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CONTENTS
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Hot jobs (and not-so-hot jobs) in Canada
Illustrations, Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians
The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
An Article about Newfoundland Author Wayne Johnstone
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Songs by John Henderson
British Artisan Expedition to America
The Criminal and The Community
Christina's Column
Tasmina's Column
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Summer Sailings
The Life of Robert Napier of West Shandon (New Book)
The Tartan Herald
The Bold Tartan Men of Ulster
The Liddle family
William Henderson MacLeod (1925-2010)
Friends in High Places
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Got in an email from a friend who is holidaying in San Francisco. He told me he was heading out the next day to have a ride on the cable cars and noted a wee historical item...
The inventor of the cable car was Andrew Hallidie, a Scottish engineer and wire rope manufacturer. Hallidie's inspiration came after observing a team of four horses struggling to haul a public conveyance up a steep San Francisco hill. The cobblestone street was slick from the fog, and when one horse slipped, the car rolled backwards, dragging all four horses with it. Hallidie then designed a cable railway system, and at 5:00 a.m. on August 2, 1873, Hallidie guided the first cable car down Clay Street.
A very good bio of him can be read at http://www.sfmuseum.net/bio/hallidie.html
-----
I sure enjoyed the closing scenes of Chris Hadfield completing his mission on the Space Station and what a wonderful video he produced to round out his time. I created a wee page for him on our Electric Canadian site and embedded the video for you to view which you can see at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/makers/chris_hadfield.htm
-----
The ScotNews feed is starting to get more stories. It used to be that you could visit once a week and catch a good selection of news about Scotland or anything Scots orientated from around the world. I now think you'll need to visit at least twice a week to catch all the stories. Mind you can read all this news on our index page at http://www.electricscotland.com
There is of course more information and debate on Scottish Independence and I am trying to keep everyone up to date on what is being discussed. There is still a big debate about Pensions and joining the EU, whether we should have our own currency, even the time scales for separation should we vote for independence.
This week I've also been posting up news links so we can see what Prince Harry was getting up to in the USA. In addition, when I find an interesting story, I'll add that as well and a couple this week include...
"Funding for electric microcar tourism project" and "Train view app to highlight Scottish landscape".
I am also announcing each issue of our weekly newsletters in this feed and that does seem to be raising our viewing numbers. Mind also that if you have a Blog or Web site you can embed a bit of code and thus take this feed onto your own online site which of course gives you dynamic content as it's updated daily.
-----
Clan Scott in Scotland are starting to build a new web site. In the meantime they have created a temporary site athttp://clanscottscotland.moonfruit.com/
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Now added The Province of Ontario Volume 18 - Section IX.
You can get to this collection towards the foot of our Canadian History page at
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...nada/index.htm
Hot jobs (and not-so-hot jobs) in Canada
Nearly a third of Canadian businesses say they’re having difficulty finding workers with the skills they need. According to a new report by CIBC World Markets, that’s double the percentage that said the same in 2010. This article will show you the jobs in demand and the jobs with surplus workers so you can plan what jobs you might study for.
Read more about this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/jobs.htm
Illustrations, Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians
With Letters and Notes written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing with three hundred and sixty engravings from the authors original paintings by Geo. Catlin. in two volumes (1857).
Due to the huge number of engravings we make this available in pdf format but have included the full Introduction on this page.
You can read this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ustrations.htm
The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
Formerly New Caledonia (1660 - 1880) By the Rev. A. G. Morice (1906)
I've posted up the introduction to this book and then it can be downloaded as a pdf file at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...rior/index.htm
An Article about Newfoundland Author Wayne Johnstone
His book about Newfoundland written by David Robinson of the Scotsman newspaper.
I noted this article in the Scotsman newspaper and it starts...
Newfoundland. No matter how hard I try, I can’t pronounce it the way the locals do, the way Wayne Johnston does, with the accent on the “land” not the “new” or the “found”.
Oddly, for a faraway place of which I knew nothing before I started reading his books, it matters. Bear with me and I’ll try to explain why. Who knows – I might even be able to make the case why I think he is the most relevant foreign novelist for Scottish readers right now.
