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CONTENTS
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Ralph Klein remembered, celebrated at Calgary memorial
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs from John Henderson
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
Forfarshire
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Excursion to the Orkney Islands
Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh
The History of Sanquhar
Author Edward Grant Ries
Classical Music in Scotland
Cosmo Innes
John Wilson
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Greyfriars Bobby
Declaration of Arbroath
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Got in a request...
Hello Alastair,
As part of my Masters degree, I'm conducting a survey into the experiences of people who have visited the North-East of Scotland to investigate their local ancestry. I wonder if you'd be kind enough to post a link on your news section?
As the specific focus of the study is on the historic counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Kincardineshire, responses are sought only from those with ancestral connections to these areas and who are now resident elsewhere in Scotland, in the UK or further afield. The survey will be open until midnight on 23rd April.
The survey can be found at http://www.survey.dundee.ac.uk/ancestral-research
Many thanks in advance for your co-operation.
-----
COSCA has a fantastic announcement ...
Save The Date:
Thursday, July 11, 2013
8:30am - 4:30pm
Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus
Lees McRae College
Banner Elk, North Carolina, at the foot of Grandfather Mountain
The Council of Scottish Clans & Associations is delighted to announce the return of an old tradition - Clan and Scottish Organization Workshops and Conferences at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. This year, to kick it all off, we are hosting a very special day long conference on Thursday prior to the opening of the games at Grandfather Mountain.
The 2013 Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus is designed to bring Scottish American clan, family and organization leaders and active members together to explore and debate how we can bring Scotland and America and the global Scottish diaspora much closer together as we continue to move into the 21st century.
What is our role? The discussion about what's happening in Scotland in 2014 has highlighted the critical need for the Scottish American community to continue our dialogue about what we need, what we want and how we can best help the global Scottish diaspora community to grow and thrive in the 21st century.
How can we grow closer to Scotland? We can never take for granted that Scotland will remain as supportive and protective of its ancestral traditions, sites, culture and language as it is today. We need to understand what Scotland needs from us and how we can best meet those needs - and how we can best communicate what we need from Scotland to do our job.
We are absolutely delighted to announce that Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor, Convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs will co-chair Thursday's Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus on behalf of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. Sir Malcolm MacGregor will be joining the official 2013 Chief of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Sir Malcolm Colquhoun of Luss in making the trip across the pond to be at Grandfather Mountain this year and we hope that other Scottish Chiefs can come as well.
Most of all, we hope that our Scottish American members and friends can join us for this important conference in the cool and beautiful North Carolina highlands this July. The 2013 Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus is YOUR conference and an opportunity for you to learn more about what other people are thinking and doing and to make sure your own thoughts and ideas are heard and discussed. We are fortunate to be working in a time of great change in Scotland and in the Scottish American community. It is important that we continue to come together, organize and grow as a national and international Scottish family.
We will be bringing you further details and opening registration later this month.
Please stay tuned and we hope to see you in July!
-----
Telling Scotland's Story
An accessible graphic novel style booklet has been produced to accompany the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework Experts pool knowledge to tell the complete history of Scotland.
Experts from a wide range of disciplines are pooling their skills and knowledge in a bid to piece together a comprehensive record of Scotland's past. Archaeologists, historians, scientists and specialists in climatology and the natural sciences hope that by bringing their research and data together in one place, they'll be able, eventually, to map out the history of Scotland in its entirety.
They've produced a graphic novel-style guide - Telling Scotland's Story- illustrated by the Scottish comic artist Sha Nazir of Blackhearted Press, to explain the project. Collaborating for the first time through The Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF), this research community expects to uncover new stories of Scotland's past and solve mysteries that have continued to elude explanation. People who work across completely different fields and time periods will add their own pieces to the jigsaw through a new website http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/.
The Guide is downloadable at:
http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/s...y_2013_Web.pdf
From laser scanning a landscape by aeroplane to DNA testing a shattered skull, every bit of research will add to the picture of Scotland's past to create a resource that can be explored and enjoyed by everyone.
Led by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, with funding from Historic Scotland, ScARF is working with a wide range of leading experts studying every period of Scottish history from earliest times up to the present day, including commercial archaeology companies, university academics, local authority archaeologists and archaeologists and historians from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), the National Museums of Scotland (NMS) and Historic Scotland.
Telling Scotland's Story features a series of surprising and unusual stories about Scotland uncovered by the latest research and presented in the style of a graphic novel, including:
The Storegga Tsunami - a giant tidal wave that hit Scotland 8,000 years ago and caused the greatest natural disaster that Northern Europe has ever known. It coincided with a period of extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels, and was part of a process that saw an entire landscape submerged beneath the North Sea. The secrets of this lost land - known as ‘Doggerland ‘ by archaeologists, and once a rich hunting ground which stretched from Aberdeen to Denmark - are now being revealed.
The so-called Frankenstein's Mummies of South Uist - two mummified skeletons found buried under a Bronze Age House. Experts are continuing to puzzle over the fact that DNA testing revealed each of the skeletons - which are more than 3,500 years old - are made up of the body parts of at least two separate people.
