John Scott was born on 8 April 1844, the son of a serving soldier. His father was in the 72nd Highlanders which campaigned in South Africa for many years until 1844 when they were stationed in Gibraltar. So young John was born either in South Africa or Gibraltar. His father died in 1848 so his mother returned to her home town of Inverness with 4-year-old John. As a young man he was apprenticed to a tailor for four years but was keen to join the army. He enlisted in the Scots Guards on 5 May 1862, at the age of 18. He was an enthusiastic recruit and achieved promotion to corporal within 5 months, an almost unheard of speed of promotion. He was also selected to serve in the elite Light Company. In 1869 he married Ellen Sophia Widdicombe.
On 3 Jan 1870 he transferred to the 90th Light Infantry (Scottish Rifles). He served happily in that regiment in Edinburgh and Glasgow. In 1871 Major Evelyn Wood joined the regiment and was to be an inspiration to Scott. In 1876 the 90th were posted to Limerick where they had to quell a riot caused by the stealing of a valuable chalice for which the soldiers were blamed by the citizens. After returning to England, Scott was, in 1877, appointed head of cutting in the Royal Army Clothing Department. But the 90th was ordered to embark for South Africa, for what was called the 9th Kaffir War, and his appointment was deferred for 12 months. The regiment sailed in Jan 1878 and an expedition took place to attack the kraal of Tini Macomo. Scott was injured in the battle.
The 90th remained in South Africa for the Zulu War. Scott’s journal does not tell of any battles in which he was involved. In September 1879 he was given leave pending his discharge from the army, and went to Cape Town ‘to join my wife and family’. He bought a property which he named Inverness House in Claremont to start up a tailoring business. Over the next few years more branches were opened, and he was also involved in local government.
When the Cape Town Highlanders was raised he was appointed their first commanding officer with the rank of captain, gazetted on 8 June 1885. When the strength of the regiment reached 400 in 1887, Scott was promoted to major. At a meeting on 22 Nov 1890 it was announced that Major John Scott was resigning his commission and command. The officer who replaced him, D Baker, proved unsatisfactory so Major Scott was reinstated on 26 Oct 1891. He resigned again on 30 May 1892, replaced by Sir James Sivewright, an associate of Cecil Rhodes. But, at the request of Rhodes, Scott resumed command for a third term on 11 May 1894, finally relinquishing command on 28 June 1895.
John Scott returned to his tailoring business, and in 1908, took over and managed the Roundhouse at Camps Bay, which at various times was a restaurant and dance hall. He had a keen interest in theatre and performed in Britain in the title role of Rob Roy in 1888. He finally retired from business in October 1925. He died in December 1925, two months after his retirement, at the age of 81. He had 19 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. The photo shows him in the mess dress of the Cape Town Highlanders, with field officer’s sleeve decoration, c1890. Another photo of him can be seen at Field Officer, Mounted Order 1890
