|
 Electric
Scotland's Weekly Email Newsletter
Dear
Friend
It's your
Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly here :-)
You can view what's new this week on Electric Scotland at
http://www.electricscotland.com/rss/whatsnew.php and you can
unsubscribe to this newsletter by clicking on the link at the foot
of this newsletter.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
It's your Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly
here :-)
CONTENTS
--------
Electric Scotland News
Scotland on TV
The Flag in the Wind
Article Service
The Scottish Nation
Clan and Family Information
Poetry and Stories
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
Book of Scottish Story
Good Words - Edited by the Rev Norman MacLeod
Household Encyclopaedia
Antiquarian Scottish Books in Adobe Reader format
The History of the Highland Clearances
Scotland's Influence on Civilization
Arbroath and its Abbey
Sketches of Early Scotch History
The Emigrants Statue
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
----------------------
Pleased to say we're moving ahead with our Aois Community and this
week we've added several new features. We have a more personal
greeting when you join depending on the time of day. You can select
what mood you're in, and get your own daily horoscope.
We've also added 305 arcade games for you to play, most with high
score tables. Of course as I'm testing things out I'm naturally the
champion right now but suspect that won't last long :-)
We've also got the radio & TV stations running. So far have managed
to plug in the BBC News, NBC News and the 2 STV news bulletins along
with a couple of other TV stations. On the radio front we have BBC
Scotland and BBC Ulster programs, Celtic Music and a few others.
There are also a number of other music stations that came with the
system which we'll likely prune out as we get things organised. And
do feel free to contribute by providing us with the streaming urls
for any radio stations you enjoy listening to :-) This facility
comes up in a new window so if you are listening to radio you can
continue listening by minimising the window and thus continue with
what you were doing.
We got a live chat facility up but Steve's discovered a much better
one and so we'll be replacing that in the not too distant future. As
Steve tells me this will be an Instant Messenger (IM) type chat
system which can also interface with Yahoo, Google, ICQ, etc. So
looking forward to seeing it.
So do give it a
go and let us know what you think of our efforts to date at
http://www.scotchat/vbull
-----
Now that Steve is in full working mode it seems he is of the opinion
that we need to update our site and see where we can go with it on a
technical level. This means that we'll likely be soliciting your
help to complete a very large survey, the results of which will be
taken into account to move the site forward. We'll be inviting all
our newsletter readers to participate and also placing a banner or
something on the site so our other visitors can get involved.
An example of one question we will be asking is if you'd like us to
split up chapters of books onto several pages rather than one large
page. Up to now I've mostly post up a chapter per page.
-----
Due to all the storms moving through our area in the USA we have had
a couple of down periods due to power lines going down and also our
Internet cable being cut in one storm. So sorry for that but
obviously not in our control when these things happen.
We're also getting firmer on the date for our move to Michigan which
looks to be around 20th June. When we do the move we will be down
for at least 12 hours. It means us unplugging our servers, loading
them into the car, and then driving some 12 hours to Michigan and
then plugging them in when we get there. I might add that as we will
be working with new IP addresses in Michigan it will mean that
domain name servers will need to update and that can take anything
from 1 - 24 hours and so depending on where you are in the world it
could be up to 36 hours before you can get to us.
-----
As you know I've been making available some .pdf books on the site.
Mostly this was due to them being very difficult to ocr into normal
web pages. The last one I wanted to add is now up for which see
below. This will now complete this project although I might add
another book or two to that section but no longer one a week.
-----
I have also taken time to better organise our old Desktop page. I
decided that it would be better to bring up a single application at
a time so that you could get to them quicker. And so the Desktop can
now be found under our "Services" menu. When you go down the page
you'll see Desktop with links under it for...
Driving Directions
World Time Server
Roman Numeral Calculator
Measuring Worth
Calculators
Weather
Daily Crossword
UK Street Maps
Flight Status
Dictionary
Calendar
Track IP Address, ISP, Country, Proxy
Live TV Channels
US Zip Code Lookup
Mahjong
Patience
You can get to these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/services/index.htm
-----
For those of you around Toronto or prepared to travel there is an
outstanding historical event about the Scottish Associational
Culture in the Diaspora.
This one day conference will bring together an international
gathering of scholars to focus on the origins, membership and role
of as socialional and philanthropic groups making claim to Scottish
national identity. An emphasis will be placed on St Andrew's
Societies in Scotland, North America and New Zealand, but other
clan, religious. Celtic and Highland groups will be investigated.
