On this day in 1810Robert Tannahill drowned himself in a Paisley canal.

A compassionate poet, he explored themes of love, friendship and empathy, and often used his surroundings as inspiration, taking long walks in the country around his home. The folly of war affected him deeply, and he often wrote about soldiers. He was prone to bouts of melancholy - when his 1810 manuscript was rejected by an Edinburgh publisher, he "consigned to the flames" as many of his writings as he could. His body was found in a side tunnel of the Candren Burn.

On 17 May 1870David Octavius Hill, pioneering Scottish photographer, died.

Born in 1802, Hill is often credited with being the first person to use photography as an aid to painting. Together with Robert Adamson he produced more than 1,500 photo-portraits of Scotland's great and good. A founding member of the Royal Scottish Academy, he served as its Secretary for nearly 50 years.

Today's recipe: these creamy pea cakes make for a lovely light lunch.