William Brockie

William Brockie (1811–1890) was a 19th-century Scottish born writer, newspaper editor, poet and songwriter who lived for many years in Sunderland.

William Brockie, at the time of his death was one of the oldest journalists in the North of England, and widely known as a poet, a linguist, a man of science and religion. William Brockie came of the old Border yeoman stock, and was the son of Alexander and Janet Brockie, having been born on 1 March 1811, at Lauder East Mains.

His education was obtained in the parish schools of Smailhome, Mertoun, and Melrose, in the last named of which he was articled to a firm of solicitors, in 1825. Whilst serving his articles he frequently had the delight of meeting Sir Walter Scott, and many of the local characters who appeared in the Waverley Novels, in addition to Sir David Brewster, then living at Gattonside, James Hogg, better known as "The Ettrick Shepherd", and many other of Scott's personal friends.

After completing his articles, he removed to Edinburgh with the intention of starting practice for himself, but a commercial panic prevented this, and he soon returned to his parents, though not before he had stayed long enough in the "Modern Athens" to hear in the Parliament House such men as Jeffrey, Moncrieff, Cockburn, and other famous advocates, whilst he also had the privilege of hearing Dr. Chalmers, among other eminent divines. He remained farming with his parents for several years, until a false friend, by a swindling transaction, brought the father to ruin, and put an end to the rural pursuits of the son. In 1841 we hear of him as book-keeper and traveller to a wholesale firm, and later in charge of a school at Kailzie, Peebleshire, which he relinquished on joining the Free Church, and then started his lengthy journalistic career by becoming editor of Border, a Free Church paper published at Kelso. Three years later he entered into partnership with the proprietor, but the latter taking to drink, the partnership was dissolved, the paper sold, and its name changed to under which name it still flourishes.

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