Joseph Laing Waugh

Medallion portrait of Joseph Laing Waugh by William Birnie Rhind

The grave of Joseph Laing Waugh, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh

Joseph Laing Waugh (1868–1928) was a Scottish businessman and writer.

Life

Waugh was born in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway on 17 April 1868. He moved to Edinburgh around 1890 where he ran a successful wallpaper business.[1] He lived at 3 Comiston Drive in the south-west of the city.[2] His great love however was writing. His work is sentimental in nature and largely consists of humorous biographies of characters from Dumfries and Galloway.[3]

He died in Edinburgh on 22 November 1928. He is buried in Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh.[4] The grave lies under a tree in the south-east section behind the grave of Samuel Bough. It has a portrait medallion by the sculptor William Birnie Rhind. Waugh is also memorialised at 19 East Morton Street, Thornhill, with a bust by Henry Snell Gamley completed after Gamley’s death by Rhind.[5]

Publications

• Thornhill and Its Worthies (1905 plus several later editions)
• Robbie Doo (1912) (Robbie Doo was a stone-mason in Thornhill)
• Robert Burns: A Poem (1912)
• Cracks Wi' Robbie Doo (1914)
• Betty Grier (1915)
• Cute McCheyne and Other Stories (1917)
• Heroes in Homespun (1921)
• And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Family

He was married to Isabelle Goldie (1876-1949).

Artistic recognition

A bust of Waugh is placed on a building in his home town of Thornhill.[6] A portrait also exists in the Dumfries Museum.[7]

In August 2010 a lecture on Waugh was presented to the Thornhill branch of Rotary International.[8]

References

1. "Other Literary Figures". Dumfriesshirecompanion.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
2. Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1911-12
3. Kailyard and Scottish Literature by Andrew Nash
4. Charles Sale (8 January 2014). "Gravestone Photographs Resource Countries index page". Gravestonephotos.com. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
5. ArtUK. "Joseph Laing Waugh (1868–1928)". Public Catalogue Foundation. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
6. Dan (30 January 2015). "Joseph Laing Waugh | The British Isles were the limit, but now the world!". Wanderersintimeandplace.wordpress.com. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
7. "Joseph Laing Waugh (1868–1928) | Art UK Art UK | Discover Artworks Joseph Laing Waugh (1868–1928)". Artuk.org. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
8. "Topic: Joseph Laing Waugh - Rotary Club of Thornhill & District". Rotary-ribi.org. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2017.