Peter Buchan (4 August 1790 – 19 September 1854)[1][2] was a Scottish editor, publisher, and collector of ballads and folktales.
Born inPeterhead, Buchan apprenticed with aJack-of-all-trades, and in 1814 produced his first book, a collection of verse which failed to be taken notice of. As his hometown lacked any printer shops, in 1816 Buchan went toStirling to learn the printing process, becoming proficient enough to produce samples within a matter of ten days.
He established business as a printer in Peterhead in March 1816, with the support of theEarl of Buchan who recommended a friend to fund the purchase of the press.[2]
In the early years of business, he printed a series of chapbooks. He also invented his own printing press named the "Auchmedden", a pedal-operated devise that accepted stone, copper, as well as type surfaces for printing. He operated the press from a building on Peterhead'sLongate.[3] HisThe Annals of Peterhead (1819) had copper-plate illustrations which he himself engraved.Scarce Ancient Ballads (1819),Gleanings of Scarce Old Ballads (1825) were early publications that foreshadowed what would be his lifelong interest.[2]
After this, he held a position in London from which drew a £150 annual income, but having compromised his health, he retired to Peterhead and devoted himself to the collection of Scottishballads from oral sources, and their publication. HisAncient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland (1828) contained a large number of hitherto unpublished ballads, and newly discovered versions of existing ones.[1][2]
Another collection made by him was published by the Percy Society, under the titleScottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads (1845). Two unpublished volumes of Buchan's ballad collections are in theBritish Museum.[1]
Buchan also compiled a collection of folktales, and his manuscripts were known toJohn Francis Campbell who discussed them in hisPopular Tales of the West Highlands. Buchan's folktales were later published asAncient Scottish Tales (1908).[4][5]
Buchan was an earlyanimal rights writer. In 1824, he authored a book that argued that animals have souls and are immortal. Buchan argued that God must recompense the "undeserved pain" of animals by appointing them a "future state".[6][7]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Buchan, Peter".Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