Contributors include:
R. J. Morris (University of Edinburgh). 'The Scottish Contribution
to Nineteenth Century Associational Culture - enlightenment and the
Thistle?'
Tanja Built Mann (Victoria University of Wellington). The Case of
the Forgotten Saint? Scottish Associational life in New Zealand to
1910'
Graeme Morton (University of Guelph). 'Philanthropy and National
Identity in Scotland"
Kim Sullivan (University of Ontgo). 'Associations! Culture in 19th
century Australia'
Shannon O'Connor (University of Guelph). The St. Andrew's Societv of
Toronto: Scottish ethnic associational culture in the 19th and early
20th centuries"
Kevin James (University of Guelph). 'Associational Culture in
19th-century Canada'
Gus Noble (Chicago). The St Andrew's Society of Illinois: Chicago's
First Charily"
Greg Gillespie (Brock University). 'Ritualized Scottishness: Robert
Burns Suppers and Associational Culture"
Andrew Hinson (University of Guelph). The Scots in Toronto: a
spatial analysis of Presbyterian Church membership in the late 19th
century"
Venue: Emmanuel College, University of Toronto 75 Queen's Park
Crescent E, Toronto, ON M5S 1K7 (Rm 1)
Registration fee (including lunch): $40 for members of the Scottish
Studies Foundation and any St Andrew's Society. $45 for non-members.
(cheques payable to 'University of Guelph').
Special $15 Student Rate.
To help us arrange catering, please confirm attendance in advance
to:
Centre for Scottish Studies Department of History. University of
Guelph, Guelph, Ontario. N1G 2W1 Tel: 519 824 4120. ext 53209 Email:
Scottish@uoguelph.ca
Web:
http://www.uoguelph.ca/scottish
-------
Finally... next
week will see us starting on a new book, "The History of Curling".
I do know curling is popular in Scotland, Canada, USA and New
Zealand so hope you'll enjoy a read of this book.
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do
check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the
link in our "What's New" section at the link at the top of this
newsletter or on our site menu.
Scotland on TV
--------------
Visit their site at
http://www.scotlandontv.tv
Scotland on TV is based within the stv (Scottish television)
building on Glasgow's brand new Pacific Quay, alongside the River
Clyde. All around us is a very new look Glasgow. The riverside has
been opened up and where there were old warehouses, there are now
21st century office buildings and luxury flats.
But the development is so new and ongoing that we sometimes feel cut
off from the things you take for granted in cities - like food shops
and restaurants; however, this week, that all changed. The food came
to us and most importantly, it was Scottish produce.
Stephen Jardine, one of the presenters of one of our local shows -
the five thirty show, has been on a mission to eat nothing but
Scottish food : from Burns Night to St Andrew's Day. And this week
Stephen got the whole company in on the act and a number of Scottish
food producers came along to Pacific Quay and tempted us with some
delightful Scottish products. The award for the most impact tho' has
to go to Iain R. Spink, the producer of the Scottish delicacy - the
Arbroath Smokie. The guys turned up, lit their fire and smoked that
morning's catch in front of us. Delicious! And you can find out more
about this most yummy of Scottish foods here
http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=Food%20Recipes&vxClipId=1380_SMG2153&vxBitrate=300
and also from their website
http://www.arbroathsmokies.net.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
 This
weeks Flag is compiled by Jennifer Dunn with her first ever
compilation. Jennifer is an SNP Councillor and she tells us a bit
about her work along with other interesting items of news in the
Scottish Political scene.
In Peter's cultural section we get from his Quotations sections...
Having had the good fortune to have spent decades travelling the
Borders, Highlands and Islands at all heights and seasons, I am in
the position, I think, to make comparisons with other countries. The
only thing I am disappointed in is that we don’t run our own affairs
as does Norway. We have the resources, and history shows we have the
people. England has its own problems for its fifty million or so to
contend with. With only five million Scots we can manage ours, and I
think the same goes for Wales. I hope I shall live long enough to
see it happen, and another age of enlightenment dawn.
(Weir’s World – An Autobiography of Sorts 1994)
We also get some interesting information on the Isle of Man...