And so that of course tweaked my interest so thought I'd share this with you and it can be read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist..._johnstone.htm
-----
As to pdf files. We do make quite a few of these available on the site and so I just thought I'd mention that I find them faster to download if I right click on the link then select to "save target as" or similar depending on what OS you are using. You can then either save them to your desktop or create a folder to keep them in.
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was compiled by Jim Lynch but he admits to a bit of a mix up this week so it just contains the Synopsis.
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 6 and added this week January 1909. You can get to this at::
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume06.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
The Weary Town O' Tow
Wood and Married and A'
Auld Rob Morris
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Now added Volume 9
You can read this at the foot of the page at: http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Have added additional articles from this magazine...
Sketches of Irvineside
John Morrison - Poet, Musician and Travelling Showman by Donald J. Jolly
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Songs by John Henderson
Got in another song from John...
British Artisan Expedition to America
Equipped and sent out by and at the expense of the Dundee Courier and Dundee Weekly News Newspapers.
We've now added a further chapter...
Chapter 10 - New York, Canada, Return Home and Conclusion
You can read this chapter and the rest of the book at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...expedition.htm
The Criminal and The Community
By James Devon (1912)
We're now onto Part III of this book and you can read the new chapters we've published at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/criminal/
Christina's Column
Got in her column for 16th May 2013 in which amongst other information she's taking about wee Amy Carmichael, 8 years old.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/130516.htm
Her other columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lvie/index.htm
Tasmina's column
Got in her column for 16th May 2013 in which she's talking about Britain in Uurope - The US Factor
You can read this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130516.htm
The rest of her columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Having discovered from our stats that we have a lot of young readers coming to the site to read our many children's stories I decided to publish some old children's stories which are also very readable for adults as well.
I have now added the third book, The Young West Indian.
The following little history, the author thinks, cannot fail to interest her young readers. It occurred many years ago; when it was her good fortune to meet, at a friend’s house, the two children represented in the history under the names of the little West Indians. Surprising as it may appear, that a boy of so tender an age could be capable of exercising so much prudence and resolution, it nevertheless is an absolute feet, that this child, in all the leading points in the tale, did actually conduct himself as is described. When the author saw him, he was on his way to his friends, to whom the magistrate was sending him, after he had, in so singular a manner, put himself and his sister under the protection of the law. The little fellow related what had occurred to him, amply and clearly, describing his feelings and great anxiety for his sister, in the most natural affecting manner; and though it is long since the occurrence took place, yet it made such an impression on the author’s mind, that she believes she has not omitted any of the material circumstances which were then related to her. A few incidental embellishments are all that she has permitted her pen to adopt; but, in the main features, this history does not at all differ from the simple fact.
You can get to this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/stories/
Summer Sailings
By an Old Yachtsman, Archibald Young (1898)
Have now completed this book. Here is how Chapter II - A Yacht Cruise through the Caledonian Canal starts...
Few things are more delightful than a yacht cruise during the long bright days of our short northern summer, but there are many qualifications indispensable on the part of the yachtsmen to enable them fully to enjoy the pleasures of such a cruise. Among the most important of these are freedom, from sea-sickness, fondness for beautiful scenery, and, above all, a fund of good humour. No sea stock is so valuable as this last gift. On board a yacht there are no conveniences for being separate and sulky in the event of a quarrel, and gloomy faces and sour looks are intolerable, where all must constantly meet on the same deck and at the same table. But when the above requisites exist, such a cruise is a source of the greatest pleasure. If the members of the party have different tastes, all may be gratified during a voyage through the Caledonian Canal, or amongst the western islands and lochs of Scotland. The lover of sport will find wild-fowl shooting and a great variety of sea and freshwater fishing; the admirer of grand and beautiful scenery will find the widest scope for his admiration; whilst the sketcher will revel amidst an endless choice of subjects. And then, too, how free and independent is such a life—how different from that of the traveller by steamboat, coach, or rail, constantly liable to be hurried away from the loveliest scene just as he is beginning to appreciate and enjoy it, and dependent upon the pleasure of innkeepers, drivers, and stokers!