The emerging story of a whole landscape - many parts of Scotland are now being laser-scanned from the air, allowing archaeologists to literally ‘see' through forests and crops to discover the remains of manmade structures such as walls, earthworks, burial mounds and cairns that are overgrown or hidden underground. They are then recreating these lost landscapes using 3D computer modelling.
The trail of the Buannachan - the Gaelic name for the mercenaries who, in the 15th C, were one of Scotland's greatest exports, travelling around Europe in their ocean-going long ships and selling their fighting prowess to the highest bidder. Archaeologists are now attempting to follow this mercenary trail across Europe.
Launching the framework and the guide, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said: "The creation of this strategic research framework for archaeology is an excellent example of collaboration across the historic environment sector. The work draws on the Society's extensive network of fellowship and beyond: to consolidate existing knowledge; to identify future research questions; and to communicate knowledge and understanding to wider sections of society. I recognise the power of the historic environment to inspire, to educate, and to enhance our lives in many different ways. By providing information in a different format, targeting a different audience, I hope this publication will also whet the public's appetite for using ScARF and its outputs - thereby unlocking the science and knowledge for a broader audience."
Explaining the aim of the SCARF initiative, project manager, Jeff Sanders said: "SCARF is about creating a resource that can be explored and enjoyed by everyone. It is the first port of call for information on Scotland's past - the place for students, writers, academics and documentary makers to find the most up to date account of the nation's archaeology. And it is also the place to make connections with research teams and to join the dots between the past and the people who are investigating, uncovering and writing about it now."
Commenting on the guide, Telling Scotland's Story, Robin Turner, Head of Survey and Recording at RCAHMS said: "The comic-style guide has the potential to engage a wide audience, especially young people, with what is really exciting about archaeology. Our own expert staff, and many others from across the sector, are coming together to identify what we already know about Scotland's past, and also, crucially, what we do not. This story of the nation is changing fast as new technologies are applied and new discoveries are made."
Sha Nazir, the artist who worked on Telling Scotland's Story said: "Graphic art is a perfect way of presenting key moments in Scottish history. Visual storytelling was one of the first methods our earliest ancestors used to communicate thoughts and ideas - think of prehistoric cave paintings or Egyptian hieroglyphics. You could say that comic books and archaeology have been linked together from the start. The new stories emerging from the research were a wonderful inspiration for me as an artist."
-----
Got in a copy of the Tartan Herald Newsletter for March 2013 which you can download at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...tan-Newsletter
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
I have now started to add these volumes and the idea is to make one volume available each week until complete. Should you be interested in this series then you'll be able to dip into each volume during the week and thus be ready for the next volume appearing.
Now added The Atlantic Provinces Volume 13 - Section VII
You can get to this collection towards the foot of our Canadian History page at
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...nada/index.htm
Ralph Klein remembered, celebrated at Calgary memorial
Canadians, friends and family members are remembering former Alberta premier Ralph Klein as a people person, at a Calgary memorial.
See http://www.electriccanadian.com/makers/klein_ralph.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was Compiled by Jennifer Dunn where she adds her take on the death of Margaret Thatcher from a Scottish perspective.
I might add that the Poll tax debate in Scotland was particularly strong. The fact is that if it had gone through single person house owners would have done much better under it but of course families or house owners with several household members would have been worse of.
Scotland is also a very strong union oriented country and the fact that Margaret Thatcher broke the power of the unions was also a very divisive issue.
And so the reaction to her death is obviously swayed in Scotland depending on your political leaning.You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 5 and added this week October 1907.You can get to this at::
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume05.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs from John Henderson
John sent us in two new songs this week and here is one to read here...
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
Andro and his Cutty Gun
Willie was a Wanton Wag
Muirland Willie
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
Forfarshire
By Easton S. Valentine (1912)
Have added the following chapters this week...
Chapter 22. - Architecture—{d) Municipal
Chapter 23. - Communications—Past and Present: Roads and Railways
Chapter 24. - Administration and Divisions
Chapter 25. - The Roll of Honour
Chapter 26. - The Chief Towns and Villages of Forfarshire
And this now completes this book.
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...rfar/index.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Now added Volume 5
You can read this at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Excursion to the Orkney Islands
By Jacob Abbott
We have added the following chapters this week...
Chapter VIII. Plans Formed.
Chapter IX. The Railway Ride.
Chapter X. The Highland Glens.
Chapter XI. Ben Nevis.
Chapter XII. The Caledonian Canal.
Chapter XIII. The Vitrified Fort.
Chapter XIV. Night Ride by Daylight.
In chapter X we learn how they deal with their luggage in preparation for their trip to the Highland Glens and onto Orkney.
“Now,” said Grimkie, when the party arrived at the hotel in Glasgow, “we have come to the end of the first stage of our journey, that is the railway stage of it. The next is the steamboat stage.”
“I am glad of that,” said Florence. “The railway ride was very pleasant, but I am ready for a change.”
Grimkie had learned in the course of the conversations which he had held with his fellow-passengers on board the ship at sea, that it was best, in travelling in Scotland, especially among the Highlands, to take as little baggage as possible.
