The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) was founded in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

in 1784 as the Highland Society of Edinburgh. The society is responsible for organising the annual

Royal Highland Show The Royal Highland Show is Scotland's biggest annual agricultural show. The show is organised by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. Held annually in June at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, the event attracts ove ...

History

The society had its root in 1723 when the Society of Improvers of the Knowledge of Agriculture in Scotland was created in Edinburgh. This society was abandoned in 1746. A similar society under the name Highland Society of Scotland was created in 1784 with 100 members largely in reaction to the subsistence crises of 1782/3 when many of the estates in the

highlands and islands of Scotland Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa *Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa *Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe ...

were not producing enough food to feed tenants. It received a royal charter in 1787 becoming the Royal Highland Society of Scotland, at which membership rose to 150. By the 1870s, membership grew to 4650. The society granted bursaries for education and also ran the Argyll Fund, which educated "young highland gentleman" for the Navy, which was instigated by

John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll Field Marshal John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll (June 1723 – 24 May 1806), styled Marquess of Lorne from 1761 to 1770, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman. After serving as a junior officer in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succ ...

. In 1828, they began the ''Quarterly Journal of

Agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

''. From the same time they were housed in a purpose built building on

George IV Bridge George IV Bridge is an Viaduct, elevated street in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is home to a number of the city's important public buildings. History A bridge connecting the High Street to the south was first suggested in 1817, but was origina ...

at the head of Victoria Street in

Edinburgh's Old Town The Old Town () is the oldest part of Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh. The area has preserved much of its medieval street plan and many Reformation-era buildings. Together with the 18th/19th-century New Town, and West End, it forms part ...

. The building also held an agricultural museum. Now attached to Edinburgh Central Library, it houses the music library. Famous members include

Henry Mackenzie Henry Mackenzie FRSE (August 1745 – 14 January 1831, born and died in Edinburgh) was a Scottish lawyer, novelist and writer sometimes seen as the Addison of the North. While remembered mostly as an author, his main income came from legal ro ...

(a director),

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

, and James MacDonald, secretary from 1893 to 1912.

References

External links

* * Organizations established in 1784 18th century in Scotland Organisations based in Edinburgh Charities based in Scotland Agricultural organisations based in Scotland Organisations based in Scotland with royal patronage 1784 establishments in Scotland Celtic, Gaelic, and Highland societies {{agriculture-stub

History

See also

References

External links