Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry

Poet, Chartist, journalist, and stonemason. Born in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire. Father was a labourer. Received limited schooling. An accident at age 9 left him lame. Became a stonemason at age 14 or 15, but quickly moved to journalism and lecturing on Chartist politics. Emigrated to Canada West in 1842, and worked as a mason in Pakenham (Bathurst District) until 1846, before turning again to journalism and writing for the *Bathurst Courier*. Edited the *Huron Signal* from 1848, and from 1852 the Hamilton *Canadian*, returning to the *Huron Signal* in 1854. Published three volumes of poems: *My gloaming amusements, a variety of poems* (1831), *The exile; a poem, in seven books* (1836), *The moorland minstrel* (1840). Biographical information: *DCB*. (AC)