Statistical Accounts of Scotland - The First (Old) Statistical Account of Scotland

The First (Old) Statistical Account of Scotland

Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster had studied German state surveys and wished to use what he called for the first time these “statistical” methods to measure the quantum of happiness that existed in the nation and find ways of improving this. In this he was a remarkable example of Enlightenment idealism at work. He stressed the empirical ideal of that age by lauding its anxious attention to the facts and he set about completing the work left unachieved by the previous attempt mentioned above. The results are crucial to an understanding of Scotland on the eve of both the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution.

In 1790, Sir John sent structured questionnaires to over 900 parish ministers, covering the whole country. This contained 160 questions in 4 sections, namely

• Geography and topograpy
• Population questions
• Agricultural and Industrial production
• Miscellaneous questions

There were follow up questions in Appendices – six new questions in 1790 and four more in 1791. There was an excellent response, but since it was not complete, Sir John sent out Statistical Missionaries in 1796 . The project was complete by June 1799, though much had been published, and Sir John was able to lay before the General Assembly a complete portrait of the nation. The reports are of inestimable historical value. Some are excellently written by ministers who were themselves meticulous Enlightenment scholars (see for example the response by the Rev Dr James Meek for the Parish of Cambuslang in Lanarkshire).