Archibald Crawford, a writer of prose and poetry of considerable merit,
was born at Ayr in 1785. In his ninth year, left an orphan, he was
placed under the care of a brother-in-law, a baker in London. With no
greater advantages than the somewhat limited school education then given
to the sons of burgesses of small provincial towns, his ardent love of
literature and powerful memory enabled him to become conversant with the
works of the more distinguished British authors, as well as the best
translations of the classics. At the expiry of eight years he returned
to Ayr, and soon after entered the employment of Charles Hay, Esq., of
Edinburgh, in whose service he continued during a course of years. In
honour of a daughter of this gentleman, who had shewn him much kindness
during a severe attack of fever, he composed his song of "Bonnie Mary
Hay," which, subsequently set to music by R. A. Smith, has become
extremely popular. He was afterwards in the employment of General Hay of
Rannes, with whom he remained several years. At the close of that period
he was offered by his employer an ensigncy in the service of the
Honourable East India Company, which, however, he respectfully declined.
In 1810 he opened a grocery establishment in his native town; but, with
less aptitude for business than literature, he lost the greater part of
the capital he had embarked in trade. He afterwards exchanged this
business for that of auctioneer and general merchant.
The literary inclinations of his youth had been assiduously followed up,
and his employers, sympathising with his tastes, gave him every
opportunity, by the use of their libraries, of indulging his favourite
studies. With the exception of some fugitive pieces, he did not however
seek distinction as an author till 1819, when a satirical poem, entitled
"St James's in an uproar," appeared anonymously from his pen. This
composition intended to support the extreme political opinions then in
vogue, exposed to ridicule some leading persons in the district, and was
attended with the temporary apprehension and menaced prosecution of the
printer. To the columns of the _Ayr and Wigtonshire Courier_ he now
began to contribute a series of sketches, founded on traditions in the
West of Scotland; and these, in 1824, he collected into a volume, with
the title, "Tales of a Grandmother," which was published by
subscription. In the following year the tales, with some additions, were
published, in two duodecimo volumes, by Constable and Co.; but the
subsequent insolvency of the publishing firm deprived the author of the
profits of the sale. Crawford, along with two literary coadjutors, next
started a weekly serial at Ayr, entitled _The Correspondent_, but the
publication, in the course of a few months, was abandoned. A similar
periodical, under the designation of _The Gaberlunzie_, appeared under
his management in 1827, and extended to sixteen numbers. He latterly
contributed articles in prose and verse to the _Ayr Advertiser_, a
weekly newspaper published in that town. His death took place at Ayr on
the 6th January 1843, in his 58th year. Much esteemed for his hearty,
social nature, with a ready and pungent wit, and much dramatic power as
a relater of legendary narrative, he was possessed of strong
intellectual capacities, and considerable taste as a poet. His second
son, Mr William Crawford, has attained distinction as an artist.