Alexander Somerville

Born on 15 March 1811, he became known as a British Radical journalist and soldier. After joining the Royal Scots Greys in 1831, he was caught up in the political tensions around the Reform Bill and became notorious after being flogged following a dispute that many believed was tied to his political views.

After leaving the army, he built a writing career that drew on direct experience. Richard Cobden brought him into Anti-Corn Law League work in 1842, and his travels through rural Britain helped shape The Whistler at the Plough, the book he is most remembered for. His writing stood out for its close attention to working people, agricultural life, and the social effects of economic policy.

Later, disillusioned and struggling financially, he moved to Canada with his family in 1858. He continued writing and contributing to journalism there, including an account of the Fenian invasion, but his final years were marked by severe poverty. He died on 17 June 1885.