17 July 1790

Death of Adam Smith, author of ‘The Wealth of Nations’

Along with David Hume and others, Adam Smith played a central role in the Scottish Enlightenment of the mid-18th Century. Famed for ideas such as the ‘invisible hand’ he gained widespread recognition as the grandfather of economic thought. Despite this he never used the word ‘economics’ in his magnum opus The Wealth of Nations – the word was yet to be coined upon its publication in 1776. In March 2007 he became the first Scot to appear on Bank of England currency, after his likeness was included on the twenty pound note.