Hello all. I have some information that might be interesting to those of you who utilize this site and, I hope, some of you may have some very important information for me as well.

At present I am working on my PhD in Cambridge. My topic is the analysis of the political works of George Ridpath, the famous Scottish patriot and political author. George Ridpath was the son of one George Readpath, or Readparth, and the grandson of another relatively important Scottish figure, Thomas Ridpath of Fulfordlees. My information suggests that George Ridpath was born in or around 1665 somewhere in Berwickshire, and lived his early life in 'Cockburnspeth', while other sources have referred to the town of Coldbrandspath.

Ridpath was famous for dozens of important political works, especially for those opposing the Union of 1707. He was considered the best political writer of his day, and an intellectual leader of the Whig party opposition in London, where he wrote and published the 'Flying Post' from 1695. Ridpath was also notably the apparent mastermind behind the burning of the pope in effigy on the High Street of Edinburgh in 1680. Records suggest that he married one Esther Markland, daughter of a George Markland.

Although my interest in Ridpath is largely academic, my PhD dissertation will include a significant biography of Ridpath. At some point, I do intend to publish my work. If the material were available, I would also consider writing a biography of Ridpath, one of the most underappreciated and unresearched political minds of his time. I therefore have two requests. First, if anyone has any verifiable biographical information about Ridpath or his immediate relatives, please feel free to pass along any information you might have, or direct me to any source material that might be relevant to this endeavor. Second, and perhaps, most important, Ridpath was rumored by the great scholar and writer, Robert Wodrow, to have possessed the greatest collection of historical and political writings of the late 16th and 17th centuries. My research leads me to believe that this collection was bequeathed to Dr. James Fraser (Frazier) and/or the Church of Scotland. No trace seems to have been found of this collection, however, in at least 250 years. If any part of this collection has survived it would be an invaluable part of Scottish history, and should be immediately secured to be researched and preserved in the National Archives of Scotland, where it might be preserved and perhaps even restored.

Please, if any one has any information that might be relevant, no matter how small or unimportant as it might seem, do contact me, I'd be happy to speak to you regarding your information, and would gladly share what information I have as well. If any information is provided it would be utilized only upon dual confirmation, and would then be properly cited if utilized. Thank you in advance,

Chris