“On whichever side of Scotland you go up,” said one of these gentlemen, “you will be likely to come down on the other side, so that your journey will either begin at Glasgow and end at Edinburgh, or it will begin at Edinburgh and end at Glasgow. You will find it better therefore, when you are ready to set out from either of those towns, to put all that you will want for the journey in one trunk, and send all the rest of your baggage across to some hotel in the other town, to wait there for you till you come back.” Grimkie explained all this to his aunt, at the breakfast table at their hotel in Glasgow. Mrs. Morelle looked at her travelling map of Scotland, and she saw that Edinburgh and Glasgow were in fact situated as is represented above.
“We shall probably come down from the Orkneys on that side of the island,” said she, "and I think it would be convenient to have our trunks go there, all except one—but then, Grimkie, we don't know how to send them there. I suppose there is some kind of express, if we only knew where the office was.”
“Ah, but you remember, Auntie, that father told us that all we had to do was to be able to tell distinctly what we wanted, and the people here would find out how it was to be done.”
“That was in the public offices,” said Mrs. Morelle. .
“It will do just as well in the hotels I expect, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “May I ring the bell and try?”
Mrs. Morelle gave the required permission, and Grimkie rang the bell. Very soon the waiter appeared.
"I want to see about sending some baggage to Edinburgh,” said Grimkie.
"Yes, sir,” said the waiter. “I'll send up Boots directly.”
Boots is the familiar name by which the porter is designated in the English inns. In these inns moreover every servant has his own definite duties to perform, and these are never on any account intermingled. It is the porter’s duty to know about railway trains, and conveyances of all kinds, and about baggage, and sending letters and parcels, and all such things. The waiter’s duty, on the other hand, is confined entirely to the service of the table, and to acts of personal attendance upon the guests within the hotel. If any question arises pertaining to transportation or conveyance of any kind, he has but one answer—“Yes, sir. I'll send Boots.” .
In a few minutes the porter appeared, cap in hand.
“We want to inquire about sending some of our luggage to Edinburgh,” said Grimkie. “We are going to make a tour in the north of Scotland, and we thought it would be best to send most of our luggage to Edinburgh to wait there till we come.”
“Yes, sir,” said the porter, "that will be much the best way for you.”
“And how shall we manage it?” asked Grimkie. “What have I to do?”
“You have nothing at all to do,” said the porter, ”except to tell me the name of the hotel where you will go—or put it upon your luggage, and leave it in your room here when you go away. I will attend to it all, and you will find it quite safe at the hotel when you arrive there.” “And how about paying?” asked Grimkie. “Shall we pay you?”
“No, sir,” said the porter, “you will have nothing to pay here. It will not be much, and they will pay at the hotel in Edinburgh and put it in your bill.”
“That will be exactly the thing, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “Only,” he added, "we do not know what hotel we shall go to.”
On being asked by Mrs. Morelle, the porter gave them the address of a good hotel in Edinburgh, which he said was in a pleasant situation, and a well kept house. He also brought Grimkie a package of gum labels, such as are used in England for labelling baggage. Grimkie wrote Mrs. Morelle's name on several of these labels, and also, the name of the hotel which the porter had given him, and then, after his aunt had selected from all the trunks what she thought would be required for the whole party during the tour in Scotland, and had put them in the one which she was to take, Grimkie with the assistance of the porter locked and strapped the others, and put the labels upon them.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/orkney10.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/orkneyndx.htm
Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh
We now have her next column which deals with why we should be in the EU rather than EFTA and the EEA.
This column can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130411.htm
You can read all her articles at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina/
The History of Sanquhar
By James Brown (1891)
This is a new book we're starting and here is the Preface to set the scene...
The feeling has frequently been expressed of late years that a history of Sanquhar would prove of no ordinary interest, considering the ancient origin of the town, its standing as one of the old Scottish burghs, its intimate connection through its old Castle and the doughty Crichtons, who ruled there with the most stirring period of our national history, and, at a later period, with the struggles of the Covenanters, and likewise, the antiquarian and topographical features of the district of which it is the centre.
It is true that a small history of the place was published in 1865 by the late Rev. Dr Simpson, but it was defective in various respects, particularly in that no attempt was made to treat of municipal affairs, or of social manners and customs. I waited, however, in the hope that the duty would be undertaken by some one more experienced in literary work, but there being no appearance of that, and as much valuable information to be derived from oral sources was in danger of being lost, I felt constrained to assume the task.
The first difficulty that presented itself was the plan of the book, having to deal as I had with a great mass of heterogeneous materials. No one plan was free from objections, and the present was adopted as involving the least confusion. Another difficulty was the extraordinary fatality that seems to have attached to the ancient records of the town and parish. The Minutes of the Town Council for the first 120 years have all disappeared, and those of the Kirk-Session and other public bodies are likewise defective; in this way, much information that would have been invaluable in the compilation of such a history, has been altogether lost. I have further to regret that I was denied access to certain ancient charters of the Crichtons, recently discovered at Drumlanrig Castle, but now in the hands of a literary gentleman in Edinburgh, which would probably have thrown some light on the history of that family, and been the means of verifying much that may have been published on doubtful authority.
