Hector Macneill

Who was Hector Macneill?

Hector Macneill was a Scottish poet born near Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. Macneill had been the son of a poor army captain and went to work as a clerk in 1760 at the age of fourteen. Soon, he was sent to the West Indies and served as assistant secretary from 1780 to 1786.

After he returned to Scotland, he wrote various political pamphlets, two novels, and several poems, The Harp, The Carse of Forth, and Scotland's Skaith, the last against drunkenness, but is best known for his songs, such as My Love's in Germany My Boy Tammy, I lo'ed ne'er a Laddie but ane, and Come under my Plaidie.

Hector Macneill died in Edinburgh in 1818.