That single gentleman, with the carpet-bag and sketchbook, seems, certainly, in an enviable position, free and unencumbered, but then he must abandon his unfinished sketch, or hurry over his dinner, at the sound of the steamboat bell, the railway-whistle, or the horn of the coachman. And what shall we say of that unfortunate, with a couple of ladies and a dozen packages, his temper constantly fretted and worried by the extent of his responsibility, and his feeling for the beautiful merged in his anxiety for the fate of a bandbox? From these vexations and disappointments the yachtsman is exempt; his time is regulated by his taste; he stays where he will, and as long as he will; if becalmed, there are sketches to finish and journals to bring up; and if assailed by a storm on any part of the west coast of Scotland, there is always a good harbour at hand. Much of the finest scenery, too, in that part of our island is accessible only in this way, for there are no steamboats to some of the finest of our Scottish sea lochs. Lochs Swin, Sunart, Hourn, Nevis, Laxford, Erriboll, and many others whose shores and mountains are inferior in picturesque beauty and wild grandeur to no scenery in Great Britain, can thus only be visited and explored.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ings/index.htm
The Life of Robert Napier of West Shandon
Chevalier of the Legion of Honour; Knight Commander of the Order of Dannebrog; President of the Mechanical Engineers by James Napier, M.A., F.R.S.E.
It is often said that the Clyde made Glasgow, and the object of this volume is to relate in some detail the life of one who, by his energy and perseverance, caused the Clyde to become the most famous shipbuilding centre in the world, and thereby contributed most materially to building up the fabric of what is now called the second city in the Empire.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pier/index.htm
The Tartan Herald
Got in the April edition of their newsletter.
This can be read at http://www.electricscotland.org/showthread.php/3925-Tartan-Newsletter?p=12715#post12715
The Bold Tartan Men of Ulster
A gritty novel by James Gray.
A great read for those interested in Irish Sagas and for those without a nervous disposition. Nevertheless, this is more acute because it is based on facts and with a Protestant intro into that world of looming civil war against a backdrop of those who lived thru the Irish troubles with their own detached agenda.
It is largely said that the Ulster troubles could have been ended earlier with a real committed contribution from those in the middle class socio economic groups who often were satisfied that it never encroached their lives. Often said, who where more in keeping the status quo as it favored their financial interests.
For all its aims, this is essentially a tense gritty read with the ever looming threat to the trio this account is centered around, and hard to believe that this took place in contemporary Britain..
THE BOLD TARTAN MEN OF ULSTER,, is a protestant account for once of the Ulster TROUBLES,, and at last, a departure from the usual republican POV.
The author let us put up this entire book in pdf format and there will be two more book coming in the series.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ish/tartan.htm
The Liddle family
Created a page for the Liddle family.
I was looking for some information on the Little family when I came across a book about the Liddle family. I then found I had no information on the Liddle family on the site so thought this would be a good time to add a page for them which you can now see at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ol/liddle.html
I might add that I did also discover a book on the Little family and so added that to the site as well and you can read that book at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ol/little.html
William Henderson MacLeod (1925-2010)
A small bio of this person who is also related to our John Henderson.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...on/macleod.htm
Friends in High Places
By Kenneth C. Jack
Got in an article from Kenneth about... What is it that connects a very old and respected Crieff family with a former President of the United States of America?
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...es/friends.htm
And finally...
Happily Unhappy
PROOF that there is none so miserable as a Scot, comes the just-published book Wha's Like Us?, subtitled On the Unrealities of being Scottish by Andrew Burnside.
Andrew tries to sum up what it means to be Scottish these days and his musings in the book include:
We won't change. We're satisfied being dissatisfied with ourselves.
Lack of initiative - a critical survival strategy for the Scot at home. It equips him to endure familiar failings, helps him avoid the criticism of getting above himself, and avoids the risk of major failure had he aspired.
The Scot imagines he's a world beater; occasionally he gets glimpses of how far he falls short of that; so he returns to the comfort blanket of myth.
Golf - quintessential game of the Scot. In it, you struggle against yourself forever and never quite win.
-----
Glasgow Definition of a Drunk
He wis stoatin an his wallies wis floatin'!
-----
And that's it for now and hope you all have a great Weekend and that our Canadian readers enjoy their Victoria Day weekend.
