Willis Pickard

In his excellent biography of Duncan McLaren, Lord Provost and MP for Victorian Edinburgh, Willis Pickard tells the extraordinary story of a man hugely influential in his time, but who has virtually disappeared from public view. Only a street name in the south of the city remembers him. In The Member for Scotland, a story unfolds of a man who dominated Edinburgh and Scottish politics for a generation. McLaren was a draper with a shop in the High Street who rose to riches and real political power through the force of his personality. Hidden history comes to light in Willis Pickard’s expert hands.

Chaired by Professor Petra Wend, Principal & Vice Chancellor, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Tickets: £9, £7(C)