George Halket

Who was George Halket?

George Halket or Hacket, was a Scottish poet and songwriter.

Halket is said by Peter Buchan to have been a native of Aberdeenshire. In 1714 he was appointed schoolmaster, precentor, and session-clerk in the parish of Rathen, Aberdeenshire. One apartment served for dwelling and schoolhouse, and when, in 1718, Halket married Janet Adamson, the heritors being severely economical caused his box-bed to be reversed, so that its back should be a partition between school and bedroom, while they let a window into the north wall to insure the comfort of the sleepers. Halket's unsteady habits led to his dismissal from Rathen in 1725, and with his wife and three children he settled at Cairnbulg, some distance off, and was a more or less successful schoolmaster there for twenty-five years. In 1750 he removed to Memsie, becoming tutor in the families of Colonel Fraser and Sir James Innes, besides doing other private teaching. His last change was to Tyrie, where he died in 1756. According to Buchan, he is buried in Fraserburgh old churchyard.