Alicia Ann, Lady John Scott (née Spottiswoode; 24 June 1810 – 12 March 1900) was a Scottish songwriter and composer known chiefly for the tune, "Annie Laurie", to which the words of a 17th-century poet, William Douglas, were set.

Life

She was the oldest daughter of John Spottiswoode of Berwickshire and his wife Helen Wauchope of Niddrie-Mains. On 16 March 1836 she married Lord John Scott, a younger son of the 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and consequently was known as Lady John Scott.^[1] Lord John Scott died in 1860. Under the will of her father, she resumed her maiden name Spottiswoode in 1866, and was sometimes known as Lady John Scott Spottiswoode.^[2]

Lady John Scott was a champion of traditional Scots language, history and culture, her motto being 'Haud [hold] fast by the past'.^[3] One of her best known works, "Annie Laurie," was published in 1838. Scott was born at Spottiswoode, Scottish Borders, in the former Berwickshire^[4] and died there on 12 March 1900.^[2]

Her compositions were published by Paterson & Roy,^[5] and included:

Works

Selected works include:

• “Annie Laurie”^[5]
• “Douglas Tender and True” ^[5]
• “Durisdeer”^[5]
• “Etterick”^[5]
• “Farewell to Thee”^[5]
• “Foul Fords”^[5]
• “Katherine Logie”^[5]
• “Lammermoor”^[5]
• “Loch Lomond”
• “Mother, Oh Sing Me to Rest”^[5]
• “Shame on Ye, Gallants”^[5]
• "Think on Me"^[5]
• “When We First Rode Down to Ettrick”^[5]
• “Within the Garden of My Heart”
• “Your Voices Are Not Hush'd”