On November 25 1835 the steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, was born in Dunfermline.

Carnegie's family emigrated to America when he was still a child, and after a succession of jobs working on the burgeoning raliways there, he became convinced that steel would be where his fortune was to be made. Deeply affected by the deaths of striking workers at one of his steel mills, Carnegie became convinced that he should use his wealth for the benefit of others. By the time of his death in 1919 he had given away over 350 million dollars.

On this day in 1897, Helen Duncan, the noted Scottish medium, was born in Callander. In 1944, she became last person in the UK to be tried, convicted and imprisoned under the 1735 Witchcraft Act. While in prison she was visited by Winston Churchill, who repealed this law on his return to power in 1951.

Today's recipe: this steamed pudding is a classic wintry dish.