Alastair
Electric Scotland News
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Hot jobs (and not-so-hot jobs) in Canada
Illustrations, Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians
The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
An Article about Newfoundland Author Wayne Johnstone
The Flag in the Wind
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Songs by John Henderson
British Artisan Expedition to America
The Criminal and The Community
Christina's Column
Tasmina's Column
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Summer Sailings
The Life of Robert Napier of West Shandon (New Book)
The Tartan Herald
The Bold Tartan Men of Ulster
The Liddle family
William Henderson MacLeod (1925-2010)
Friends in High Places
and finally
Electric Scotland News
Got in an email from a friend who is holidaying in San Francisco. He told me he was heading out the next day to have a ride on the cable cars and noted a wee historical item...
The inventor of the cable car was Andrew Hallidie, a Scottish engineer and wire rope manufacturer. Hallidie's inspiration came after observing a team of four horses struggling to haul a public conveyance up a steep San Francisco hill. The cobblestone street was slick from the fog, and when one horse slipped, the car rolled backwards, dragging all four horses with it. Hallidie then designed a cable railway system, and at 5:00 a.m. on August 2, 1873, Hallidie guided the first cable car down Clay Street.
A very good bio of him can be read at http://www.sfmuseum.net/bio/hallidie.html
-----
I sure enjoyed the closing scenes of Chris Hadfield completing his mission on the Space Station and what a wonderful video he produced to round out his time. I created a wee page for him on our Electric Canadian site and embedded the video for you to view which you can see at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/makers/chris_hadfield.htm
-----
The ScotNews feed is starting to get more stories. It used to be that you could visit once a week and catch a good selection of news about Scotland or anything Scots orientated from around the world. I now think you'll need to visit at least twice a week to catch all the stories. Mind you can read all this news on our index page at http://www.electricscotland.com
There is of course more information and debate on Scottish Independence and I am trying to keep everyone up to date on what is being discussed. There is still a big debate about Pensions and joining the EU, whether we should have our own currency, even the time scales for separation should we vote for independence.
This week I've also been posting up news links so we can see what Prince Harry was getting up to in the USA. In addition, when I find an interesting story, I'll add that as well and a couple this week include...
"Funding for electric microcar tourism project" and "Train view app to highlight Scottish landscape".
I am also announcing each issue of our weekly newsletters in this feed and that does seem to be raising our viewing numbers. Mind also that if you have a Blog or Web site you can embed a bit of code and thus take this feed onto your own online site which of course gives you dynamic content as it's updated daily.
-----
Clan Scott in Scotland are starting to build a new web site. In the meantime they have created a temporary site athttp://clanscottscotland.moonfruit.com/
Electric Canadian
Canada and its Provinces
Now added The Province of Ontario Volume 18 - Section IX.
You can get to this collection towards the foot of our Canadian History page at
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...nada/index.htm
Hot jobs (and not-so-hot jobs) in Canada
Nearly a third of Canadian businesses say they’re having difficulty finding workers with the skills they need. According to a new report by CIBC World Markets, that’s double the percentage that said the same in 2010. This article will show you the jobs in demand and the jobs with surplus workers so you can plan what jobs you might study for.
Read more about this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/jobs.htm
Illustrations, Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians
With Letters and Notes written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing with three hundred and sixty engravings from the authors original paintings by Geo. Catlin. in two volumes (1857).
Due to the huge number of engravings we make this available in pdf format but have included the full Introduction on this page.
You can read this at http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...ustrations.htm
The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
Formerly New Caledonia (1660 - 1880) By the Rev. A. G. Morice (1906)
I've posted up the introduction to this book and then it can be downloaded as a pdf file at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...rior/index.htm
An Article about Newfoundland Author Wayne Johnstone
His book about Newfoundland written by David Robinson of the Scotsman newspaper.
I noted this article in the Scotsman newspaper and it starts...
Newfoundland. No matter how hard I try, I can’t pronounce it the way the locals do, the way Wayne Johnston does, with the accent on the “land” not the “new” or the “found”.
Oddly, for a faraway place of which I knew nothing before I started reading his books, it matters. Bear with me and I’ll try to explain why. Who knows – I might even be able to make the case why I think he is the most relevant foreign novelist for Scottish readers right now.
And so that of course tweaked my interest so thought I'd share this with you and it can be read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist..._johnstone.htm
-----
As to pdf files. We do make quite a few of these available on the site and so I just thought I'd mention that I find them faster to download if I right click on the link then select to "save target as" or similar depending on what OS you are using. You can then either save them to your desktop or create a folder to keep them in.
