Adam Skirving

Adam Skirving
by his son
Born	1719
Died	1819
Nationality	Britain
Occupation	Farmer and song writer
Known for	Hey, Johnnie Cope, Are Ye Waking Yet?
Children	yes

Adam Skirving (1719 in Haddington, East Lothian – April 1803) was a Scottish song writer known for Hey, Johnnie Cope, are Ye Waking Yet?.

Life

Skirving was born in 1719. He became a farmer at Garleton Castle, near Haddington,^[1] and this is where he was married twice. His eldest son Archibald Skirving painted portraits whilst his second son, Robert, inherited his mother's musical talents but went into the army. All three of these wrote verses but it is Adam who is best remembered as a song writer and his wife is creditted with some of the tunes. Skirving was a farmer at "Prora" but he was not keen to write and spent much of his time playing golf, socialising and visiting the horse races.^[2]

Skirving died in April 1803. He was buried at Athelstaneford.^[1] His reputation rests on two Jacobite ballads on the Battle of Prestonpans, one of which, Hey, Johnnie Cope, are Ye Waking Yet?, whilst very far from an accurate narrative, is popular enough to be found in many collections of Scottish songs. Skirving wrote the words to a well known tune.^[3]

References

1.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Skirving, Adam". Encyclopædia Britannica. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 193.
2. Burns, Robert; et al. (1839). The Scottich Musical Museum. pp. 190–196. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
3.  Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "Skirving, Adam". Dictionary of National Biography. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 359.