Castle Rushen
This week we
follow in the footsteps of King Robert I, King of Scots, 695 years
ago and cross the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man. He went with the
intent and outcome of restoring the Isle of Man to Scottish rule
after the English had taken over the island early in the long Wars
of Independence. The Isle of Man first came into Scottish hands when
the Norwegians ceded it and the Hebrides to Scotland in the Treaty
of Perth in 1266. Prior to this treaty, the Isle of Man had been at
the centre of Viking rule over the Scottish, English, Welsh and
Irish seaways with its own parliament Tynwald. With the Treaty of
Perth, Mann came under the rule of Alexander III, King of Scots
(1249-1286), known as ‘The Peaceable’. It was a less peaceable face
that the Manx had to face nine years later when Alexander sent a
fleet of armed men to the island. On 8 October 1275 Scottish forces
put down a Manx rebellion in the Battle of Ronaldsway, the site of
the modern Isle of Man Airport. The Manx had refused peace terms the
previous day and before dawn were routed with more than five hundred
slain. Monks at Rushen Abbey recorded in ’The Chronicles of the
Kings of man and the Isles’ that -
‘Ten times 50, three times 10, and five and two did fall,
O Manx race beware lest future catastrophe you befall.’
 On
a happier note it was during the reign of Alexander that the famous
symbol of the Isle of Man – The Three Legs – which proudly flies on
the Manx flag came into being. You will see the Manx flag flying all
over the island, not just on official buildings, but in ordinary
homes. Scots would do well to follow their example with the Saltire.
From the days of Robert I the Isle of Man was to continue to pass
from Scottish to English control until the Scots gave up. But our
Gaelic speaking cousin have been able to hold to their own way over
the centuries and their 1,000 year-old parliament – Tynwald – still
has far more control over Manx affairs, both at home and abroad,
than the devolved matters reluctantly given by Westminster, to the
fledgling Scottish Parliament. Scottish Minister Linda Fabiani was
the first representative from the Scottish Government, earlier this
year (March 2008), to officially visit Tynwald, and hopefully the
Scots will learn much from Manx contacts.
By the time you read this, the Wright part of The Flag team will be
holidaying on the island and tracing the route Robert I took from
Ramsey, first to the island capital Douglas, where he stayed in the
Nunnery, then on to Castletown, where he took the Castle of Rushen
and destroyed it. Visiting Man is very much akin to journeying up
the west of Scotland - bonnie scenery, mountains, glens and rivers
(albeit on a smaller scale) are all a reminder of home. Little
wonder that Mann has long proved to be a popular holiday destination
from Scotland.
Most visitors to the Isle of Man try their renowned Kippers or
scallop delicacies Queenies, but no visit to Man is complete without
having a few slices of Bonnag – absolutely delicious with a fly-cup!
Plain Bonnag
Ingredients: 8 oz plain flour; 1-2 oz butter; pinch of salt; 1 cup
buttermilk; 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 1 teaspoon cream of
tartar
Method: Sift flour and salt into a bowl and rub in butter. Mix
together with buttermilk, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar.
Gradually add liquid and mix with a fork to make a soft dough. Turn
onto a floured board and knead the dough until smooth. Shape into a
round and place on a greased baking tray. Mark into sections and
brush top with milk. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 to 40 minutes
until well-risen and golden brown.
And you can now purchase a Scots Independent T-Shirt, Scottish Flags
and books at
http://www.scotsindependent.org/shopping_mall.htm
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots
Wit and lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
Christina McKelvie MSP's weekly diary for the past 2 weeks is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/080515.htm
The
Article Service
-------------------
Got in an interesting wee story of "A Llama Named Michaela" along
with other interesting articles from Donna and others.
On a technical note the customisation of the Article Service is now
complete and so authors can now edit their own articles and also add
images to them. To do this you must be logged in and when you do log
in the Login Panel is replaced by your own authors panel on the top
right of the screen. One of those links is to "My Articles" and when
clicked will bring up all your articles. Against each article you'll
see "Edit" and "Images".
The Edit option allows you to edit your article and change any
formatting.
The Images option allows you to upload an image into your article
from your local hard disk. I might add here that if the image is on
the web you can insert that while creating your article but you
couldn't insert one if it wasn't already on the web. And so this
option fills this need if you only have the picture on your own hard
disk.
You can get to our Article Service at
http://www.electricscotland.com/article
The Scottish Nation
-------------------
My thanks to Lora for transcribing these volumes for us.
We are now onto the N's with Nichol, Nicholson, Nicoll, Nicolson,
Niddrie, Nimmo, Nisbet and Nithsdale added this week.
I was interested in one biography...