The Flag in the Wind
This weeks edition was compiled by Jim Lynch but he admits to a bit of a mix up this week so it just contains the Synopsis.
You can read this issue at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Electric Scotland
The Scottish Historical Review
We have now started on Volume 6 and added this week January 1909. You can get to this at::
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...w/volume06.htm
You can read the previous issues at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/review/
Songs Of Scotland, Prior To Burns
This book is by Robert Chambers who is famous for collecting old Scottish Songs.
Added this week are...
The Weary Town O' Tow
Wood and Married and A'
Auld Rob Morris
You can get to this book at the foot of the page at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Annals of Scottish Natural History
Now added Volume 9
You can read this at the foot of the page at: http://www.electricscotland.com/natu...al_history.htm
Caledonia Monthly Magazine
Have added additional articles from this magazine...
Sketches of Irvineside
John Morrison - Poet, Musician and Travelling Showman by Donald J. Jolly
You can get to these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pers/caledonia
Songs by John Henderson
Got in another song from John...
Speyside Glens In ScotlandLyrics composed by John Henderson on the 21st of April, 2013,
to fiddler Gemma Donald's interpretation of the bonnie 'Twilight Waltz'.
Glossary:
wids=woods; sypit=soaking; ablo=below; Bens =mountains: skelpt=dashed;
fult=filled; thow'd snaa=thawed snow; gyte=wild; Merch=March;
reyns=rains; crafts=crofts; feedles=fields; pleugh'd=ploughed;
staun=withstand; dems=dams; jibble ow'r=overflow;
naarhan=nearly; baet=beaten; rase=rose; mullarts=millers;
yetts=gates; ticht-steek=tightly shut; claes=clothes; throw=through;
tholed=endured; happ'd=clad; skreek o' day=dawn; widder=weather;
fey=strange; fower=four; teeps=types; sizzon=season; swaty=sweaty;
broos=brows; aisly=easily; cottars=small farmers
We leuk'd tae the wids an' sypit glens
Sae braw ablo oor crags, an' Bens,
An' saw hoo fest the burnies skelpt
Weel fult by thow'd snaa an' gyte Merch's reyns;
Losh oor wee crafts wi' a' thur feedles pleugh'd
We howp'd cud staun the spate,
Tho' gif ony dems micht jibble ow'r,
We shair wad be naarhan baet.
The dems'-watters rase as oors gaed by,
An' aye the reyn poor'd doon, an' doon;
Mullarts kep a' yetts ticht-steek
Fyle we a' san-bagged oor stane-hooses roon;
A' nicht lang wi' a' oor claes weet throw
We tholed the cauld sae happ'd,
Till the skreek o' day brocht waarmin' wins,
An' syne the reyn at laist stapp'd.
In crafts in Kincardine's Speyside glens
Nar Sooth'ren sister Bens,
We weel ken the widder's fey
Wi' fow'r teeps o' sizzon aft in ae day;
Sae we are a' fu' redd syne wi' swaty broos
Tae thole fit comes oor way,
'Fur aye naithin' guid is aisly gat'
Is fit a' us cottars say.
You can read more of his songs at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htmto fiddler Gemma Donald's interpretation of the bonnie 'Twilight Waltz'.
Glossary:
wids=woods; sypit=soaking; ablo=below; Bens =mountains: skelpt=dashed;
fult=filled; thow'd snaa=thawed snow; gyte=wild; Merch=March;
reyns=rains; crafts=crofts; feedles=fields; pleugh'd=ploughed;
staun=withstand; dems=dams; jibble ow'r=overflow;
naarhan=nearly; baet=beaten; rase=rose; mullarts=millers;
yetts=gates; ticht-steek=tightly shut; claes=clothes; throw=through;
tholed=endured; happ'd=clad; skreek o' day=dawn; widder=weather;
fey=strange; fower=four; teeps=types; sizzon=season; swaty=sweaty;
broos=brows; aisly=easily; cottars=small farmers
We leuk'd tae the wids an' sypit glens
Sae braw ablo oor crags, an' Bens,
An' saw hoo fest the burnies skelpt
Weel fult by thow'd snaa an' gyte Merch's reyns;
Losh oor wee crafts wi' a' thur feedles pleugh'd
We howp'd cud staun the spate,
Tho' gif ony dems micht jibble ow'r,
We shair wad be naarhan baet.
