Author: Park, Andrew
Biography:
PARK, Andrew (1807-63: ODNB)
The son of James and Bridget (Campbell) Park, he was born at Renfrew and educated at the parish school. His parents died when he was very young and he was cared for by an aunt. He attended the University of Glasgow. His working career was mixed and largely unsuccessful: he tried his hand at a hat business in Glasgow, attempted to make a living as a writer in London, and in 1841 bought up the book stock of Dugald Moore (q.v.) and operated a shop in Glasgow. He then retired from business to focus on literature. His most popular work was Silent Love (1843), published pseudonymously as by “the late James Wilson” of Paisley; it includes an imagined biography for Wilson. He was also known for his patriotic songs, including “Banks of Clyde.” His poem Veritas (1849) is autobiographical. He died and was buried at Glasgow but there is a memorial to him in Paisley. (ODNB 19 Aug. 2020; PP; LPS; ancestry.co.uk 19 Aug. 2020) SR