NICOLL, ALEXANDER, D.C.L., an eminent oriental scholar, was the
youngest son of John Nicoll, Monymusk, Aberdeenshire, where he was
born, April 3, 1793. His parents belonged to the Scottish Episcopal
communion, in the principles of which he was strictly educated. He
received the first rudiments of learning at a private seminary; and,
after being for some time at the parish school, he was sent in 1805
to the grammar school of Aberdeen. Having soon after obtained a
small bursary, he attended the classes of Latin and Greek at the
Marischal college of that city; and, at the close of his first
session at college, he gained the prize of the silver pen, bestowed
on the best Greek scholar in the first class. In 1806 he entered the
class of mathematics, then taught by Dr. Hamilton, the celebrated
writer on finance, and also attended the prelections of Professor
Beattie in natural and civil history.
In 1807 he went to Oxford, having been informed that there was a
vacancy at Baliol college, in one of the exhibitions on Snell’s
foundation. He carried with him a letter of recommendation from
Bishop Skinner of Aberdeen to Dr. Parsons, the Master of the
college, and was at once elected to the vacant exhibition. For the
next four years he prosecuted his studies with great diligence and
success, and in 1811 obtained the degree of B.A. In 1813 he turned
his attention to the oriental languages, and of these soon acquired
an extensive knowledge, on account of which he was appointed one of
the sub-librarians of the Bodleian library, with the salary of about
£200 a-year. In 1817 he received deacon’s orders, and became curate
of one of the churches in Oxford.
He now applied himself to cataloguing the oriental manuscripts in
the Bodleian, a very arduous task, when it is considered that these
amounted to about thirty thousand. After preparing and publishing a
catalogue of the MSS. Brought from the east by Dr. E. D. Clarke, he
set himself to complete the unfinished general catalogue of the
eastern MSS., which had been begun about a hundred years before by
Uri, the celebrated Hungarian. His first fasciculus of this great
work made his name known throughout Europe. He had made himself
master of so many of the modern languages, that it was commonly said
of him that he could walk to the great wall of china without
requiring an interpreter.
In June 1822, on the promotion of Dr. Richard Lawrence to the
archbishopric of Cashel, Nicoll was, without solicitation on his
part, appointed regius professor of Hebrew in the university of
Oxford, to which chair was attached the canonry of Christ church. In
the letter in which the earl of Liverpool, then prime minister,
announced the appointment, he said, that it had been conferred by
his majesty on account of his high reputation as an oriental scholar
and the value attached to his labours. His income was now about
£2,000. He soon after took the degree of doctor of civil law. He
died of bronchitis, September 24, 1828, in the 36th year of his age.
He was twice married; first to a Danish lady, who died in 1825;
secondly, to Sophia, daughter of the Rev. J. Parsons, editor of the
Oxford Septuagint, who wrote a Memoir of Dr. Nicoll, prefixed to a
posthumous volume of his Sermons. By his second wife he had three
daughters, who survived him.
END.
Looking at what he achieved in his 36 years you can't help wonder
what else he might have done had he lived much longer.
You can read the other entries at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/index.htm
Clan and Family Information
---------------------------
Clan Shaw have a new web site...
Ceud Mhille Failté! One Hundred Thousand Welcomes to the tribal
website outlining the history, culture, heritage and lands of the
worldwide Scottish Highland family of THE CLAN SHAW – ‘CLOINN NA
SI’EACH’
A Brief Foreword
As the Celtic clan ethos was and is inclusive, we warmly embrace all
Shaws and their descendants from throughout the globe regardless of
national origin, race, colour or creed. Wherever you may come from
in this beautiful world of ours - we are all connected by blood,
history and land. We are all one family.I hope this homespun little
site encourages you to renew, strengthen and celebrate your
knowledge of your own family heritage, history, culture and the
lands your ancestors sprang from. Suas Na Si’each! ~WSEL.
You can get to their web site at
http://www.theclanshaw.org/
Poetry and Stories
------------------
Donna sent in "An Evil Wind" which is Chapter 2 of Donna's book
"Chief" which you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/chief/chapter2.htm
John Henderson sent in "Nae Mair Whusky" a new doggerel which you
can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel261.htm
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
------------------------------------------
The first volume I am dealing with is the one on Aberdeenshire.
There are some 85 parishes in this volume and a write up on each.
This week have added...
Parish of Drumoak
Here is a wee bit from the account...
