25 moments

1. Baptism at Kirkcaldy Old Kirk

   1723-06-05 · Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

   Smith was baptised at Kirkcaldy’s Old Kirk. His exact birth date is unknown, but the baptism is the earliest securely dated physical-presence record. The source gives 5 June 1723 in Old Style dating; it corresponds to 16 June 1723 in New Style dating.

2. Burgh School education

   1729-01-01 · Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

   Smith attended the Burgh School in his home town, receiving the early education in mathematics, history, Latin, and writing that preceded university study. The surviving source identifies the school only as the Burgh School of Kirkcaldy; coordinates represent central Kirkcaldy.

3. Student at Glasgow

   1737-01-01 · Old College, University of Glasgow, High Street, Glasgow, Scotland

   

   At fourteen Smith began studies at the University of Glasgow, where he encountered the moral philosophy that strongly influenced his later work. Coordinates represent the former Old College site on High Street, where the eighteenth-century university was located.

4. Departure for Oxford

   1740-01-01 · Balliol College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England

   

   After receiving the Snell Scholarship, Smith left Glasgow to study at Balliol College, Oxford.

5. Oxford study

   1740-01-01 · Balliol College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England

   

   Smith was a Snell Exhibitioner at Balliol College and remained in Oxford for roughly six years of postgraduate study. The source supports residence or study at Oxford from 1740 until his 1746 return to Scotland, but not a more precise arrival date.

6. Return and convalescence in Kirkcaldy

   1746-01-01 · Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

   

   After leaving Oxford, Smith returned to Kirkcaldy and spent a year convalescing before launching his public teaching career.

7. Public lectures in Edinburgh

   1748-01-01 · Edinburgh, Scotland

   

   Smith began public lectures in Edinburgh under the auspices of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh; these lectures established his reputation as a teacher. The cited biography identifies the University of Edinburgh but does not specify a particular lecture room; coordinates represent the Old College area.

8. Professor of Logic at Glasgow

   1751-01-01 · Old College, University of Glasgow, High Street, Glasgow, Scotland

   

   Smith returned to the University of Glasgow as Professor of Logic, initiating the academic period he later described as the happiest and most useful of his life. Coordinates represent the former Old College site on High Street.

9. Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow

   1752-01-01 · Old College, University of Glasgow, High Street, Glasgow, Scotland

   

   Smith became Professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow, a chair he held until leaving for the continental tour in 1764. The source gives the office and tenure; coordinates represent the former Old College site.

10. Departure from Glasgow for London

    1764-01-01 · London, England

    

    Smith began the Grand Tour connected with his tutoring of the Duke of Buccleuch by leaving Glasgow for London. The source does not identify Smith’s particular London lodging at this stage; coordinates represent central London.

11. Visit to Montpellier

    1764-01-01 · Montpellier, France

    

    Smith and his pupils made the planned expedition to Montpellier during the sitting of the States of Languedoc, an institution that attracted contemporary reform interest. The source establishes the visit in the 1764 Toulouse-tour sequence but does not securely support a month-level date.

12. First arrival in Paris

    1764-02-13 · Paris, France

    

    Smith arrived in Paris during the opening stage of the Duke of Buccleuch’s continental tour, immediately before continuing to southern France. Coordinates represent central Paris; the source does not identify his first Paris lodging.

13. Residence in Toulouse

    1764-03-04 · Toulouse, France

    

    Toulouse became Smith’s principal base during the early part of the Grand Tour, where he began writing to occupy his time.

14. Excursion to Bordeaux

    1764-08-01 · Bordeaux, France

    

    While based in Toulouse, Smith travelled with his pupil on an excursion to Bordeaux and met figures introduced through David Hume’s connections. The surrounding chapter and dated October 1764 correspondence establish the year; the source gives the visit only as occurring in August.

15. Excursion to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

    1764-09-01 · Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Hautes-Pyrénées, France

    

    Smith and the Duke travelled from Toulouse to the Pyrenean spa town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre during their southern French travels. The month is explicitly qualified as probable by the biographer.

16. Departure from Geneva for Paris

    1765-12-01 · Geneva, Switzerland

    

    After the southern French tour, Smith spent time in Geneva, where he met Voltaire, before departing for Paris. The chapter’s chronology places this departure in December 1765; the older biographical account treats the exact timing as approximate.

17. Return to Kirkcaldy to write

    1766-01-01 · Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

    

    After the European tour, Smith returned to Kirkcaldy, where he devoted much of the following decade to the work that became The Wealth of Nations.

18. Second Paris residence and intellectual meetings

    1766-02-01 · Paris, France

    

    Smith began an extended Paris stay, meeting leading French intellectuals and Physiocrats whose work informed his political economy. The source differs from an older biography that places the arrival around Christmas 1765; month precision follows the more recent University of Glasgow scholarly paper.

19. Return to London from France

    1766-11-01 · London, England

    

    The continental tour ended after the death of the Duke of Buccleuch’s brother; Smith returned with the party to London and did not leave Britain again. Coordinates represent central London; the source does not identify the arrival point.

20. London research and writing

    1773-05-01 · London, England

    

    Smith moved to London for an extended period of research and revision while completing The Wealth of Nations. The source identifies May 1773 but does not establish an arrival day; coordinates represent central London.

21. London residence while finishing The Wealth of Nations

    1774-09-01 · London, England

    

    Smith was in London during the final writing and revision period for The Wealth of Nations, corresponding from the city with fellow Scottish Enlightenment figures. Coordinates represent central London.

22. Kirkcaldy after publication

    1776-05-01 · Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

    

    After The Wealth of Nations appeared, Smith spent most of May through December at Kirkcaldy, aside from occasional journeys to Edinburgh or Dalkeith. The source documents intermittent travel during this interval, so the card represents his principal residence rather than uninterrupted presence.

23. London lodgings in Suffolk Street

    1777-01-01 · Suffolk Street, London, England

    

    Smith returned to London to supervise the second edition of The Wealth of Nations and lodged in Suffolk Street near the British Coffee-House. Coordinates represent Suffolk Street near Cockspur Street.

24. Move to Panmure House as Customs Commissioner

    1778-01-01 · Panmure House, Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland

    

    Appointed commissioner of customs in Scotland, Smith moved to Panmure House in Edinburgh, where he lived with his mother and continued revising his major books.

25. Death at Panmure House

    1790-07-17 · Panmure House, Canongate, Edinburgh, Scotland

    

    Smith died at his Edinburgh residence after a painful illness, ending his long final residence at Panmure House.