James Simson (author)

James Simson, born 1826, was a Scottish author, known for his works on Scottish gypsies, the puritan preacher John Bunyan, his biography of Charles Waterton; and for his first hand account of time spent in his childhood on a Lazaretto at Inverkeithing in Fife, Scotland.

James Simpson was born on January 4, 1826 in Inverkeithing in Fife, Scotland, to Walter Simpson.^[1] He spent much of his childhood at the Inverkeithing Lazaretto, a quarantine ship and one of only two in Scotland,^[2] before its decommissioning in 1835.^[3]

Simson's works often looked at Scottish Gypsies. In 1866, Simson edited and published his father Walter Simpsons work "History of Gypsies, with specimens of the Gypsy language".^[4] The work was published in New York and London. In 1881 he wrote the work "The Scottish Churches and the Gypsies".^[5] In 1883 he illustrated "The Gypsies"; and in 1884, he wrote "The Social Emancipation of the Gypsies".^[6]

Simson was interested in the 17th century Puritan preacher and author John Bunyan, and in 1880 wrote "The English Universities and John Bunyan and the Encyclopædia Britannica and the gipsies".^[7] In 1882 Simson followed this with his work "Was John Bunyan a Gypsy?" (1882).^[8]

In 1882, James Simson also published his well known work, titled "Reminisces of Childhood at Inverkeithing, or, Life at a Lazaretto".^[1] The work was published in New York by James Miller; in Edinburgh by Maclachlan & Stewart; and London by Bailliere, Tyndall & Co.^[3]

Around 1878, Simson published "Contributions to Natural History and Papers on Other Subjects".^[9]

In 1880, James Simson published a biography of the English naturalist and explorer Charles Waterton, entitled "Charles Waterton".^[10]