The estate of Drum, which at present constitutes one-half of the
parish, was originally part of a royal forest, and one of the
hunting-seats of the Kings of Scotland. The park of Drum formed part
of the chase, and a powerful spring, at the north-east end of the
loch, is still known by the designation of the King's Well. This
estate has long been possessed by the family of the present
proprietor, Irvine of Drum, being a name which is recorded with
honour in the national annals. William de Irwin, the first of that
line, (who belonged to the family of Irwin of Bonshaw, in
Dumfries-shire, and is supposed by some to have been its chief), was
chosen by Robert Bruce, when struggling with Edward I. for the Crown
of Scotland, to be his armour-bearer, receiving, at the same time,
the device which Bruce himself had borne as Earl of Carrick, viz.
three bunches of holly leaves, supported by two savages, wreathed,
with the motto, "Sub sole, sub umbra virens;" and having accompanied
his royal master in his wanderings, participated in his narrow
escapes, and attended him while performing those deeds of desperate
valour which have thrown an air of romance around his history, was
rewarded by him for his great zeal and fidelity with a grant, by
charter under the Great Seal, of the forest of Drum, anno 1323.
[This charter of the forest of Drum (for the park of Drum was
reserved by Robert Bruce, and not conveyed with the forest lands to
William de Irwin), is still extant, and is dated, "Apud Berwicura
super Tweddam, primo die Februarii anno Regni nostri septimo decimo."
Among the family papers, there is another charter by Robert I.,
dated at Kynros, 4 October, eighteenth year of his reign, in which
are the expressions, "Cum furca et fossa soc et sac thol et them et
infangandthef."]
END.
I've often thought that if you are going to one of these areas on
holiday it would be useful reading through these accounts and then
you can likely amaze the locals by telling them stories of their
locality :-)
You can read the rest of this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/drumoak.htm
On the index page of this volume you can see a list of the 85
parishes and also a map at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/volume12.htm
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
Our thanks to John Henderson for sending this in for us.
This week have added...
The Ladder-Dancer and here is how it starts...
It was a lovely evening in summer, when a crowd hallooing and
shouting in the street of L——, a village of the north of Scotland,
at once disturbed my reveries, and left me little leisure again to
yield myself to their wayward dominion. In sooth, I had no pretence
for indifference to a very singular spectacle of a something-like
human being moving in mid—air ; and although its salutatory gambols
in this unusual situation could scarcely be called dancing, it was
certainly intended to be like it, however little the resemblance
might be approved. A something between a male and female in point of
dress—a perfect hermaphrodite in regard to costume—had mounted
herself on gigantic stilts, on which she hopped about, defying the
secrecy even of the middle floors of the surrounding houses, and in
some cases giving her a peep into the attic regions of less lofty
domiciles. In this manner, stalking about from side to side, like a
crane among the reeds, the very Diable Boiteux himself was never
more inquisitive after the domestic concerns of his neighbours, or
better fitted to explore them by his invisibility, than she was by
her altitude. Her presence in mid-air, in more than one instance,
was the subject of alarm to the sober inmates of the street, who,
little suspicious of such intrusion, might perhaps be engaged in
household cares which did not court observation, or had sunk into
the relaxations of an undress, after the fatigues and heat of the
day. Everywhere the windows might be heard thrown up with impatient
haste,—the sash skirling and creaking in its ascent with the
violence of the effort, and immediately after, a head might be seen
poked forward to explore the "whence”` and "wherefore,”—in short, to
ask in one word, if it could be so condensed, the meaning and
purpose of this aerial visitor.
You can read the rest of this story at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story49.htm
The other stories can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
Good Words - 1860 Edition
-------------------------
Edited by Rev. Norman MacLeod
You should note that as this is a weekly publication you'll find
larger articles are continued week by week.
This week have added articles on...
Kidnapping (Pages 493-495)
Good Words for Every Day of the Year (Pages 495-496)
Here is a wee bit from Kidnapping chapter...
Instead of onward steps, there has been backsliding in reference to
slavery and the slave-trade during the last ten years. This mournful
fact has been one of the consequences of the nocturnal surprise
which, by surrounding the National Assembly of France with cannon,
and locking up the newspaper offices in the early morning of the 2d
of December 1851, transformed an American republic into a Roman
Empire, and a President into a Caesar.