It is, however, my duty to acknowledge, which I now gratefully do, the obligations under which I rest for valuable assistance rendered in the performance of my task—to the family of the late Dr Simpson, for the liberty of making extracts from the history of Sanquhar published by him; to the representatives of the late Dr Watson, Wanlockhead, and Mr Edmond, schoolmaster, there, for the description of the Wanlockhead Mines ; to Mr Thomas M‘Naught, S.S.C., Edinburgh, for searches made in the State Records in Edinburgh; to Mr Galloway, Inspector of Schools, for the list of derivations of place-names; to Dr Anstruther Davidson, for the Chapter contributed by him on the Flora and Fauna of the district, written during his residence in Sanquhar, thereby supplying an element of interest not often found in a local history ; to Mr J. R. Wilson, Royal Bank, for information on antiquarian matters, and for access to his valuable collection; and to friends who have proved exceedingly helpful in other departments.
In face, therefore, of the serious drawbacks mentioned, but with the compensation of these valuable aids, I launch the book in the hope that, notwithstanding its many inherent imperfections, it may be received as a not unworthy history of a town and district, interesting from many points of view.
Sanquhar,
August, 1891.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uhar/index.htm
Author: Edward Grant Ries
Edward sent us in a couple of interesting articles...
"Scotland During the Roman Empire" about the role of the Romans in Scottish history.
and
"Bernard of Clairvaux" the Patron Saint of the Templar Order.
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/ries/
Classical Music in Scotland
Got in an article about classical music in Scotland.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/music/classical.htm
Cosmo Innes
Have added this person to our Significant Scots section. We already have some of his books on the site and he did some enormous historical research to the great benefit of historians.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...nnes_cosmo.htm
John Wilson
This is one of our Significant Scots and have just found a book on his life and works which I've made available at the foot of his page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ilson_john.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
I came across this publication and found that it only seems to have been produced for just over a year. We have volume 1 and then only part of volume 2 and it then ceased publication for whatever reason. A couple of long running articles are marked as "to be continued" so we don't have the complete story in these instances.
I am publishing most of the stories from this publication as pdf files and will mark the two incomplete ones as it might be possible to find the original complete story. I'll be adding all these stories over the next week or so.
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Greyfriars Bobby
The story of the famous Edinburgh dog.
This is the famous story of the wee dog that wouldn't leave his masters grave. There is a statue of him in Edinburgh which is also a water fountain with a lower water catch so that other dogs can have a drink.
The complete book is available at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids...iars_bobby.htm
Declaration of Arbroath
We got in a link to a video recording of the Declaration of Arbroath.
You can view this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/darbroath.htm
And finally...
While looking for news items for the ScotNews Feed today I came across a report on some interesting research by a German company reported in the Daily Record...
STARING at busty women can lengthen your life, scientists have proved.
A German study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concludes that staring at women's breasts for a few minutes daily is better for your health than going to the gym.
"Just 10 minutes of looking at the charms of well-endowed females is equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics work-out," said author Dr Karen Weatherby, an expert on ageing.
The research team, led by Dr Weatherby, spent five years monitoring the effects of this unique discovery.
The men who were told to stare at bosoms daily had lower blood pressure and slower resting pulse rates and also decreased their risk of coronary artery disease.
Dr Weatherby explained: "Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation.
"There's no question - gazing at large breasts makes men healthier."
She also recommends that men over 40 should spend at least 10 minutes daily admiring breasts sized D-cup or larger.
-----
And that's it for now and hope you all have a great Weekend.
Alastair
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Ralph Klein remembered, celebrated at Calgary memorial
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs from John Henderson
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
Forfarshire
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Excursion to the Orkney Islands
Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh
The History of Sanquhar
Author Edward Grant Ries
Classical Music in Scotland
Cosmo Innes
John Wilson
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Greyfriars Bobby
Declaration of Arbroath
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Got in a request...
Hello Alastair,
As part of my Masters degree, I'm conducting a survey into the experiences of people who have visited the North-East of Scotland to investigate their local ancestry. I wonder if you'd be kind enough to post a link on your news section?
As the specific focus of the study is on the historic counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Kincardineshire, responses are sought only from those with ancestral connections to these areas and who are now resident elsewhere in Scotland, in the UK or further afield. The survey will be open until midnight on 23rd April.
The survey can be found at http://www.survey.dundee.ac.uk/ancestral-research
Many thanks in advance for your co-operation.
-----
COSCA has a fantastic announcement ...
Save The Date:
Thursday, July 11, 2013
8:30am - 4:30pm
Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus
Lees McRae College
Banner Elk, North Carolina, at the foot of Grandfather Mountain
The Council of Scottish Clans & Associations is delighted to announce the return of an old tradition - Clan and Scottish Organization Workshops and Conferences at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. This year, to kick it all off, we are hosting a very special day long conference on Thursday prior to the opening of the games at Grandfather Mountain.
