plaque · Edinburgh

John Home

Photograph at the John Home plaque

This plaque commemorates Reverend John Home, a significant figure in Scottish letters, born in 1722. Home distinguished himself as a minister, soldier, and author during his lifetime, which spanned from 1722 to 1808. His most notable contribution was the play "Douglas," which achieved considerable recognition, serving as a standard text in Scottish schools for an extended period. Beyond his literary pursuits, Home was also instrumental in establishing the Royal Society of Edinburgh, co-founding it in 1783, highlighting his commitment to intellectual and cultural advancement in Scotland.

The memorial's inscription notes that John Home's play "Douglas" was a standard text in Scottish schools until the Second World War. This global conflict, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, involved most of the world's nations and led to widespread devastation and immense loss of life. Its causes were rooted in unresolved tensions from the preceding world war and the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe and Asia. The period leading up to the Second World War saw significant political and territorial changes, including invasions and annexations, which ultimately culminated in the outbreak of war following Germany's invasion of Poland.

The plaque dedicated to Reverend John Home is located in Edinburgh. Visitors can find this plaque at the address provided, marking the birthplace of the author. It serves as a historical marker within the city, inviting respectful observation of a site connected to Scottish literary and cultural heritage. The setting encourages a moment of reflection on Home's contributions and the historical period in which he lived.

Inscription

The Rev John Home Author of "Douglas" born here 2nd September 1722. P&P Club 1923
Transcribed from the plaque at Edinburgh.

Background

The Rev John Home Author of "Douglas" born here 2nd September 1722. P&P Club 1923

Source: Open Plaques. Geographic data via OpenStreetMap.

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Data sources

Location records are drawn from open, licence-clean datasets, kept here with attribution and gratitude to the people who maintain them.

  • Open Plaques, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). See openplaques.org.
  • Wikidata, available under the CC0 1.0 Universal dedication.
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence.
  • Historic England, National Heritage List for England, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. War memorial records are drawn from open community datasets (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, NHLE) - never from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is excluded.

Editorial descriptions, photography and tribute links are original TributeLegacy work, layered on top of the open data.

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