Sir Thomas Dick Lauder

Born in Edinburgh in 1784, Sir Thomas Dick Lauder inherited the baronetcy of Fountainhall in 1820 and became known as a Scottish author with a strong sense of place. He contributed to Blackwood’s Magazine and wrote fiction, essays, and travel writing that drew on Scottish history, scenery, and everyday character.

He is especially remembered for works such as An Account of the Great Floods of August 1829 in Morayshire and the novel The Wolf of Badenoch. His writing mixed observation with storytelling, and he had wide interests beyond literature, including forestry, natural history, and the visual arts.

Lauder also held public roles, serving as Secretary to the Board of Manufactures in Scotland and taking part in other cultural and administrative bodies. He died in 1848, leaving behind a varied body of work that reflects both the romance and the practical realities of Scotland in his time.