The 2013 Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus is designed to bring Scottish American clan, family and organization leaders and active members together to explore and debate how we can bring Scotland and America and the global Scottish diaspora much closer together as we continue to move into the 21st century.
What is our role? The discussion about what's happening in Scotland in 2014 has highlighted the critical need for the Scottish American community to continue our dialogue about what we need, what we want and how we can best help the global Scottish diaspora community to grow and thrive in the 21st century.
How can we grow closer to Scotland? We can never take for granted that Scotland will remain as supportive and protective of its ancestral traditions, sites, culture and language as it is today. We need to understand what Scotland needs from us and how we can best meet those needs - and how we can best communicate what we need from Scotland to do our job.
We are absolutely delighted to announce that Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor, Convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs will co-chair Thursday's Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus on behalf of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. Sir Malcolm MacGregor will be joining the official 2013 Chief of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Sir Malcolm Colquhoun of Luss in making the trip across the pond to be at Grandfather Mountain this year and we hope that other Scottish Chiefs can come as well.
Most of all, we hope that our Scottish American members and friends can join us for this important conference in the cool and beautiful North Carolina highlands this July. The 2013 Grandfather Mountain Scottish Clan Caucus is YOUR conference and an opportunity for you to learn more about what other people are thinking and doing and to make sure your own thoughts and ideas are heard and discussed. We are fortunate to be working in a time of great change in Scotland and in the Scottish American community. It is important that we continue to come together, organize and grow as a national and international Scottish family.
We will be bringing you further details and opening registration later this month.
Please stay tuned and we hope to see you in July!
-----
Telling Scotland's Story
An accessible graphic novel style booklet has been produced to accompany the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework Experts pool knowledge to tell the complete history of Scotland.
Experts from a wide range of disciplines are pooling their skills and knowledge in a bid to piece together a comprehensive record of Scotland's past. Archaeologists, historians, scientists and specialists in climatology and the natural sciences hope that by bringing their research and data together in one place, they'll be able, eventually, to map out the history of Scotland in its entirety.
They've produced a graphic novel-style guide - Telling Scotland's Story- illustrated by the Scottish comic artist Sha Nazir of Blackhearted Press, to explain the project. Collaborating for the first time through The Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF), this research community expects to uncover new stories of Scotland's past and solve mysteries that have continued to elude explanation. People who work across completely different fields and time periods will add their own pieces to the jigsaw through a new website http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/.
The Guide is downloadable at:
http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/s...y_2013_Web.pdf
From laser scanning a landscape by aeroplane to DNA testing a shattered skull, every bit of research will add to the picture of Scotland's past to create a resource that can be explored and enjoyed by everyone.
Led by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, with funding from Historic Scotland, ScARF is working with a wide range of leading experts studying every period of Scottish history from earliest times up to the present day, including commercial archaeology companies, university academics, local authority archaeologists and archaeologists and historians from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), the National Museums of Scotland (NMS) and Historic Scotland.
Telling Scotland's Story features a series of surprising and unusual stories about Scotland uncovered by the latest research and presented in the style of a graphic novel, including:
The Storegga Tsunami - a giant tidal wave that hit Scotland 8,000 years ago and caused the greatest natural disaster that Northern Europe has ever known. It coincided with a period of extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels, and was part of a process that saw an entire landscape submerged beneath the North Sea. The secrets of this lost land - known as ‘Doggerland ‘ by archaeologists, and once a rich hunting ground which stretched from Aberdeen to Denmark - are now being revealed.
The so-called Frankenstein's Mummies of South Uist - two mummified skeletons found buried under a Bronze Age House. Experts are continuing to puzzle over the fact that DNA testing revealed each of the skeletons - which are more than 3,500 years old - are made up of the body parts of at least two separate people.
The emerging story of a whole landscape - many parts of Scotland are now being laser-scanned from the air, allowing archaeologists to literally ‘see' through forests and crops to discover the remains of manmade structures such as walls, earthworks, burial mounds and cairns that are overgrown or hidden underground. They are then recreating these lost landscapes using 3D computer modelling.
The trail of the Buannachan - the Gaelic name for the mercenaries who, in the 15th C, were one of Scotland's greatest exports, travelling around Europe in their ocean-going long ships and selling their fighting prowess to the highest bidder. Archaeologists are now attempting to follow this mercenary trail across Europe.
Launching the framework and the guide, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs said: "The creation of this strategic research framework for archaeology is an excellent example of collaboration across the historic environment sector. The work draws on the Society's extensive network of fellowship and beyond: to consolidate existing knowledge; to identify future research questions; and to communicate knowledge and understanding to wider sections of society. I recognise the power of the historic environment to inspire, to educate, and to enhance our lives in many different ways. By providing information in a different format, targeting a different audience, I hope this publication will also whet the public's appetite for using ScARF and its outputs - thereby unlocking the science and knowledge for a broader audience."
