

Events from the year 1824 in Scotland.

Law officers

 * Lord Advocate – Sir William Rae, Bt
 * Solicitor General for Scotland – John Hope

Judiciary

 * Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Granton
 * Lord Justice General – The Duke of Montrose
 * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Boyle

Events

 * 19 April – brigantine Helen of Dundee, bound for Quebec, founders on what becomes known as Helen's Reef off Rockall with fatalities.
 * 17 May – the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway is authorised; construction begins the following month.
 * 24 May – the foundation stone for an oil-gas works at Tanfield in Edinburgh is laid by Sir Walter Scott as company chairman.
 * October – Edinburgh Academy, built to the design of William Burn, opens.
 * 10 October – Edinburgh Town Council makes a decision to found a municipal fire brigade under James Braidwood, the first in Britain.
 * 15–21 November – Great Fire of Edinburgh, starting in Old Assembly Close, kills 11 residents and 2 firemen, and destroys 24 tenements – leaving 400 families homeless – and other properties, including the spire of Tron Kirk.
 * Blairquhan Castle near Maybole, rebuilt to the design of William Burn for Sir David Hunter-Blair, 3rd Baronet, is completed.
 * Speyside Scotch whisky distilleries established: Balmenach, Glenlivet and Macallan. Also, Cameron Bridge distillery is established by Haig.
 * The Foot-Ball Club is established in Edinburgh, one of the earliest known clubs organised to play any kind of football.
 * The Northern Yacht Club, a predecessor of the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club, is established in Rothesay.
 * The Perth Golfing Society is formed.

Births

 * 24 February – John Dick Peddie, architect (died 1891)
 * 8 March – John Elder, marine engineer (died 1869 in London)
 * 21 March – James Samuel, railway engineer (died 1874 in London)
 * 4 July – Robert B. Lindsay, Governor of Alabama (died 1902 in the United States)
 * 21 October – John Ritchie Findlay, newspaper owner and philanthropist (died 1898)
 * 10 December – George MacDonald, writer, poet and Christian minister (died 1905 in England)
 * 17 December – John Kerr, physicist (died 1907)
 * George Campbell, administrator in British India and Liberal politician (died 1892 in Cairo)

Deaths

 * 12 January – Walter Oudney, physician and explorer (born 1790; died in Africa)
 * 15 January – Francis Dundas, British Army general and governor of Cape Colony (born c.1759)
 * 17 January – James Brodie of Brodie, botanist, clan chief and politician (born 1744)
 * 31 March – Andrew Fyfe, anatomist (born 1754)
 * 15 May – Alexander Campbell, musician and writer (born 1764)
 * 19 December – Charles Smith, painter (born 1749)
 * Approximate date – John Gunn, musician (born c.1765)

The arts

 * Thomas Campbell's Miscellaneous Poems is published.
 * James Hogg's novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner is published anonymously.
 * William Knox's poetry collection Songs of Israel is published.
 * Sir Walter Scott's novel Redgauntlet is published anonymously.
 * Edwin Landseer visits Scotland for the first time to paint a portrait of Sir Walter Scott; he will return annually, concentrating on animal portraits.