DATES IN
HISTORY
18 August 1967
The Clyde-built Cunard liner Queen Mary was sold to the town of Long Beach,
California,
19 August 1988
The Bank of Scotland printed £1 notes for the last time.
19
August 2006
International film star Sir Sean Connery was the star guest at a party to
celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Edinburgh Film Festival. As
festival patron he hosted the event at the National Gallery, Edinburgh.
20 August 1924
The
Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell refused to run in the heats of the 100m at
the Paris Olympics because it fell on a Sunday and it was against his
religious convictions to do so. He had been tipped as the likely winner.
20 August 1965
World Heavyweight Champion Cassius Clay, later to be known as Mohammad Ali,
boxed two exhibition bouts (versus Jimmy Ellis and Cody James) at Paisley
Ice Rink, Paisley.
21 August 2006
A heraldic procession marked the start of the week-long International
Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Science in St Andrews, Fife. Some 200
delegates from 26 countries attended the event which was held in Scotland
for the first time in almost 50 years.
22
August 1513
A Scottish army led by James IV, King of Scots, and numbering between 30,000
and 40,000 crossed the Tweed into England.
22 August 1913
The Suffragettes were blamed for two fires in Edinburgh at Fettes College
and a mansion house at Grange.
22 August 2006
Third Division Queen’s Park caused a major upset and celebrated their first
victory over Aberdeen FC in 56 years. The Premier League club lost a penalty
shoot-out 5-3 after a goal-less 120 minutes in a second round Scottish
League Cup tie.
23 August 2006
A survey by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) showed a 11% drop
in drink sales since the introduction of a smoking ban in public places from
March 2006.
See Dates in History in our
Features Section
SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS
I like to have quotations ready for every occasions - they
give one's ideas so pat and save one the trouble of finding
expression adequate to one's feeling.
Robert Burns
Statements in prose and verse which reflect
all aspects of Scottish life and outlook from the 1st century to the present day.
New
quotes added every week. The
quotations are not restricted to native Scots but include observations
from abroad which help us, in the words of our National Bard, Robert
Burns, "To see oursels as others see us"
|
This week the quotations are from four kenspeckle Scots who added
much to the Scottish Folk Revival of the 1950s and 60s. The shepherd
Willie Scott tells how traditional material was passed in days lang
syne. However the four not only brought a wealth of traditional
material to the Folk Revival but added contemporary songs which have
stood the test of time. The rise of the modern Scottish National
Party marched hand in hand with the 60s folk revival and political
songs by folk like Thurso Berwick added great fun to political
campaigning. With the Scottish National Party now in government
perhaps it is time for a wheen o noo sangs! |
Thurso Berwick (born Maurice Blythman) (1919- )
Nae Liz
the Twa, nae Lillibet the Wan,
Nae Liz will ever dae,
We’ll mak oor land republican
In a Scottish breakaway.
(Coronation
Coronach aka The Scottish Breakaway)
Mary Brooksbank (1897-1978)
Oh, dear
me, the warld’s ill divided,
Them that work the hardest are aye wi least provided,
But I maun bide contented, dark days or fine,
There’s no much pleasure living affen ten and nine.
(Oh Dear Me
aka Jute Mill Song)
William
(Willie) Scott (1897-1990)
If there
wes a young shepherd at the hoose, he cam (along) and that’s how the
kindae sing-songs [hill pairties] got agoing. That’s whaur ye got the
sangs. If the young shepherd cam frae a distance an he had a different
sang, if ye liket it, ee’d memorise it at great length and ee got roon
aboot askin him tae gie ye the words. There wes hardly a hoose in the
hillglens but had a fiddle ot twae hingin in the hoose, an auld melodeon
and yon Jewish harps. There wes hardly a body but could play something
or sing a sang.
(Shepherds)
Flagnote:
Willie Scott was born in Canobie, Dumfriesshire in 1897 and spent most of
his working life as a shepherd. He came from a family of seven, most of whom
were singers, storytellers and musicians. During the 1960s Scottish Folk
Revival Willie Scott was in great demand and appeared at many folk clubs and
festivals including a concert tour in America.
