During the

Enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

and the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

, Scottish

industrial policy Industrial policy is proactive government-led encouragement and development of specific strategic industries for the growth of all or part of the economy, especially in absence of sufficient private sector investments and participation. Historica ...

was made by the Board of Trustees for Fisheries, Manufactures and Improvements in Scotland, which sought to build an economy complementary, not competitive, with England. Since England had woollens, this meant linen. The board was established in 1727, with the purpose of dispersing

grants Grant or Grants may refer to: People * Grant (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Grant (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters ** Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), the 18th president of the U ...

to encourage the growth of the

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and manufacturing industries. When

state regulation Regulation is the management of complex systems according to a set of rules and trends. In systems theory, these types of rules exist in various fields of biology and society, but the term has slightly different meanings according to context. Fo ...

of the linen industry was abolished in 1823, the focus of the board turned to the

decorative arts ] The decorative arts are arts or crafts whose aim is the design and manufacture of objects that are both beautiful and functional. This includes most of the objects for the interiors of buildings, as well as interior design, but typically excl ...

and the improvement of

fine arts In European academic traditions, fine art (or, fine arts) is made primarily for aesthetics or creativity, creative expression, distinguishing it from popular art, decorative art or applied art, which also either serve some practical function ...

education. The board had established the Trustees Drawing Academy of Edinburgh in 1760, to improve

industrial design Industrial design is a process of design applied to physical Product (business), products that are to be manufactured by mass production. It is the creative act of determining and defining a product's form and features, which takes place in adva ...

, and in 1906 the board's remaining functions were transferred to the trustees of the

National Galleries of Scotland The National Galleries of Scotland (, sometimes also known as National Galleries Scotland) is the executive non-departmental public body that controls the three national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries, forming one of the Nation ...

by the National Galleries of Scotland Act.

Linen industry

The linen industry was Scotland's premier industry in the 18th century and formed the basis for the later cotton, jute, and woollen industries. Encouraged and subsidized by the board of trustees so it could compete with German products, merchant entrepreneurs became dominant in all stages of linen manufacturing and built up the market share of Scottish linens, especially in the American colonial market. The British Linen Company, established in 1746, was the largest firm in the Scottish linen industry in the 18th century, exporting linen to England and America. As a joint-stock company, it had the right to raise funds through the issue of promissory notes or bonds. With its bonds functioning as bank notes, the company gradually moved into the business of lending and discounting to other linen manufacturers, and in the early 1770s banking became its main activity. Renamed the

British Linen Bank The British Linen Bank was a commercial bank based in the United Kingdom. It was acquired by the Bank of Scotland in 1969 and served as the establishment's merchant bank arm from 1977 until 1999. History Foundation The Edinburgh-based British ...

in 1906, it was one of Scotland's premier banks until it was bought out by the Bank of Scotland in 1969. It joined the established Scottish banks such as the

Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc (Scottish Gaelic: ''Banca na h-Alba'') is a commercial bank, commercial and clearing (finance), clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group. The bank was established by the Par ...

(Edinburgh, 1695) and the

Royal Bank of Scotland The Royal Bank of Scotland Public Limited Company () is a major retail banking, retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest and Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Sco ...

(Edinburgh, 1727). Glasgow would soon follow and Scotland had a flourishing financial system by the end of the century. There were over 400 branches, amounting to one office per 7,000 people, double the level in England. The banks were more lightly regulated than those in England. Historians often emphasise that the flexibility and dynamism of the Scottish banking system contributed significantly to the rapid development of the economy in the 19th century.

List of trustees

* Robert Arbuthnot of Haddo (Secretary 1779–1803) * Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet * Sir

George Clerk-Maxwell Sir George Clerk Maxwell, 4th Baronet FRSE (1715–1784), of Penicuik (simply Clerk prior to his marriage), was a Scottish landowner who served as the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer in Exchequer (1741), Commissioner of Customs (1763), a Trustee ...

Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton Andrew Fletcher, Lord Milton (1692 – 13 December 1766) was a notable Scottish judge and Lord Justice Clerk. Family Andrew Fletcher was born at Saltoun Castle near Pencaitland, east of Edinburgh, the son of Henry Fletcher of Saltoun (d.1733 ...

* Sir

Thomas Dick Lauder Sir Thomas Dick Lauder of Fountainhall, 7th Baronet, FRSE FSA (Scot) LLD (13 August 178429 May 1848) was a Scottish author. He served as Secretary to the Board of Manufactures (1839–), on the Herring Fisheries Board, at the Royal Instituti ...

James Veitch, Lord Elliock James Veitch, Lord Elliock FRSE (25 September 1712 – 1 July 1793) was a Scottish advocate, judge, politician and landowner who became a Senator of the College of Justice. Life He was born in Edinburgh in September 1712, the son of Christian Th ...

Schomberg Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian Schomberg Henry Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian, (2 December 1833 – 17 January 1900), styled Lord Schomberg Kerr until 1870, was a British diplomat and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician. He served as Secretary of State for Sc ...

( -17 Jan 1900) *

James Robertson, Baron Robertson James Patrick Bannerman Robertson, Baron Robertson, (19 August 1845 – 1 February 1909), was a Scottish judge and Conservative politician. Life Robertson was born in the manse at Forteviot, the son of Helen Bannerman, daughter of Rev. J. Banne ...

(-1900) ''(resigned)'' * Sir Robert Murdoch Smith, KCMG (–1900)Regius Chair of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations * Sir John Cowan, 1st Baronet (–1900)Regius Chair of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations * Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, Baron Carmichael (15 Feb 1900 - ?) * David Scott-Moncrieff (15 Feb 1900 - ?) *

Sidney Buller-Fullerton-Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone Sidney Herbert Elphinstone, 16th Lord Elphinstone and 2nd Baron Elphinstone, (27 July 1869 – 28 November 1955) was a British nobleman. Early life Sidney Herbert Elphinstone was born at Carberry Tower south-east of Edinburgh on 27 July 1869. ...

(13 Feb 1901 – ?)Regius Chair of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations * Sir Ludovic Grant, 11th Baronet, Regius Professor of Public Law at the University of Edinburgh (13 Feb 1901 – ?)

References

{{Reflist Industrial Revolution in Scotland Defunct organisations based in Scotland Economic history of Scotland Manufacturing in Scotland Public policy in Scotland Visual arts education Decorative arts Fishing in Scotland Linen industry Political office-holders in Scotland Scottish Enlightenment Organizations established in 1727 Organizations disestablished in 1906 1727 establishments in Scotland 1900s disestablishments in Scotland 18th century in Scotland 19th century in Scotland

Linen industry

List of trustees

See also

References