Town mourns the death of Inverness Courier editor in 1878
THE town came to a standstill as large crowds gathered, shops closed and church bells tolled solemnly to mark the funeral of Robert Carruthers, the highly-regarded editor and owner of The Inverness Courier.
His death in May, at the age of 78 surrounded by his children and grandchildren, came just weeks after he celebrated his 50th anniversary of his connection with the newspaper.
The large procession from his home at Ness Bank to the cemetery included family members, civic dignitaries and newspaper staff. The Courier printers marched on each side of the hearse and carried his coffin to the grave.
The Dumfriesshire-born journalist became editor of the Courier in April 1828, having previously been a teacher in Huntingdon. Along with Robert Chambers, he later edited the first edition of Chambers' Cyclopaedia of English Literature (1842-44).
Writer Hugh Miller described him "one of the ablest and most accomplished of Scottish editors". From a personal aspect, he was regarded as upright and honourable, possessing a genius for friendship and was a generous employer with his staff regarding him with utmost loyalty.
