Background
William Laidlaw was born at Blackhouse, on the 19th of November, 1780, the son of a sheep farmer.
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William Laidlaw
William Laidlaw was a Scottish poet.
Education
After an elementary education in Peebles William Laidlaw returned to work upon his father's farm.
Career
In 1801, Hogg and Laidlaw helped Scott with materials for the Border Minstrelsy. After two unsuccessful attempts at farming, in Peeblesshire and Midlothian, Laidlaw in 1817 became steward to Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford. In 1819, when Scott was recovering from an illness, Laidlaw and Ballantyne wrote to his dictation most of the Bride of Lammermoor, and subsequently The Legend of Montrose, and nearly all Ivanhoe.
Saint Ronan"s Well may have been due to Laidlaw"s suggestion that Scott should devote a novel to "Melrose in July 1823", according to John Gibson Lockhart.
Scott suffered financial ruin. But after an interval, Laidlaw again became his amanuensis, retaining the post till Scott's death in 1832. Subsequently he was factor to Sir Charles Lockhart-Ross, 8th Baronet, at Balnagowan, Ross.
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Born
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Died
May 18, 1845 (aged 65) -
Nationality
United Kingdom