On 18 August 1864 Scottish suffragette, Elsie Inglis, was born at Naini Tal hill station in India. Inglis was a rare female medical graduate battling prejudice all the way, and founded a maternity hospital in Edinburgh, affectionately known as "Elsie's".

However, she was not only a reformer in the field of medecine, as, in 1906, she founded the Scottish Women's Suffrage Federation. During the First World War this Suffragette Federation organised medical teams to go to France, Serbia and Salonica as well as Russia. Inglis went to Serbia herself, where her efforts to improve hygiene reduced the typhus and other epidemics which had been raging there. In 1915 she was captured and then repatriated, but returned to work in Russia.

The climate and long hours she imposed on herself led to a break down in her health and she was forced to return home to recuperate, unfortunately she was to die the day after landing at Newcastle. However "Elsie's" stayed open as a hospital until 1988.

On 18 August 1746 Arthur Elphinstone, Lord Balmerino, the Jacobite noble, was executed. Balmerino was captured along with Lord Kilmarnock after the Battle of Culloden and the pair were tried for treason in London and beheaded in the Tower of London.

Earl Kilmarnock was especially unfortunate as he was executed due to the mistaken belief by the Duke of Cumberland that Kilmarnock had issued the order that no quarter be given to the English at Culloden. Kilmarnock had only sided with the Jacobites as he was facing bankruptcy and had been promised French gold for his support, he admitted this at his trial, pleading that, for the two kings and their rights, I cared not a farthing which prevailed; but I was starving.....

Today's recipe: the colours and flavours of Morocco can be found in harira, a traditional North African soup.