Thomas Lyle, author of the highly popular song, "Kelvin Grove," is a
native of Paisley. Attending the philosophical and medical classes in
the University of Glasgow, he obtained the diploma of surgeon in the
year 1816. He commenced medical practice in Glasgow, where he remained
till 1826, when he removed to the parish of Airth in Stirlingshire. The
latter locality afforded him abundant opportunities for prosecuting his
favourite study of botany; and he frequently proceeded at early dawn to
great distances in quest of curious or rare plants, so as to gratify his
peculiar tastes without interfering with the duties of his profession,
or the conveniences of his patients. At an earlier period of life,
having cherished a love for the ancient national music, he was in the
habit of collecting and noting such of the older airs as were rapidly
passing into oblivion. He was particularly struck with one of these
airs, which he deemed worthy of more suitable words than those to which
it was commonly sung.[31] At this period he often resorted, in his
botanical rambles, to the wooded and sequestered banks of the Kelvin,
about two miles north-west of Glasgow;[32] and in consequence, he was
led to compose for his favourite tune the words of his beautiful song,
"Kelvin Grove." "The Harp of Renfrewshire" was now in the course of
being published, in sixpence numbers, under the editorship of his
college friend and professional brother, John Sim, and to this work he
contributed his new song. In a future number of the work, the song
appeared without his name, as was requested, but with some unauthorised
alterations. Of these he complained to Mr Sim, who laid the blame on Mr
John Murdoch, who had succeeded him in the editorship, and Mr Lyle did
not further prosecute inquiry on the subject. On the retirement of Mr
Murdoch, the editorship of "The Harp of Renfrewshire" was intrusted to
the poet Motherwell, who incautiously ascribed the song to Mr Sim in the
index of the work. Sim died in the West Indies before this period;[33]
and, in the belief that the song had been composed by him, Mr Purdie,
music-seller in Edinburgh, made purchase of the copyright from his
representatives, and published the words, with music arranged for the
piano by Robert Archibald Smith. Mr Lyle now asserted his title to the
authorship, and on Mr Sim's letter regarding the alterations being
submitted to Messrs Motherwell and Smith, a decision in favour of his
claim was pronounced by these gentlemen. Mr Lyle was shortly after
invited by Mr Smith to contribute songs for the "Irish Minstrel," one of
his numerous musical publications.
In 1827 Mr Lyle published the results of his researches into the song
literature of his country, in a duodecimo volume, entitled "Ancient
Ballads and Songs, chiefly from Tradition, Manuscripts, and scarce
Works, with Biographical and Illustrative Notices." Of this work, the
more interesting portion consists of "Miscellaneous Poems, by Sir
William Mure, Knight of Rowallan," together with several songs of
various merit by the editor.
Having acted as medical practitioner at Airth during the period of
twenty-eight years, Mr Lyle, in the close of 1853, returned to Glasgow,
where he soon found himself actively employed by the medical boards of
the city during the prevalence of the Asiatic Cholera. At the present
time he is one of the city district surgeons. A man of the most retiring
dispositions, he has hitherto avoided public reputation, and has written
verses, as he has studied botany, solely for his amusement. He will,
however, be remembered as the writer of some exquisitely sweet and
simple lyrics.