1979 in Scotland

← 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1979 in Scotland → 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s
See also:	List of years in Scotland Timeline of Scottish history 1979 in: The UK • England • Wales • Elsewhere Scottish football: 1978–79 • 1979–80 1979 in Scottish television

Events from the year 1979 in Scotland .

Incumbents

Further information: Politics of Scotland and Order of precedence in Scotland

• Secretary of State for Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal – Bruce Millan until 4 May; then George Younger

Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Ronald King Murray; then Lord Mackay of Clashfern
• Solicitor General for Scotland – Lord McCluskey; then Nicholas Fairbairn

Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Emslie
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Wheatley
• Chairman of the Scottish Land Court – Lord Elliott

Events

• 1 March – Scottish devolution referendum: Scotland votes by a majority of 77,437 for a Scottish Assembly, which is not implemented at this time due to a condition that at least 40% of the electorate must support the proposal. A devolved parliament known as the Scottish Executive, would not be established until 1 May 1999, under the conditions of the Scotland Act 1998, following a successful referendum on the issue in 1997.
• 17 March – Penmanshiel Tunnel collapses during reconstruction, killing two workers. A replacement tunnel opens to rail traffic on 20 August.
• 12 April – Cromarty Bridge opens.
• 16 April – Paisley Gilmour Street rail accident: Seven killed in a head-on collision.
• 4 May – UK general election: The Labour Party wins a majority of seats in Scotland but the Conservatives win by a 43-seat majority across the UK as a whole, with Margaret Thatcher becoming the first female Prime Minister; remaining as head of government until her resignation in 1990. George Younger is appointed Secretary of State for Scotland, an office he will hold until January 1986.
• 7 June – The first election is held for the European Parliament, with the Conservatives winning five, Labour winning two and the Scottish National Party winning one of the 8 seats available in Scotland. ^[1]
• 12 June – The Tayberry is patented. ^[2]
• 29 June – The search is called off for the crew from the fishing vessel Carinthia lost off the Orkney Islands, with all six men presumed dead. ^[3]
• 8 September – Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. set a new UK transfer record by paying just under £1,500,000 for Glasgow-born Aston Villa and Scotland striker Andy Gray. ^[4]
• Property on Raasay is sold to the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

Births

• 23 January – Dawn O'Porter, née Porter, television presenter and novelist
• 2 February – David Paisley, actor
• 15 February
  • Scott Severin, footballer
  • Gordon Shedden, racing driver
  • Pauline McFadyen, synchronised swimmer
• 22 February – Claire Johnston, lawn bowler ^[5]
• 20 April
  • Gregor Tait, swimmer
  • Ruth Connell, actress and producer
• 21 April – James McAvoy, actor ^[6]
• 11 May – Tim Baillie, slalom canoer
• 15 May – James Mackenzie, actor and television presenter
• 9 June – Fraser Watts, cricketer
• 20 June – Julie Fowlis, folk singer
• 31 August – Simon Neil, singer-songwriter
• 23 December – Kenny Miller, association football player

Deaths

• 24 February – Sir James Hutchison, 1st Baronet, shipbuilder, army officer and politician (born 1893)
• 16 September – Marion Cameron Gray, mathematician (born 1902) ^[7]
• 27 September – Jimmy McCulloch, musician (born 1953)

The arts

• Alternative rock trio Cocteau Twins is formed in Grangemouth.
• National Youth Orchestra of Scotland is formed.
• Pier Arts Centre established in Stromness to display the collection of modern British art donated by Margaret Gardiner.

See also

• 1979 in Northern Ireland

References

1. "The European Elections in 1979". europarl.org. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
2. "Tayberry". Patent. 1979. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
3. Webster, Keith (29 June 1979). "No hope now for missing boat". The Glasgow Herald . p. 1. Retrieved 2 January 2026– via Google News Archive.
4. "Buchanan signs on for a Danish manager". The Herald . Glasgow. 8 September 1979. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
5. "Claire Johnston". Team Scotland. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
6. "James McAvoy · BIFA · British Independent Film Awards". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
7. Green, Judy; LaDuke, Jeanne (2009). Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: The Pre-1940 PhD's. American Mathematical Soc. p. 186. ISBN   9780821843765.