Explaining the aim of the SCARF initiative, project manager, Jeff Sanders said: "SCARF is about creating a resource that can be explored and enjoyed by everyone. It is the first port of call for information on Scotland's past - the place for students, writers, academics and documentary makers to find the most up to date account of the nation's archaeology. And it is also the place to make connections with research teams and to join the dots between the past and the people who are investigating, uncovering and writing about it now."
Commenting on the guide, Telling Scotland's Story, Robin Turner, Head of Survey and Recording at RCAHMS said: "The comic-style guide has the potential to engage a wide audience, especially young people, with what is really exciting about archaeology. Our own expert staff, and many others from across the sector, are coming together to identify what we already know about Scotland's past, and also, crucially, what we do not. This story of the nation is changing fast as new technologies are applied and new discoveries are made."
Sha Nazir, the artist who worked on Telling Scotland's Story said: "Graphic art is a perfect way of presenting key moments in Scottish history. Visual storytelling was one of the first methods our earliest ancestors used to communicate thoughts and ideas - think of prehistoric cave paintings or Egyptian hieroglyphics. You could say that comic books and archaeology have been linked together from the start. The new stories emerging from the research were a wonderful inspiration for me as an artist."
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Got in a copy of the Tartan Herald Newsletter for March 2013 which you can download at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...tan-Newsletter
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
I have now started to add these volumes and the idea is to make one volume available each week until complete. Should you be interested in this series then you'll be able to dip into each volume during the week and thus be ready for the next volume appearing.
Now added The Atlantic Provinces Volume 13 - Section VII
You can get to this collection towards the foot of our Canadian History page at
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...nada/index.htm
Ralph Klein remembered, celebrated at Calgary memorial
Canadians, friends and family members are remembering former Alberta premier Ralph Klein as a people person, at a Calgary memorial.
See http://www.electriccanadian.com/makers/klein_ralph.htm
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was Compiled by Jennifer Dunn where she adds her take on the death of Margaret Thatcher from a Scottish perspective.
I might add that the Poll tax debate in Scotland was particularly strong. The fact is that if it had gone through single person house owners would have done much better under it but of course families or house owners with several household members would have been worse of.
Scotland is also a very strong union oriented country and the fact that Margaret Thatcher broke the power of the unions was also a very divisive issue.
And so the reaction to her death is obviously swayed in Scotland depending on your political leaning.You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 5 and added this week October 1907.You can get to this at::
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume05.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs from John Henderson
John sent us in two new songs this week and here is one to read here...
Maggie
Lyrics composed by John Henderson on the 19th of March, 2013,
to Ethan Uslan's playing of Charlie Chaplin's 1930s' tune that he called, 'Sing A Song'.
It's irrefutable ..... yes, indisputable .....
That Maggie's beautiful ..... from head to toe .....
Her eyes enrapturing ..... for ever capturing .....
Lots suitors' attention, but,
She always says "NO"! .....
For she is spoken for ..... and she is faithful to .....
Her dearest Timothy ..... across the foam .....
Who though he sailed away ..... to Delaware .....
He soon will send for her ..... to join him there.
She hangs on patiently ..... and acts quite distantly .....
And most indiff'rently ..... to each keen 'Joe' .....
But years pass-by slowly ..... with Maggie woefully .....
Still awaiting Timothy call ..... "Sail when East winds blow." .....
She still stays spoken for ..... but she is longing for .....
Her sweetheart Timothy ..... across the foam .....
Who though he sailed away ..... to Delaware .....
He's still not sent for her ..... to join him there. .....
This tale unhappily ..... ends up in tragedy .....
For Maggie's Timothy ..... and his shipmates drowned .....
En route to Delaware ..... waves tossed them unware .....
Into an ocean lair, thus for lots hopeful maids life is a sad affair.
You can read more of John's songs mostly in the Doric language at:Lyrics composed by John Henderson on the 19th of March, 2013,
to Ethan Uslan's playing of Charlie Chaplin's 1930s' tune that he called, 'Sing A Song'.
It's irrefutable ..... yes, indisputable .....
That Maggie's beautiful ..... from head to toe .....
Her eyes enrapturing ..... for ever capturing .....
Lots suitors' attention, but,
She always says "NO"! .....
For she is spoken for ..... and she is faithful to .....
Her dearest Timothy ..... across the foam .....
Who though he sailed away ..... to Delaware .....
He soon will send for her ..... to join him there.
She hangs on patiently ..... and acts quite distantly .....
And most indiff'rently ..... to each keen 'Joe' .....
But years pass-by slowly ..... with Maggie woefully .....
Still awaiting Timothy call ..... "Sail when East winds blow." .....
She still stays spoken for ..... but she is longing for .....
Her sweetheart Timothy ..... across the foam .....
Who though he sailed away ..... to Delaware .....
He's still not sent for her ..... to join him there. .....
This tale unhappily ..... ends up in tragedy .....
For Maggie's Timothy ..... and his shipmates drowned .....
En route to Delaware ..... waves tossed them unware .....
Into an ocean lair, thus for lots hopeful maids life is a sad affair.
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
Andro and his Cutty Gun
Willie was a Wanton Wag
Muirland Willie
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
Forfarshire
By Easton S. Valentine (1912)
Have added the following chapters this week...
