Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry

Poet and songwriter. Son of a master weaver, Gilfillan became an apprentice cooper in 1811. By 1816, he began writing poetry (and had been writing songs since he was a child). Worked as a warehouse clerk to merchants while attending night classes at the Edinburgh School of Arts. In 1831, he published his first collection of poetry. In 1837, he became a tax collector, a role he continued until his death, while still writing and publishing poetry. Biographical information: ODNB. (KH)