William Brockie was born in the parish of Smailholm, Roxburghshire. He
entered on the world of letters by the publication of a small
periodical, entitled _The Galashiels Weekly Journal_. He subsequently
edited _The Border Watch_, a newspaper originated at Kelso on behalf of
the Free Church. This concern proving unfortunate, he obtained, after a
short residence at Prestonkirk, East Lothian, the editorship of the
_Shields Gazette_. Compelled to relinquish editorial labour from
impaired health, Mr Brockie has latterly established a private academy
at South Shields, and has qualified himself to impart instruction in
fourteen different languages. Besides a number of pamphlets on a variety
of subjects, he has published a "History of South Shields," and a poem,
entitled, "The Dusk and the Dawn."