Professor of Scottish History and Literature

The Chair of Scottish History and Literature at the University of Glasgow was founded in 1913, endowed by a grant from the receipts of the 1911 Scottish Exhibition held in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park, as well as donations from the Merchants House of Glasgow and other donors. The chair has been held by a number of prominent historians of Scotland, including two Historiographers Royal. Although the chair is now based within the Department of History, it retains its original title.

History

The inaugural holder of the chair was Robert Rait, appointed in 1913, a graduate of King's College, Aberdeen (now the University of Aberdeen) and tutor at New College, Oxford. In this role he sought to engage more closely with students than was traditional for academics at the time, inviting students to tea at his home. From 1915-1918 during the First World War, Rait worked at the War Trade Intelligence Department in London, and was awarded a CBE in 1918. In 1919, he was appointed Historiographer Royal of Scotland, a member of the Royal Household in Scotland, also serving for a time as dean of the Faculty of Arts in the university. He became a prominent figure in the intellectual and cultural life of the city, frequently contributing letters and articles to the Glasgow Herald, often anonymously. Rait's research generally maintained a Scottish focus, with particular reference to the politics of pre-Union Scotland and its relationship with England. He published History of Scotland in 1914, The Parliaments of Scotland in 1924, Critical Moments in British History in 1925 and King James's Secret in 1927.