Belle Stewart B.E.M. (1906-1997)
Before I
put my pen away
It’s this I would like to say
You’ll travel far afore you’ll meet
A kinder lot than they;
For I’ve mixed wi them in field in pub
And while I’ve breath to spare
I’ll bless the hand that led me tae
The berry fields o Blair.
(The
Berry Fields o Blair 1947)
See
Scottish Quotations in our Features Section
SONGS AND BALLADS
from The Blairgowrie Festival - 1968
Twenty-one Scottish songs, as sung by a variety of traditional singers at
the Blairgowrie Festival in August 1968 and published by The Traditional
Music and Song Association of Scotland, priced 1/- (5p).
BONNY
UDNY
Traditional as sung by Daisy Chapman
Oh
Udny bonny Udny ye shine far ye stand
And the more I look on you ye make my heart warm
If I were in Udny I would think myself at home
For it’s there I’ve got a sweetheart but here I’ve got none
Over hills and through valleys how often I’ve gone
Through brambles and brushwood myself all alone
Through hedges and ditches on dark nights and clear
I’ve wandered to Udny to visit my dear
It’s nae the lang journey that I ha’e to go
It’s nae the lang road that vexes me sore
‘Tis the leavin’ o’ Udny and the loved ones behind
Oh Udny bonny Udny you’re aye in my mind
‘Twas on a certain Sunday oh me and my love met
Which caused me on the Monday to mourn o’er my fate
To spoil my eyes crying what a fool I would be
Since she’s gone to court another let her go where she will
A’
the young lads about Udny they are a’ rovin’ blades
They tak’ great delight in courtin’ fair maids
They tak’ them and kiss them aye and spend their money free
A’ the places in bonny Scotland bonny Udny for me
We’ll drink and be merry we’ll drink and ging hame
If we bide here muckle langer we’ll get a bad name
We’ll get a bad name aye and we’ll fill ourselves fu’
And the lang walks o’ Udny they’re a’ till gang through
Flagnote:
Daisy Chapman was invited to appear at the TSMA Blairgowrie Festival in 1968
after she made a great impression at the Aberdeen Folk Festival in 1967.
Aberdeenshire-born Daisy Chapman (1912-1997) learnt her vast repertoire of
song from her mother and granny. Born Maggie Birnie she was always known as
Daisy and married farmer’s son William Chapman when was 17. The couple
farmed for many years until Daisy’s health suffered from the hard work
involved and the couple moved to Aberdeen. Following her husband’s untimely
death in 1959 Daisy returned to singing in public and came to the notice of
Peter Hall, singer and founder member of the Aberdeen Folk Club. In the
early 1970s she suffered a heart attack which was followed by a heart bypass
in 1976. From then until her death at almost 85 in 1997 she didn’t sing in
public again but had left recordings which were issued as a CD.
See the
SONGS AND
BALLADS in our
Features section
SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS
AND CUSTOMS
Many people,
as the popular Bothy Ballad goes, will be travelling the road and the miles
to Dundee at the end of August and beginning of September as the City of
Discovery, once again, holds Scotland’s premier Flower and Food Festival in
the Camperdown County Park, The beautiful park is the former estate of one
of Dundee’s greatest heroes – Admiral Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount
of Camperdown who defeated the Dutch fleet under Admiral de Winter at
Camperdown, off the coast of Holland, in 1797. For those with an interest in
gardening and food, Camperdown Park is the only place to be from Friday 31
August to Sunday 2 September 2007. On the gardening front you can enjoy a
recording of the popular BBC Radio Scotland programme the ‘Beechgrove
Potting Shed’ on Friday or the colour and aroma of the cut flowers in the
Floral Marquee, this includes the World Gladioli Championships. For
vegetable fans the Scottish Branch of the National Vegetable Society
Championships should not be missed. The Food Festival is backed by over 40
trade stalls selling the very best of food and drink and the Children’s
Marquee is guaranteed to keep bairns of all ages amused for hours. Visit
www.dundeeflowerandfoodfestival.com
for full details of the many events and take advantage of a £2 discount
in Advance Ticket Bookings which are available until Friday 24 August.