Arago, as minister for the colonies, proposed, and the Provisional
Government unanimously and by acclamation, decreed, the abolition of
slavery in 1848. This decree was very eloquently worded, and after
passing it, the members embraced each other. The Constituent
Assembly, while ratifying the decree by a law, fixed a day, in 1852,
for emancipating all the slaves in the French colonies; but long
before the day of freedom came, the day of despotism, and the
imperial government, instead of abolishing slavery, re-established
it permanently. Slavery has, indeed, often been abolished in law,
but never in fact, by our continental neighbours. Tinder every
symbol of party power which has been uppermost during the last
seventy years, except the bees of the Bonapartes under the lilies
and red bonnets, the white cockades and the tricolour cockades,
slavery has been abolished by a series of laws; but I cannot say
that, in virtue of them, any negro has ever ceased to be a slave.
You can read the rest of this article at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/goodwords/goodwords226.htm
You can read the other articles at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/goodwords/index.htm
Household Encyclopaedia
-----------------------
Got up another four pages this week which contained...
Calliopsis, Call Sign, Calomel, Calumba, Cam: In Mechanics, Cambrian
Ware, Cambric, Camel Hair, Camellia, Camembert, Cameo, Cameras,
Camomile, Camomile Tea, Campanula, Camphor, Camphorated Chalk,
Camphorated Oil, Campine Fowl, Campion, Camp Stool.
Should you wish you can check out previous pages at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/
Antiquarian Scottish Books in Adobe Reader format
-------------------------------------------------
I said I'd do my best to add a book each week but this one will be
the last one for a while anyway. And so this week I've added...
Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland
This is an older book in 4 volumes where there are some outstanding
drawings (almost picture quality) of some of Scotland's best
buildings.
You can read this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/baronial.htm
The index page for this section can be reached at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/index.htm
The History of the Highland Clearances
--------------------------------------
By Alexander MacKenzie (1914)
This week we've added...
Ross-Shire
Kintail
Coigeach
Strathconon
The Black Isle
The Island of Lewis
Mr. Alexander Mackenzie on the Leckmelm Evictions
Lochcarron
The 78th Highlanders
Here is how the chapter on Mr. Alexander Mackenzie on the Leckmelm
Evictions starts...
This small property, in the Parish of Lochbroom, changed hands in
1879, Mr. A. C. Pixie, paper manufacturer, Aberdeen, having
purchased it for £19,000 from Colonel Davidson, now of Tulloch. No
sooner did it come into Mr. Pixie's possession than a notice, dated
2nd November, 1879, in the following terms, was issued to all the
tenants:-
"I am instructed by Mr. Pixie, proprietor of Leckmelm, to give you
notice that the present arrangements by which you hold the cottage,
byre, and other buildings, together with lands on that estate, will
cease from and after the term of Martinmas, 1880; and further, I am
instructed to intimate to you that at the said term of Martinmas,
1880, Mr. Pixie purposes taking the whole arable and pasture lands,
but that he is desirous of making arrangements whereby you may
continue tenant of the cottage upon terms and conditions yet to be
settled upon. I have further to inform you that unless you and the
other tenants at once prevent your sheep and other stock from
grazing or trespassing upon the enclosures and hill, and other lands
now in the occupation or possession of the said Mr. Pirie, he will
not, upon any conditions, permit you to remain in the cottage you
now occupy, after the said term of Martinmas, 1880, but will clear
all off the estate, and take down the cottages."
This notice affected twenty-three families, numbering above one
hundred souls.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/clearances/18.htm
The other chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/clearances/index.htm
Scotland's Influence on Civilization
------------------------------------
By The Rev. Leroy J. Halsey, D.D., LL.D.
We've added the following chapters this week...
Chapter IV
Grand Results of the Conflict for Liberty
Chapter V
The Two Principal Cities
Chapter VI
The Pulpit of Scotland
Chapter VII
Scotland's Literature and Authorship
Here is how Chapter VI - "The Pulpit of Scotland" starts...
IF the Scottish pulpit, in the wide fields of its influence upon the
national character and upon the world's civilization, it is
difficult to speak here with that fullness which the intrinsic
importance of the theme demands. Of the manifold agencies which had
their share in working out the historic destiny of Scotland, forming
the character of her people and giving them a strong hold upon the
attention of other nations, far from being the least potential was
her Christian pulpit. In truth, it is not going too far to say that
in all these respects the bold, fearless, educated and evangelical
ministry of Scotland, faithful to truth, to duty and to God, can be
regarded as holding no second place. The history of Scotland and her
influence upon the march of civilization could not have been what
they were without such a ministry. No man can read or faithfully
write that history without recognizing on every page the powerful
guiding hand of the pulpit.
