Researching Edward Scott

After a brief spell at Oxford University, Ted Scott attended the London School of Economics, and eventually took a University of London external degree, having left the LSE to work as private secretary to Sidney Olivier, the governor of Jamaica. At the LSE, he lodged with the family of the economist and Guardian contributor J. A. Hobson, and he later married Hobson's daughter Mabel.

Scott joined the Manchester Guardian in 1913 and became its commercial editor and main writer of leaders on economic policy. In the spring of 1915, he joined the army to fight in World War I. In 1918, he was captured as a prisoner of war until the end of hostilities. After the war, he rejoined the paper, eventually succeeding his father as editor on 1 July 1929. Scott's most important action as editor was to move the paper from its initial position of support for Ramsay MacDonald's National Government towards the opposition.

Scott became joint owner of the Guardian with his brother John after the death of their father on New Year's Day, 1932. Less than four months later, he drowned while sailing on Windermere. His death put the future independence of the Guardian in doubt, as the Scott family struggled to pay the inheritance taxes. He was succeeded as editor by William Percival Crozier.

He was born on May 13, 1846, in N. Greenfield, New York, the son of Alexander Hamilton Scott and Sophronia Wood Seymour. He was educated at the District School, Juliet Garner's Select School in West Greenfield and Robb's Boys' Academy at Saratoga Springs, New York. During 1866–67, he studied two terms at Albany State Normal School, and became a school teacher. On Sep. 1, 1867, he joined his brother Thomas Seymour Scott in running a paper commission, which lasted for about 12-years.

On Aug. 22, 1872, he married Sarah Frances "Fannie" Hoyt, the daughter of Rev. Zerah T. Hoyt and Sarah Mariah Foote. They had two children, Arthur Hoyt Scott and Margaret, wife of Owen Moon.

Around 1878, the paper commission failed, and the family lived in Camden, New Jersey,

Irvin and brother Clarence Scott took the remaining proceeds and formed Scott Paper Company. Irvin reportedly borrowed $2,000 from his father-in-law and added the $300 the two brothers had to form the capital stock. Irvin became the first president.

In 1890, the family moved to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, where he was Chief Burgess 1893–97. A large paper plant was established at Chester, Pennsylvania. Scott Paper Company was very successful, largely due to advertising, which stressed the safety and quality of paper tissue. Toilet paper had been considered an "unmentionable" product prior to this, and this strategy was instrumental in making Scott Paper Company the leading producer of bathroom tissue in the United States by 1890.

On Oct 08, 1916, Irvin's wife Fannie died, and he later married Fannie E. (Massey) Anderson, a widow. In 1920, Irvin retired from Scott Paper Company and son Arthur Hoyt Scott became the second president. His son-in-law Owen Moon was briefly the third president, after Arthur died in 1927. Irvin died on Apr 24, 1931 and was interred at Eastlawn Cemetery in Philadelphia.