Dundee was
famous in the past as the city of jam, particularly marmalade, jute and
journalism. Journalism is still to the fore and The Courier is supporting
the festival. In memory of the glory days of marmalade in Dundee this week’s
recipe, a microwave one (650W), is for Sweet Marmalade.
Sweet Marmalade – Microwave Recipe (650W)
Ingredients: 1 grapefruit; 2 lemons; 1 orange; 1 pt (600 ml)
water; 1 ½ lb (680 g) sugar
Method:
Wash fruit, cut in half and squeeze out juice. Remove pips and pith. Cut
rind into thin strips. Put rind, juice and water in a large ovenproof bowl
(not metallic). Tie pips and pith into muslin and add to bowl. Cover bowl
with cling film and cook on full power for 17 minutes, until rind is soft.
Remove muslin. Measure fruit and juice, allow 1 lb (0.5 kg) sugar to each 1
pt (600 ml) juice mixture. Add sugar, stir well and cook on full power for
approx 25 minutes – until setting point is reached. Test for setting after
20 minutes. Leave to cool, then fill clean, warm jars and cover.
A KIST
O FERLIES
A Keek
at the Guid Scots Tung
By Peter & Marilyn Wright
(Note: All words
underlined in this section are RealAudio links)
guid-brither: brother-in-law
guid-gaun: in good working order
neb: beak; nose; tip; prow
nebbie: inquisitive
pit: put
shairp: sharp; frosty
It's aw by nou: It's all over and done with now
A cheery guid-nicht, ay, a cheery guid-nicht,
A cheery guid-nicht to ye a',
By my sang ye can tell I've haed plenty mysel',
Sae a cheery guid-nicht to ye a'!
frae "A Cheery Guid-nicht" - Charles Murray
COMPLETE POEM
Daughter of a Perthshire Jacobite,
Carolina Oliphant married William Nairne and called herself ‘Mrs
Bogan of Bogan’ to write her songs, many of which are still widely
popular today, including ‘Caller Herrin’, ‘Will ye no come back
again?’ and ‘The Auld Hoose’.
The
Laird o’ Cockpen
by Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne
The laird o’ Cockpen,
he’s proud an’ he’s great,
His mind is ta’en up wi’ things o’ the State;
He wanted a wife his braw house to keep,
But favour wi’ wooin’ was fashous to seek.
Down by the dyke-side a
lady did dwell,
At his table head he thought she’d look well,
McClish’s ae daughter o’ Claverse-ha’ Lee,
A penniless lass wi’ a lang pedigree.
His wig was weel pouther’d,
and as gude as new;
His waistcoat was white, his coat it was blue;
He put on a ring, a sword and cock’d hat,
And wha could refuse the laid wi’ a’ that?
He took the grey mare,
and rade cannily,
An’ rapped at the yett o’ Claverse-ha’ Lee;
‘Gae tell Mistress Jean to come speedily ben,
She’s wanted to speak to the laird o’ Cockpen.'
Mistress Jean was
makin’ the elder-flower wine.
‘An’ what brings the laird at sic a like time?’
She put aff her apron, and on her silk gown,
Her mutch wi’ red ribbons, and gaed awa’ down.
An’ when she cam ben
she bowed fu’ low,
An’ what was his errand he soon let her know;
Amazed was the laird when the lady said ‘Na,’
And wi’ a laigh curtsie she
turned awa’.
Dumfounder’d he was,
nae sigh did he gie,
He mounted his mare — he rade cannily;
And aften he thought, as he gaed thro’ the glen,
She’s daft to refuse the laird o’ Cockpen.
Click
here to listen to this in Real Audio
Gordon
Wright’s Scottish Photo
Library