Author Archives: John Cairns

Armada chests and legal documents: Anderson Strathern

Posted on 28/08/2019 by John Cairns

Most law firms have antecedents back through the centuries. In recent years, there have been many amalgamations, and law firms can end up holding interesting caches of documents that once belonged to clients, or that they acquired in the course … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on Armada chests and legal documents: Anderson Strathern

15 August, Birthday of Napoleon and Sir Walter Scott: Codes and Europe

Posted on 24/08/2019 by John Cairns

Napoleon is one of the most interesting and important figures in the history of Europe; Sir Walter Scott was one of the most important and influential European novelists of the first half of the nineteenth century. They were both born … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on 15 August, Birthday of Napoleon and Sir Walter Scott: Codes and Europe

The French Viceroy

Posted on 02/08/2019 by John Cairns

France is of course a republic; but it still has at least one vice-roi! The river Bidassoa, in the Basque country, divides Spain from its northern neighbour. In the middle of the river is the île des Faisans, though there … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on The French Viceroy

Latin Revival

Posted on 01/08/2019 by John Cairns

It perhaps may be no great surprise to readers of this blog that your blogger’s favourite school subjects were History, Latin, and English. In all, he had seven years of Latin, and regrets that he has lost the facility and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on Latin Revival

Race, Slavery, and Reparations

Posted on 08/07/2019 by John Cairns

Regular readers of this blog will be aware of its interest in questions of history, race, slavery, and discrimination. Your blogger is very pleased to see that one of his former pupils, Eric J. Miler, has recently gained considerable attention … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on Race, Slavery, and Reparations

Water and Waterways Management in the Roman Empire

Posted on 08/07/2019 by John Cairns

The Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford, with the support of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are holding an important interdisciplinary Conference on the management of water and waterways in the Roman Empire. With speakers form Europe and North America this conference promises … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient law, Legal History, Resources, Roman Law | Comments Off on Water and Waterways Management in the Roman Empire

There is a Scottish Parliament and Scotland’s shared values.

Posted on 03/07/2019 by John Cairns

In recent months, your blogger has been thinking about the use of “shall” in legislation. It is an interesting question, one with rather greater implications than might at first be thought. But the following post has been provoked by conversation … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on There is a Scottish Parliament and Scotland’s shared values.

Hector MacQueen: C.B.E.

Posted on 10/06/2019 by John Cairns

The Blog is delighted to report that Her Majesty has honoured Professor Hector L MacQueen of this University with the award of the rank of Commander of the British Empire for services to legal scholarship. Professor MacQueen is one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on Hector MacQueen: C.B.E.

The Matter of Slavery

Posted on 10/06/2019 by John Cairns

On Friday 26 April the second workshop under the title “The Matter of Slavery in Scotland” organised by the University of Edinburgh and the National Museums of Scotland, took place at New College, the University of Edinburgh.

Posted in Legal History | Comments Off on The Matter of Slavery

Slavery Lectures

Posted on 28/04/2019 by John Cairns

Some months ago your blogger gave some lectures, in Memory of his Teacher Alan Watson, devoted to the topic of slavery in Eighteenth-Century Scotland. They can be found on Youtube: Lecture 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQ2OWczPnk (Enslaved and Enslavers in Scotland) Lecture 2: … Continue reading →

Posted in Alan Watson Seminar, Legal History, Slavery | Comments Off on Slavery Lectures