For more than three hundred years it has been a throne of power in
the land. It has attained an excellence and it has gained an
influence over the whole home-population, and at the same time
commanded a respect abroad, not often equalled, and certainly never
excelled, in other Christian countries. It has moulded the national
character of Scotland and controlled public opinion among an
intelligent reading people whom it largely, more than any other
single agency, helped to educate. It has for generations made its
voice heard as an authority in the exposition of God's word, in
every family of the land, and in the daily lives of the people. It
has also made that voice heard through all the ramifications of
private business, through the halls of literature, science and
philosophy, as well as in all the departments of the public service.
It has been, and it still is, one of the essential factors in all
the practical problems of popular education. Its influence has been
felt for good not alone within the narrow boundaries of her eastern
and western shores, but in all lands where the Anglo-Saxon tongue
has been. Scotland could not exist without her pulpit: she would no
more be Scotland.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/influence/chapter6.htm
The index page of the book where we have the first three chapters up
is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/influence/index.htm
Arbroath and its Abbey
----------------------
By David Miller
This week we've added...
Chapter IV - Arbroath from 1440 to 1640
Depression of Scotland in the Fifteenth Century: Civil broils:
Chamberlain Aires: Subjects of Investigation: Condition of
Craftsmen: Arbroath at the Reformation, and after its Erection into
a Royal Burgh.
Chapter V - Erection and Style of the Abbey Buildings
Date of commencement: Mixture of Norman and Early English
Architecture: Stages in the progress of building: Succeeding styles
of Architecture shewn in the buildings.
Chapter IV starts...
WE have to regret the scanty notices afforded for the history of
Arbroath during the dominion of the Romish Church, when the little
burgh was overlooked in consequence of the contiguity of its
gorgeous neighbour the monastery. Boyce, the historian, who was born
in Dundee about 1465, does not even so much as name Arbroath in his
general description of Scotland.
The period which intervened from the reign of Robert Bruce till the
Reformation may be fitly termed the dark ages of Scottish history,
when, instead of the surplus wealth with which the country abounded
before the death of Alexander III. (as shewn by the sumptuous abbeys
and cathedrals erected previous to that melancholy event), the demon
of war ravaged the land, followed by its never-failing attendants,
famine and pestilence. During these unhappy times, the population
decreased, trade became almost unknown, lands formerly cultivated
were allowed to run waste, all improvement was arrested, and the
central government became weak and contemptible through. the poverty
of the royal estate, and the short reigns and comparatively long
minorities of the kings of the Stuart line. And, as the royal power
was diminished, the irregular and usurped powers of the great barons
increased; and they, being generally wholly illiterate, unable to
fill up their spare time by reading or other polite studies, and
despising, through fashion, every peaceable occupation, were never
pleased except when engaged in the prosecution of some feud or
broil.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/arbroath/chapter4.htm
The other chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/arbroath/
Sketches of Early Scotch History
--------------------------------
By Cosmo Innes
Our thanks to Alan McKenzie for scanning this in for us and he's now
completed this publication with its Appendi which includes...
I.—Preservation of the Records of the Bishopric of Glasgow (p. 29),
Scots College pillaged in the French Revolution—Abbe
McPherson—Papers of Cardinal York—Information collected by Mr.
Dennistoun—Adventures of Robert Watson.
II.—Oath of a Suffragan to his Archbishop (p. 63),
Henry Bishop-elect of Whithern takes the oath to the Archbishop of
Glasgow, 1530—Terms of the Oath.
III.—Early Scotch (p. 109),
Reference to Scotland in the Middle Ages, p. 260.
IV.—Serfs: Colliers and Salters (pp. 125, 193), . .498 Fugitive
Slaves—Their Gaelic Name—Early Serfs—Colliers and Salters—Stair's
law—Erskine's—Hugh Miller's Account of a Collier Village-—Lord
Cockburn's History of the Law of Colliers and Salters—Extract from
Weekly Mercury, 1778.
V.—The Complaint of the Abbot of Arbroath, 1460-1470 (p. 170),
Written Pleading in Scotch against Encroachments of Lairds of
Meldrum on the Abbey Lands of Tarves, etc.
VI.—Family Jewels and Valuables of Glenurchy, entailed, 1640 (p.
