Thomas Muir:

Martyr of Democracy

by David McVey

THERE are people in Scotland have still never heard of Thomas Muir. This is astonishing, given that in 2015, the 250th anniversary of his birth, Muir was being celebrated as ‘The Father of Scottish Democracy’. Now, as a new book of essays about Muir hits the bookshops, here’s what you need to know

Muir was born in 1765. His father was a shopkeeper in Glasgow’s High Street, styling himself both as general grocer and as ‘hop merchant’ - he had connection with Kent hop growers. Muir began studying at Glasgow University aged just 12, at a time when the campus was just along the High Street. He studied Divinity, but later switched to Law. This wasn’t a loss of faith; rather, Muir decided that a career in law offered an opportunity to defend poor people and promote social justice, as Christians were supposed to. In 1782 his father acquired the estate of Huntershill in what is now Bishopbriggs; Thomas was now Muir the Younger of Huntershill.

Muir began practising law in 1787 in Edinburgh. He also took cases in Glasgow and became known for defending poor people without fee. Muir was also an elder in Cadder Parish Kirk, near Bishopbriggs. In 1790 he became involved in the patronage controversy within the Church of Scotland. Patronage gave local magnates the final say in appointing ministers, and these grandees tended to choose moderate preachers who were unlikely to rock the boat. Muir and his fellow-elders called a Rev’d Provan to the pulpit of Cadder Kirk. He was an Evangelical, a popular choice, well-known and respected in the parish. The decision was opposed by James Dunlop, a local magnate who wished to appoint the chaplain of a landed family. The case reached the courts with Muir representing the elders. Provan was able to take up his charge. Muir resigned as an elder soon afterwards; but he had learned valuable lessons about challenging the powerful.