• Home
  • About Us
    • Membership >
      • Application Form
    • Committee and Constitution
    • Cookie Notice
  • Current Season
    • Syllabus 2021/22
    • Syllabus 2020/21
    • Syllabus 2019/20
    • Syllabus 2018/19
    • Syllabus 2017/18
    • Syllabus 2016/17
    • Syllabus 2015/16
    • Syllabus 2014/15
    • Syllabus 2013/14
    • Syllabus 2012/13
    • Syllabus 2011/12
    • Syllabus 2010/11
    • Syllabus 2009/10
    • Syllabus 2008/09
  • Stirling's History
    • On This Day >
      • 16th January 1520
      • 4th December 1214
      • 19th Century Dates >
        • 31st January 1865
        • 1st March 1848
        • 6th May 1866
        • 11th May 1866
        • 23rd May 1899
        • 28th June 1814
        • 30th July 1870
        • 26th August 1899
        • 10th - 11th September 1877
        • 11th November 1878
      • 20th Century Dates >
        • 10th May 1924
        • 13th June 1900
        • 11th July 1914
        • 25th July 1911
        • 5th December 1905
    • Wallace Monument
    • Municipal Buildings
    • Stirling's Burial Grounds >
      • Ballengeich Cemetery
      • Blackfriars
      • Cambuskenneth Abbey
      • Erskine Mary-kirk
      • Stirling Holy Rude Kirk-yard >
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard local fashion
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard emblems
        • Holy Rude Kirk-yard new fashions
      • Snowdon Cemetery
      • Valley Cemetery >
        • Valley Cemetery Gravestones
    • Stirling's Prisons >
      • Tolbooth as Prison
      • Stirling Jail
    • Stirling's Schools
    • Stirling's Sports >
      • Kings Park Football Club >
        • Season 1898-1899
        • Dewar Shield Winners >
          • Dewar Shield 1899
      • Roller Skating Rink >
        • Roller Skating Opening
        • Olympia Roller Skating Rink
        • Roller Skating Carnivals
        • Roller Skating Charity Carnivals
        • Roller Skating Hockey
        • Roller Skating Sports Events
      • Raploch Skating Pond >
        • Search for Site
        • Opening Raploch Skating Pond
        • Managing Skating Pond >
          • Season 1902-1903
          • Regulations for Skating Pond
          • Busiest Season 1925
        • Ice Carnivals
        • Refreshment Room
    • Stirling's People >
      • John Allan, Architect
      • Dr. G.T. Galbraith >
        • Recollect 1
        • Recollect 2
      • David Taylor, Poet >
        • Royal Wedding Day Poem
      • Stirling Criers >
        • Dannie McVean
        • Isaac Spyron
        • Tammy Chalmers
    • Stirling Council Archives >
      • S.C.A. 2014 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Dr Welsh Trust Photos
        • S.C.A. Stirling of Gargunnock
        • S.C.A. Cambuskenneth Crossing
        • S.C.A. General Strike 1926
        • S.C.A. Customs Payable 1755
        • S.C.A. Whinwell Home
        • S.C.A. WW1 Postcards
        • S.C.A. Wallace Monument
        • S.C.A. Duncan McInnes
      • S.C.A. 2013 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Dr T. Lucas Diaries
        • S.C.A. Valentine's Day Cards
        • S.C.A. Old Polmaise House
        • S.C.A. Doune SWRI 1934
        • S.C.A. Aerial Photo Stirling
        • S.C.A. Deanston Mill c1930
        • S.C.A. Map of Cambuskenneth
        • S.C.A. Drymen Reading Club
      • S.C.A. 2012 Collect >
        • S.C.A. Conventicles Letter
        • S.C.A. Killearn Hospital
        • S.C.A. Titanic Anniversary
        • S.C.A. Modern Housing 1936
        • S.C.A. Trial of Radicals
        • S.C.A. Touch House Sale
        • S.C.A. Snowdon Industrial School for Girls
        • S.C.A. Suffragette Action
        • S.C.A. 2nd World War Scrapbook
      • S.C.A. 2011 Collect >
        • S.C.A. McLaren Collect
        • S.C.A. Debtors Prison
        • S.C.A. C.R.Mackintosh
        • S.C.A. Murray Polmaise Collect
    • Further Information >
      • Local Organisations
      • National Sources
  • Projects and Development
    • John Allan Booklet
    • Stirling Stone Survey
    • King's Knot Survey >
      • King's Knot Survey Techniques
      • King's Knot Survey Results
      • King's Knot Pictures
      • King's Knot Pictures more
      • King's Knot Poster
      • September Continuation
      • King's Knot Survey Updated Results
      • King's Knot Survey Interpretation
      • King's Knot Radar Survey
  • Blog
Stirling Local History Society

On This Day 10th to 11th September 1877 Ex-President Ulysses S Grant in Stirling 

Ulysses Simpson Grant had been an important figure in the American Civil War. He became 18th president in 1868, serving two terms. In 1877 he visited Scotland as part of a more extended tour, aimed at gaining the Republican nomination in 1880.

He travelled with his wife and (for part of the jaunt) his son Jesse. His visit started on 29th August, inevitably in Edinburgh, with jaunts to places such as Leith and Melrose (including Abbotsford). He then took a train trip to the north, partly making use of the private carriage of the Duke of Sutherland, who the party visited at Dunrobin; they even got as far as Thurso.  They left Inverness on the morning of 10th September and arrived in Stirling in the evening.

There was a good crowd to welcome them at the station - including Provost Christie, that most- characteristically Victorian of local worthies. At the Golden Lion, where they were to stay, there was an 'official welcome' and presentations. And the next morning, after a lightening trip to the castle, Bannockburn and the Wallace Monument, it was 1pm and time to leave for Glasgow.

In Glasgow Grant  and his wife spent three days and then off to Ayr where, after the inevitable civic reception, the various sites associated with Burns were all visited. Back to Glasgow the next day and then a 'long weekend' visiting Loch Lomond, Inveraray and Arran (using the Duke of Argyll's private yacht).  On Wednesday 18th September they passed through Stirling again on the way back to Edinburgh and so, back to England.

So, with three weeks to 'do' Scotland, it all sounds rather exhausting to me - even with private trains and someone else to deal with the luggage! They are ticking off the 'must-see' sites and it is all reported in the press (including in the Stirling Observer for 11 September). And, remember, this was just one small leg of a three-year, world trip, much of it conducted at the same frenetic pace.

The details of Grant's visit to Scotland have been described in a recent article by Les Jenkins in Scottish Local History, issue 87, pp.41-44 which includes details for the visits to other locations and background information about Grant.

We would welcome other accounts of visitors to Stirling for inclusion in this occasional series.

Picture
The Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling, where Grant and his wife stayed (photo SLHS).
SLHS is a Registered Charity: No.SCO38247
Site and content copyright © SLHS All rights reserved
Proudly powered by Weebly