Chapter 22. - Architecture—{d) Municipal
Chapter 23. - Communications—Past and Present: Roads and Railways
Chapter 24. - Administration and Divisions
Chapter 25. - The Roll of Honour
Chapter 26. - The Chief Towns and Villages of Forfarshire
And this now completes this book.
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...rfar/index.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Now added Volume 5
You can read this at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Excursion to the Orkney Islands
By Jacob Abbott
We have added the following chapters this week...
Chapter VIII. Plans Formed.
Chapter IX. The Railway Ride.
Chapter X. The Highland Glens.
Chapter XI. Ben Nevis.
Chapter XII. The Caledonian Canal.
Chapter XIII. The Vitrified Fort.
Chapter XIV. Night Ride by Daylight.
In chapter X we learn how they deal with their luggage in preparation for their trip to the Highland Glens and onto Orkney.
“Now,” said Grimkie, when the party arrived at the hotel in Glasgow, “we have come to the end of the first stage of our journey, that is the railway stage of it. The next is the steamboat stage.”
“I am glad of that,” said Florence. “The railway ride was very pleasant, but I am ready for a change.”
Grimkie had learned in the course of the conversations which he had held with his fellow-passengers on board the ship at sea, that it was best, in travelling in Scotland, especially among the Highlands, to take as little baggage as possible.
“On whichever side of Scotland you go up,” said one of these gentlemen, “you will be likely to come down on the other side, so that your journey will either begin at Glasgow and end at Edinburgh, or it will begin at Edinburgh and end at Glasgow. You will find it better therefore, when you are ready to set out from either of those towns, to put all that you will want for the journey in one trunk, and send all the rest of your baggage across to some hotel in the other town, to wait there for you till you come back.” Grimkie explained all this to his aunt, at the breakfast table at their hotel in Glasgow. Mrs. Morelle looked at her travelling map of Scotland, and she saw that Edinburgh and Glasgow were in fact situated as is represented above.
“We shall probably come down from the Orkneys on that side of the island,” said she, "and I think it would be convenient to have our trunks go there, all except one—but then, Grimkie, we don't know how to send them there. I suppose there is some kind of express, if we only knew where the office was.”
“Ah, but you remember, Auntie, that father told us that all we had to do was to be able to tell distinctly what we wanted, and the people here would find out how it was to be done.”
“That was in the public offices,” said Mrs. Morelle. .
“It will do just as well in the hotels I expect, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “May I ring the bell and try?”
Mrs. Morelle gave the required permission, and Grimkie rang the bell. Very soon the waiter appeared.
"I want to see about sending some baggage to Edinburgh,” said Grimkie.
"Yes, sir,” said the waiter. “I'll send up Boots directly.”
Boots is the familiar name by which the porter is designated in the English inns. In these inns moreover every servant has his own definite duties to perform, and these are never on any account intermingled. It is the porter’s duty to know about railway trains, and conveyances of all kinds, and about baggage, and sending letters and parcels, and all such things. The waiter’s duty, on the other hand, is confined entirely to the service of the table, and to acts of personal attendance upon the guests within the hotel. If any question arises pertaining to transportation or conveyance of any kind, he has but one answer—“Yes, sir. I'll send Boots.” .
In a few minutes the porter appeared, cap in hand.
“We want to inquire about sending some of our luggage to Edinburgh,” said Grimkie. “We are going to make a tour in the north of Scotland, and we thought it would be best to send most of our luggage to Edinburgh to wait there till we come.”
“Yes, sir,” said the porter, "that will be much the best way for you.”
“And how shall we manage it?” asked Grimkie. “What have I to do?”
“You have nothing at all to do,” said the porter, ”except to tell me the name of the hotel where you will go—or put it upon your luggage, and leave it in your room here when you go away. I will attend to it all, and you will find it quite safe at the hotel when you arrive there.” “And how about paying?” asked Grimkie. “Shall we pay you?”
“No, sir,” said the porter, “you will have nothing to pay here. It will not be much, and they will pay at the hotel in Edinburgh and put it in your bill.”
“That will be exactly the thing, Auntie,” said Grimkie. “Only,” he added, "we do not know what hotel we shall go to.”
On being asked by Mrs. Morelle, the porter gave them the address of a good hotel in Edinburgh, which he said was in a pleasant situation, and a well kept house. He also brought Grimkie a package of gum labels, such as are used in England for labelling baggage. Grimkie wrote Mrs. Morelle's name on several of these labels, and also, the name of the hotel which the porter had given him, and then, after his aunt had selected from all the trunks what she thought would be required for the whole party during the tour in Scotland, and had put them in the one which she was to take, Grimkie with the assistance of the porter locked and strapped the others, and put the labels upon them.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/orkney10.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/orkneyndx.htm
Tasmina Ahmed Sheikh
We now have her next column which deals with why we should be in the EU rather than EFTA and the EEA.
This column can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130411.htm
You can read all her articles at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina/
The History of Sanquhar
By James Brown (1891)
This is a new book we're starting and here is the Preface to set the scene...
