Daiches and Cook among Scots to book online place in posterity

Published on Wednesday 7 January 2009 20:57

DAVID Daiches, the late Edinburgh poet and critic – best known for his book on the history of Scotch whisky – earned his place among prominent Scots yesterday, alongside Robin Cook, the late politician and the "Scottish Thomas Hardy", Robin Jenkins.

Daiches, who died in 2005, was a prominent international literary scholar, reviewer and writer, but became best known for his expertise on Scotland's national drink.

His 1969 book Scotch Whisky: its Past and Present became a best-seller in Japan.

Daiches was yesterday one of several prominent Scots added to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in its online update of 215 people who died in 2005.

Others included the Labour politician and former foreign secretary Mr Cook, noted both for his fierce parliamentary debating skills and for his fondness for horseracing. He died of a heart attack while walking near Ben Stack in north-west Scotland in August 2005

Philip Hobsbaum, the Glasgow University scholar and poet whose lectures and workshops drew writers Alasdair Gray, Liz Lochhead and James Kelman, has also earned his place.

James Whyte, a Church of Scotland minister, is remembered for the remarkable sermon he delivered in 1989 at the memorial service for the victims of the Lockerbie disaster. "Justice yes, retaliation no," he declared.

Robin Jenkins, who is best-known for his novel The Cone-Gatherers, is also included in the website's updated list.