The dems'-watters rase as oors gaed by,
An' aye the reyn poor'd doon, an' doon;
Mullarts kep a' yetts ticht-steek
Fyle we a' san-bagged oor stane-hooses roon;
A' nicht lang wi' a' oor claes weet throw
We tholed the cauld sae happ'd,
Till the skreek o' day brocht waarmin' wins,
An' syne the reyn at laist stapp'd.
In crafts in Kincardine's Speyside glens
Nar Sooth'ren sister Bens,
We weel ken the widder's fey
Wi' fow'r teeps o' sizzon aft in ae day;
Sae we are a' fu' redd syne wi' swaty broos
Tae thole fit comes oor way,
'Fur aye naithin' guid is aisly gat'
Is fit a' us cottars say.
British Artisan Expedition to America
Equipped and sent out by and at the expense of the Dundee Courier and Dundee Weekly News Newspapers.
We've now added a further chapter...
Chapter 10 - New York, Canada, Return Home and Conclusion
You can read this chapter and the rest of the book at: http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...expedition.htm
The Criminal and The Community
By James Devon (1912)
We're now onto Part III of this book and you can read the new chapters we've published at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/criminal/
Christina's Column
Got in her column for 16th May 2013 in which amongst other information she's taking about wee Amy Carmichael, 8 years old.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/130516.htm
Her other columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...lvie/index.htm
Tasmina's column
Got in her column for 16th May 2013 in which she's talking about Britain in Uurope - The US Factor
You can read this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/life...ina/130516.htm
The rest of her columns can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/lifestyle/tasmina
Scottish Stories for Young Readers
Having discovered from our stats that we have a lot of young readers coming to the site to read our many children's stories I decided to publish some old children's stories which are also very readable for adults as well.
I have now added the third book, The Young West Indian.
The following little history, the author thinks, cannot fail to interest her young readers. It occurred many years ago; when it was her good fortune to meet, at a friend’s house, the two children represented in the history under the names of the little West Indians. Surprising as it may appear, that a boy of so tender an age could be capable of exercising so much prudence and resolution, it nevertheless is an absolute feet, that this child, in all the leading points in the tale, did actually conduct himself as is described. When the author saw him, he was on his way to his friends, to whom the magistrate was sending him, after he had, in so singular a manner, put himself and his sister under the protection of the law. The little fellow related what had occurred to him, amply and clearly, describing his feelings and great anxiety for his sister, in the most natural affecting manner; and though it is long since the occurrence took place, yet it made such an impression on the author’s mind, that she believes she has not omitted any of the material circumstances which were then related to her. A few incidental embellishments are all that she has permitted her pen to adopt; but, in the main features, this history does not at all differ from the simple fact.
You can get to this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/stories/
Summer Sailings
By an Old Yachtsman, Archibald Young (1898)
Have now completed this book. Here is how Chapter II - A Yacht Cruise through the Caledonian Canal starts...
Few things are more delightful than a yacht cruise during the long bright days of our short northern summer, but there are many qualifications indispensable on the part of the yachtsmen to enable them fully to enjoy the pleasures of such a cruise. Among the most important of these are freedom, from sea-sickness, fondness for beautiful scenery, and, above all, a fund of good humour. No sea stock is so valuable as this last gift. On board a yacht there are no conveniences for being separate and sulky in the event of a quarrel, and gloomy faces and sour looks are intolerable, where all must constantly meet on the same deck and at the same table. But when the above requisites exist, such a cruise is a source of the greatest pleasure. If the members of the party have different tastes, all may be gratified during a voyage through the Caledonian Canal, or amongst the western islands and lochs of Scotland. The lover of sport will find wild-fowl shooting and a great variety of sea and freshwater fishing; the admirer of grand and beautiful scenery will find the widest scope for his admiration; whilst the sketcher will revel amidst an endless choice of subjects. And then, too, how free and independent is such a life—how different from that of the traveller by steamboat, coach, or rail, constantly liable to be hurried away from the loveliest scene just as he is beginning to appreciate and enjoy it, and dependent upon the pleasure of innkeepers, drivers, and stokers!
