Sir Robert Watson-Watt was born in Brechin, Angus in 1892, and was a direct descendant of the inventor James Watt.  He developed an early interest in radio waves.  He began to look into how aircraft could be detected by the distortion of radio signals after World War I.

John Boyd Dunlop was born into a farming family in Dreghorn in Ayrshire in 1840.  He was a veterinary surgeon by profession.  He qualified at Edinburgh Veterinary College when he was only 19 years old.  After working in Edinburgh for ten years, he moved to Belfast.

Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh on 3rd March 1847.  His invention of the telephone happened when he attempting to provide a device to help the deaf.  He patented his early telephone in February 1876. However, it wasn't until 10th March 1876 that the famous words "Mr Watson, come here, I want you" were transmitted by telephone.

William Topaz McGonagall (1825-1902) was imbued with unshakeable faith in his abilities and a fixity of purpose that meant he never gave up his muse no matter how his audience reacted. Starting his life as a weaver, William developed in middle age a conviction that his gift must be shared with the world.

James Dick (1823-1902) was born in Soulis Street in Kilmarnock.  His father was a distiller.  When his father died, the Dick family were poor and moved to Glasgow where his mother opened a small shop.  Thanks to Robert Dick his brother, James was able to manufacture shoes using gutta-perch, a form of rubber.  At its peak, his Greenhead factory turned out 30,000 pairs a week.