The son of Robert Somers and his wife, Jane Gordon Gibson, he was born at Newton Stewart in Wigtownshire, on 14 September 1822, of English extraction on his father's side and Scottish on his mother's. In early life he was known as a lecturer on social and political questions.[1]
In 1844 Somers published a pamphlet Scottish Poor Laws, containing a criticism of the Poor Law Amendment Act then passing through parliament. After its publication he became editor of the Scottish Herald, a weekly newspaper then being started in Edinburgh. It was shortly managed with The Witness edited by Hugh Miller, whose colleague and assistant Somers became.[1]
Somers went to Glasgow in 1847, to join the staff of the North British Daily Mail; in the autumn of that year he was sent to the Highlands by the paper, to inquire into the distress in north-west Scotland after the failure of the potato crop in 1846. From 1849 to 1859 he was editor at Glasgow of the North British Daily Mail and, then for the next 11 years, of the Morning Journal.[1]
In 1870–1 Somers travelled for six months in the USA, investigating the effect on the economic condition of the South of the political changes introduced by the American Civil War. He died in London on 7 July 1891, after several years of impaired health.[1]
Worksedit
Somers was known for The Southern States Since the War. 1870-1 (London and New York, 1871). He took the view that the early Reconstruction Era in the South was a time of African-American political power.[2]
He became a recognised authority on monetary and commercial questions, published pamphlets dealing with banking, education, and labour issues, and contributed articles in these areas to the Encyclopædia Britannica ninth edition. He also wrote:[1][3]
Letters from the Highlands (London, 1848).
Sheriff Court Reform, or Cheap and Speedy Justice, Edinburgh, 1853.
Results of an Inquiry into the State of Education in Glasgow, London and Glasgow, 1857.
The Secular Theory of Education examined, Edinburgh, 1872.
The Education (Scotland) Act of 1872, with notes, London, 1873,
Scotch Banks and their System of Issue, London, 1873.
The Martyr of Glencree, historical romance, London, 1878.
^Monteith, Sharon (19 August 2013). The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of the American South. Cambridge University Press. p. 59. ISBN9781107434677. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
^Somers, Robert (1871). The Southern States Since the War. 1870-1. Macmillan and Company. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
robert, somers, 1822, 1891, scottish, journalist, author, contents, life, works, notes, external, linkslife, editthe, wife, jane, gordon, gibson, born, newton, stewart, wigtownshire, september, 1822, english, extraction, father, side, scottish, mother, early, . Robert Somers 1822 1891 was a Scottish journalist and author Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 Notes 4 External linksLife editThe son of Robert Somers and his wife Jane Gordon Gibson he was born at Newton Stewart in Wigtownshire on 14 September 1822 of English extraction on his father s side and Scottish on his mother s In early life he was known as a lecturer on social and political questions 1 In 1844 Somers published a pamphlet Scottish Poor Laws containing a criticism of the Poor Law Amendment Act then passing through parliament After its publication he became editor of the Scottish Herald a weekly newspaper then being started in Edinburgh It was shortly managed with The Witness edited by Hugh Miller whose colleague and assistant Somers became 1 Somers went to Glasgow in 1847 to join the staff of the North British Daily Mail in the autumn of that year he was sent to the Highlands by the paper to inquire into the distress in north west Scotland after the failure of the potato crop in 1846 From 1849 to 1859 he was editor at Glasgow of the North British Daily Mail and then for the next 11 years of the Morning Journal 1 In 1870 1 Somers travelled for six months in the USA investigating the effect on the economic condition of the South of the political changes introduced by the American Civil War He died in London on 7 July 1891 after several years of impaired health 1 Works editSomers was known for The Southern States Since the War 1870 1 London and New York 1871 He took the view that the early Reconstruction Era in the South was a time of African American political power 2 He became a recognised authority on monetary and commercial questions published pamphlets dealing with banking education and labour issues and contributed articles in these areas to the Encyclopaedia Britannica ninth edition He also wrote 1 3 Letters from the Highlands London 1848 Sheriff Court Reform or Cheap and Speedy Justice Edinburgh 1853 Results of an Inquiry into the State of Education in Glasgow London and Glasgow 1857 The Secular Theory of Education examined Edinburgh 1872 The Education Scotland Act of 1872 with notes London 1873 Scotch Banks and their System of Issue London 1873 The Martyr of Glencree historical romance London 1878 Notes edit a b c d e Lee Sidney ed 1898 Somers Robert Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co Monteith Sharon 19 August 2013 The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of the American South Cambridge University Press p 59 ISBN 9781107434677 Retrieved 19 September 2017 Somers Robert 1871 The Southern States Since the War 1870 1 Macmillan and Company Retrieved 19 September 2017 External links editAttribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Lee Sidney ed 1898 Somers Robert Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co Media offices Preceded byGeorge Troup Editor of the North British Daily Mail1849 1859 Succeeded byCharles Cameron Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Somers amp oldid 1176308223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
