Galt, John (1779-1839: novelist)

John Galt ( 1779-1839 ), was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, the son of a sea-captain. The family moved to Greenock and after finishing his education at Greenock Grammar School he began work at Greenock Custom House. In 1796 he started as a junior clerk with a local merchant and contributed articles to local journals and newspapers. In 1804 he moved to London and unsuccessfully tried his hand as a merchant and for a while studied law at Lincoln's Inn. From 1809 to 1811 he travelled extensively through Europe, meeting Lord Byron ( 1788-1824 ), and on his return he published various accounts of his travels. In 1815 he married Elizabeth Tilloch and, following several posts in business, he began to concentrate on his writing. Galt published several school textbooks under the pseudonym of Rev T Clark and contributed to the Monthly Magazine . He then produced a succession of novels for Blackwood's Magazine, beginning with The Ayrshire Legatees ( 1820 ), and subsequent books included the one for which he is best known, The Annals of the Parish ( 1821 ).

From 1824 Galt became involved with encouraging emigration to Canada and in 1826 founded the town of Guelph, Ontario, but this venture failed and he returned to Scotland in 1829, to face a spell in debtors' prison. Thereafter he settled in Greenock and in 1830 published Lawrie Todd, followed by several other works, including The Life of Lord Byron ( 1831 ) and in 1834 his autobiography, Literary Life and Miscellanies .