The feeling has frequently been expressed of late years that a history of Sanquhar would prove of no ordinary interest, considering the ancient origin of the town, its standing as one of the old Scottish burghs, its intimate connection through its old Castle and the doughty Crichtons, who ruled there with the most stirring period of our national history, and, at a later period, with the struggles of the Covenanters, and likewise, the antiquarian and topographical features of the district of which it is the centre.
It is true that a small history of the place was published in 1865 by the late Rev. Dr Simpson, but it was defective in various respects, particularly in that no attempt was made to treat of municipal affairs, or of social manners and customs. I waited, however, in the hope that the duty would be undertaken by some one more experienced in literary work, but there being no appearance of that, and as much valuable information to be derived from oral sources was in danger of being lost, I felt constrained to assume the task.
The first difficulty that presented itself was the plan of the book, having to deal as I had with a great mass of heterogeneous materials. No one plan was free from objections, and the present was adopted as involving the least confusion. Another difficulty was the extraordinary fatality that seems to have attached to the ancient records of the town and parish. The Minutes of the Town Council for the first 120 years have all disappeared, and those of the Kirk-Session and other public bodies are likewise defective; in this way, much information that would have been invaluable in the compilation of such a history, has been altogether lost. I have further to regret that I was denied access to certain ancient charters of the Crichtons, recently discovered at Drumlanrig Castle, but now in the hands of a literary gentleman in Edinburgh, which would probably have thrown some light on the history of that family, and been the means of verifying much that may have been published on doubtful authority.
It is, however, my duty to acknowledge, which I now gratefully do, the obligations under which I rest for valuable assistance rendered in the performance of my task—to the family of the late Dr Simpson, for the liberty of making extracts from the history of Sanquhar published by him; to the representatives of the late Dr Watson, Wanlockhead, and Mr Edmond, schoolmaster, there, for the description of the Wanlockhead Mines ; to Mr Thomas M‘Naught, S.S.C., Edinburgh, for searches made in the State Records in Edinburgh; to Mr Galloway, Inspector of Schools, for the list of derivations of place-names; to Dr Anstruther Davidson, for the Chapter contributed by him on the Flora and Fauna of the district, written during his residence in Sanquhar, thereby supplying an element of interest not often found in a local history ; to Mr J. R. Wilson, Royal Bank, for information on antiquarian matters, and for access to his valuable collection; and to friends who have proved exceedingly helpful in other departments.
In face, therefore, of the serious drawbacks mentioned, but with the compensation of these valuable aids, I launch the book in the hope that, notwithstanding its many inherent imperfections, it may be received as a not unworthy history of a town and district, interesting from many points of view.
Sanquhar,
August, 1891.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...uhar/index.htm
Author: Edward Grant Ries
Edward sent us in a couple of interesting articles...
"Scotland During the Roman Empire" about the role of the Romans in Scottish history.
and
"Bernard of Clairvaux" the Patron Saint of the Templar Order.
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/ries/
Classical Music in Scotland
Got in an article about classical music in Scotland.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/music/classical.htm
Cosmo Innes
Have added this person to our Significant Scots section. We already have some of his books on the site and he did some enormous historical research to the great benefit of historians.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...nnes_cosmo.htm
John Wilson
This is one of our Significant Scots and have just found a book on his life and works which I've made available at the foot of his page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ilson_john.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
I came across this publication and found that it only seems to have been produced for just over a year. We have volume 1 and then only part of volume 2 and it then ceased publication for whatever reason. A couple of long running articles are marked as "to be continued" so we don't have the complete story in these instances.
I am publishing most of the stories from this publication as pdf files and will mark the two incomplete ones as it might be possible to find the original complete story. I'll be adding all these stories over the next week or so.
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Greyfriars Bobby
The story of the famous Edinburgh dog.
This is the famous story of the wee dog that wouldn't leave his masters grave. There is a statue of him in Edinburgh which is also a water fountain with a lower water catch so that other dogs can have a drink.
The complete book is available at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids...iars_bobby.htm
Declaration of Arbroath
We got in a link to a video recording of the Declaration of Arbroath.
You can view this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/darbroath.htm
And finally...
While looking for news items for the ScotNews Feed today I came across a report on some interesting research by a German company reported in the Daily Record...
STARING at busty women can lengthen your life, scientists have proved.
A German study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concludes that staring at women's breasts for a few minutes daily is better for your health than going to the gym.
"Just 10 minutes of looking at the charms of well-endowed females is equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics work-out," said author Dr Karen Weatherby, an expert on ageing.
The research team, led by Dr Weatherby, spent five years monitoring the effects of this unique discovery.
The men who were told to stare at bosoms daily had lower blood pressure and slower resting pulse rates and also decreased their risk of coronary artery disease.
Dr Weatherby explained: "Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation.
"There's no question - gazing at large breasts makes men healthier."
She also recommends that men over 40 should spend at least 10 minutes daily admiring breasts sized D-cup or larger.
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And that's it for now and hope you all have a great Weekend.
Alastair