1731 in Scotland

Incumbents

• Monarch – George II
• Secretary of State for Scotland: vacant

  Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Duncan Forbes
• Solicitor General for Scotland – John Sinclair, jointly with Charles Erskine

  Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord North Berwick
• Lord Justice General – Lord Ilay
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Grange

  Events

• Cumbernauld House, to designs by William Adam, is built.
• Publication in Edinburgh of The Poor Man's Physician, or The receits of the famous John Moncrief of Tippermalloch; being a choice collection of simple and easy remedies for most distempers, very useful for all persons, especially those of a poorer condition... To which is added The method of curing the small pox and scurvy, by the eminent Dr. Archibald Pitcairn.

  Births

• 1 July – Adam Duncan, admiral, victor of the Battle of Camperdown
• date unknown – William Aiton, botanist

  Deaths

• 28 April – Robert Gordon, merchant and philanthropist
• 6 November – James Smith, architect