That single gentleman, with the carpet-bag and sketchbook, seems, certainly, in an enviable position, free and unencumbered, but then he must abandon his unfinished sketch, or hurry over his dinner, at the sound of the steamboat bell, the railway-whistle, or the horn of the coachman. And what shall we say of that unfortunate, with a couple of ladies and a dozen packages, his temper constantly fretted and worried by the extent of his responsibility, and his feeling for the beautiful merged in his anxiety for the fate of a bandbox? From these vexations and disappointments the yachtsman is exempt; his time is regulated by his taste; he stays where he will, and as long as he will; if becalmed, there are sketches to finish and journals to bring up; and if assailed by a storm on any part of the west coast of Scotland, there is always a good harbour at hand. Much of the finest scenery, too, in that part of our island is accessible only in this way, for there are no steamboats to some of the finest of our Scottish sea lochs. Lochs Swin, Sunart, Hourn, Nevis, Laxford, Erriboll, and many others whose shores and mountains are inferior in picturesque beauty and wild grandeur to no scenery in Great Britain, can thus only be visited and explored.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ings/index.htm
The Life of Robert Napier of West Shandon
Chevalier of the Legion of Honour; Knight Commander of the Order of Dannebrog; President of the Mechanical Engineers by James Napier, M.A., F.R.S.E.
It is often said that the Clyde made Glasgow, and the object of this volume is to relate in some detail the life of one who, by his energy and perseverance, caused the Clyde to become the most famous shipbuilding centre in the world, and thereby contributed most materially to building up the fabric of what is now called the second city in the Empire.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...pier/index.htm
The Tartan Herald
Got in the April edition of their newsletter.
This can be read at http://www.electricscotland.org/showthread.php/3925-Tartan-Newsletter?p=12715#post12715
The Bold Tartan Men of Ulster
A gritty novel by James Gray.
A great read for those interested in Irish Sagas and for those without a nervous disposition. Nevertheless, this is more acute because it is based on facts and with a Protestant intro into that world of looming civil war against a backdrop of those who lived thru the Irish troubles with their own detached agenda.
It is largely said that the Ulster troubles could have been ended earlier with a real committed contribution from those in the middle class socio economic groups who often were satisfied that it never encroached their lives. Often said, who where more in keeping the status quo as it favored their financial interests.
For all its aims, this is essentially a tense gritty read with the ever looming threat to the trio this account is centered around, and hard to believe that this took place in contemporary Britain..
THE BOLD TARTAN MEN OF ULSTER,, is a protestant account for once of the Ulster TROUBLES,, and at last, a departure from the usual republican POV.
The author let us put up this entire book in pdf format and there will be two more book coming in the series.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ish/tartan.htm
The Liddle family
Created a page for the Liddle family.
I was looking for some information on the Little family when I came across a book about the Liddle family. I then found I had no information on the Liddle family on the site so thought this would be a good time to add a page for them which you can now see at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ol/liddle.html
I might add that I did also discover a book on the Little family and so added that to the site as well and you can read that book at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ol/little.html
William Henderson MacLeod (1925-2010)
A small bio of this person who is also related to our John Henderson.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...on/macleod.htm
Friends in High Places
By Kenneth C. Jack
Got in an article from Kenneth about... What is it that connects a very old and respected Crieff family with a former President of the United States of America?
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...es/friends.htm
And finally...
Happily Unhappy
PROOF that there is none so miserable as a Scot, comes the just-published book Wha's Like Us?, subtitled On the Unrealities of being Scottish by Andrew Burnside.
Andrew tries to sum up what it means to be Scottish these days and his musings in the book include:
We won't change. We're satisfied being dissatisfied with ourselves.
Lack of initiative - a critical survival strategy for the Scot at home. It equips him to endure familiar failings, helps him avoid the criticism of getting above himself, and avoids the risk of major failure had he aspired.
The Scot imagines he's a world beater; occasionally he gets glimpses of how far he falls short of that; so he returns to the comfort blanket of myth.
Golf - quintessential game of the Scot. In it, you struggle against yourself forever and never quite win.
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Glasgow Definition of a Drunk
He wis stoatin an his wallies wis floatin'!
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And that's it for now and hope you all have a great Weekend and that our Canadian readers enjoy their Victoria Day weekend.
Alastair