1885 in Scotland

Events from the year 1885 in Scotland.

Incumbents

 * Secretary for Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal – from 17 August The Duke of Richmond

Law officers

 * Lord Advocate – John Blair Balfour until July; then John Macdonald
 * Solicitor General for Scotland – Alexander Asher; then James Robertson

Judiciary

 * Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Glencorse
 * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Moncreiff

Events

 * 18 April – Scottish Catholic Observer first published as The Glasgow Observer.
 * 1 June – the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Largs Branch is completed throughout to Largs.
 * 10 June – breed standard for Highland cattle first defined (in Inverness) and herd book first produced.
 * 27 June – The Shetland News first published in Lerwick.
 * 1 July – the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Paisley Canal Line is opened on the course of the abandoned Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal.
 * 6 August – the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway is officially formed, in the joint ownership of the Caledonian, Glasgow and South Western, London and North Western and Midland Railways.
 * 17 August – the post of Secretary for Scotland is revived to be in charge of the Scottish Office, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, being the first appointee.
 * 1 October – the Alloa Railway's Alloa swing bridge over the River Forth is opened.
 * 24 November – 18 December: 1885 United Kingdom general election: five MPs from or allied with the Crofters Party are elected.
 * General Accident and Employers' Liability Assurance Association Ltd., a predecessor of Aviva, established in Perth.
 * Ailsa Shipbuilding Company established at Troon.
 * North British Distillery established in Edinburgh.
 * Scapa distillery established on Mainland, Orkney.
 * Hugh Tennent first brews lager at the Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow.
 * Experimental hydroelectricity scheme for public supply at Greenock initiated.
 * Fidra lighthouse built.

Births

 * 21 January – Duncan Grant, painter (died 1978 in England)
 * 16 February – Will Fyffe, music hall entertainer (died 1947)
 * 23 March – John Fraser, surgeon and academic (died 1947)
 * 8 April – John Kerr, cricketer (died 1972)
 * 29 April – Andrew Young, poet and clergyman (died 1971 in England)
 * 22 June – James Maxton, socialist and leader of the Independent Labour Party (died 1946)
 * 8 September – Douglas Guthrie, otolaryngologist and medical historian (died 1975)
 * 13 September – John Beazley, Classical archaeologist (died 1970)
 * 1 October – William Miller Macmillan, colonial historian (died 1974 in England)
 * F. Marian McNeill, folklorist (died 1973)
 * Winifred Rushforth, née Bartholomew, psychoanalyst (died 1983)

Deaths

 * 2 April – James Edward Alexander, soldier, traveller and author (born 1803)
 * 16 July – William Graham, wine merchant, art patron and Liberal politician (born 1817)

The arts

 * "Glasgow Boys" first exhibit collectively, at the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.
 * Aberdeen Art Gallery opens.
 * English painter Fra Newbery is appointed Principal of Glasgow School of Art, where he will serve until 1917.

Seasons

 * 1884–85 and 1885–86 Scottish Cups (Association football)
 * 1884–85 and 1885–86 British Home Championships (Association football)
 * 1885 Open Championship (golf) on the Old Course at St Andrews
 * 1885 Home Nations Championship (rugby union)

Events

 * May – Clydesdale Harriers established in Glasgow as Scotland's first open amateur athletics club.
 * 12 September – Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord is the world's highest scoring professional Association football match until 2002.

Establishments

 * Caledonian F.C., Inverness
 * Clachnacuddin F.C., Inverness
 * Clackmannan F.C.
 * Cronberry Eglinton F.C.
 * Dundee Wanderers F.C.
 * Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
 * Forfar Athletic F.C.
 * Glenurquhart Shinty Club
 * Inverness Thistle F.C.
 * Lanemark F.C., New Cumnock
 * Lesmahagow F.C.
 * Orion F.C., Aberdeen
 * St Johnstone F.C., Perth (officially formed 24 February, though its origins and founding date is 1884)
 * Wishaw F.C.

Closures

 * Eastern F.C.