379),
Jewels—Plate—Arms and Armour—Beds and hangings— Arras—Damask
linen—Holland—Pewter and tin—Pans and pots—Pictures—The Great
Genealogy—Clocks—Organs— Harpsichords—Brewing Vessels—Furniture of
Charter Room —Cattle—Mares—Cursours—Sheep—Chandlers.
VII.—Letters at Taymouth (p. 387),
Letter to the Keeper of Kilchurn, 1570—From the King, requesting
game for the Baptism of Prince Henry. From Sir D. Murray—Eagles for
Sport—a Horse from the Prince. From the Earl of Mar—Fox
hunting—Earth clogs. From the Lord Treasurer—Venison and game for
the King's visit, 1633. From John Dickson—Capercailzie—Valuables
sent to the Highlands for Safety, 1651. From James VI.—The White
Hind of Corrichiba. From Sir P. Murray—The same. From the King—The
same. From Charles I.—Levying Bowmen for the French War, 1627. From
the Lords of Council—Muster of Highlandmen in their country habit
and Arms, .1633. From the Earl of Lauderdale—Fir seed— From the
same. From the Marchioness of Hamilton—Planting Fir—Lord Lindsay, a
great planter. From Jameson the Painter—From the same—His Prices
—His Despatch. From William Bowie, the writer of the Black Booh—Account
of his Pupils, 1619.
VIII. The Thane of Cawdor's Western Journey, 1591
(p. 414),Note of Expense in Travelling—In Taylone—Inverary—Dun-deraw—Lochgoilhead—The
Carrick—Dunoon-—Ferry at Finlayston—At the Water of Leven—Dumbarton—Glasgow
—Servants' Wages—Horse Corn and Bread—Lodging— Food—Drink—Payments
to the Piper—Player on the Lute —Lowland Harper—Linlithgow—Edinburgh—Linlithgow
—Stirling—Doune—Stirling—Leith—Stirling—Edinburgh, 7th November
1591.
IX. The Murder of John Campbell of Cawdor (p. 414),
Quarrel between Cawdor and Ardkinglas—Cawdor murdered—Ardkinglas
accused as guilty—Uses Witchcraft—Threatened with torture,
confesses, and accuses others as accomplices— Later, recalls his
Declaration—Little weight to his Testimony—His mock Trial—Diet
deserted.
X. How the Thane of Cawdor won Islay (p. 416),
Isla; of fabulous fertility; much coveted by the Western
Highlanders—His claim over it sold by Angus M'Donald to Sir John
Campbell of Cawdor—Angus dies—Isla seized by Antrim — Cawdor
commissioned to recover it—Advice of Privy Council as to his
proceeding—Royal Commission with power of fire and sword—Antrim's
obligation to deliver up the Island— Royal approbation and
indemnity—Sir James Macdonald escapes from the Castle of
Edinburgh—Raises the Islesmen—Wins Isla and Kantyre—Defeated by
Argyll —Sir James's adventures—Cawdor in full possession of Isla.
XI. Account of the Expenses of the Family op Cawdor about 1698 (p.
429),
Meal and Malt—Meat—Groceries—Wine and Brandy— Tobacco and Pipes—Bed
and Table Linen—Dishes, &c.— Servants' Wages (including a Chaplain).
XII. Dr. Clephane's Journey to Kilravock, 1750 (p. 473),
Note of Miles— Leaves Scarborough—Helmsley—Northallerton—Rievaulx—Darlington—Durham—Newcastle
— Tyne-mouth — Morpeth — Alnwic — Berwic — East Lothian — Edinburgh
—-Dundee—Aberdeen — Bog-a-Gicht, miserably furnished—Elgin—A great
deal of Building—Any Records? —Advantages of Moray.
You can read this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/earlyhistndx.htm
The Emigrants Statue
--------------------
I got in a copy
of the brochure issued at the unveiling of the Emigrants Statue in
the Highlands. I've scanned it in as images and text for you to read
at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/emigrants_statue.htm
The back page of the brochure says...
The Emigrants commemorates the people of the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland who, in the face of great adversity, sought freedom,
hope and justice beyond these shores. They and their descendants
went forth and explored continents, built great countries and cities
and gave their enterprise and culture to the world. This is their
legacy. Their voices will echo forever thro the empty straths and
glens of their homeland.
And that's it for now and hope you all have an enjoyable weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
OUR NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
-----------------------
You can see old issues of this newsletter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/newsletter/index.htm
|
