DATES IN
HISTORY
1 March 2007
The Royal Bank of Scotland announced record profits of £9.2 billion (a new
record for a Scottish company) – a 14% rise in profits – and increased its
dividend to shareholders by 25 per cent.
2
March 1744
Death of exiled Jacobite William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale,
in Rome. For his part in the 1715 Jacobite Rising he was sentenced to death
but escaped from the Tower of London on the eve of his execution with the
aid of his wife Winifred. They lived, in great poverty, in Rome in
attendance on their exiled king, James Stewart.
2 March 1990
The Queen officially inaugurated Glasgow’s year as Cultural Capital pf
Europe.
2 March 2005
The majority of Scotland’s secondary schools were failing to do enough to
cope with bad behaviour in the classroom according to a report by Her
majesty’s Inspectorate of Education. The report also found that more than a
quarter of primary schools should be doing more to manage the behaviour of
disruptive pupils.
4
March 1890
Death of linoleum manufacturer and Provost of Kirkcaldy Michael Beveridge.
He left £50,000 for the purchase of land to create a public park, library
and hall in Kirkcaldy. The Beveridge Park was opened in 1892 and the
Beveridge Library was established in the Adam Smith Halls with the Beveridge
Hall above.
5 March 1759
Birth of Rev Dr John Jamieson D.D., minister of the secession church and
compiler of ‘The Dictionary of the Scottish Language’, in Glasgow.
6 March 1725
Birth of Prince Henry, Cardinal Duke of York, brother of Charles Edward
Stewart and second son of James Stewart, ‘The Old Pretender’, and Clemintina
in the Palazzo Muti, Rome. He was baptized on the day of his birth by Pope
Benedict XIII.
6 March 1844
George Meikle Kemp, self-taught architect and designer of the Scott
Monument, Edinburgh, drowned in the Union Canal. He missed his footing in
the darkness and fell into the canal whilst walking along the bank to meet
boats bringing stones for the monument.
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"
|
A
mixie-maxie of quotations this week ranging through the imminence of
Scottish Independence, the importance of the 1320 Declaration of
Scottish Independence, the teaching of Scottish history, to dealing
with the common cold. As the compiler is suffering from the latter,
the advice from Sir Alexander Fleming seems very sensible, as
shop-bought medication is proving of little help. Any excuse to
enjoy the tipple Scotland gave to the world!
|
Sir Sean
Connery
I’ve
always been hopeful about Scotland’s prospects. And I now believe more
than ever that Scotland is within touching distance of independence and
equality. The first step towards this was winning Scotland the right to
a separate parliament in 1997 and the second was electing an SNP
Government last year. I believe we have what it takes to take the third
step, and I am convinced it will happen in my lifetime.
(Scottish
Sunday Express 24 February 2008)
Professor
Edward (Ted) J Cowan
This [The
Declaration of Scottish Independence 6 April 1320] is the first
articulation of the idea that a king is elected by his subjects and if
he steps out of line he can be deposed by them. It appeals to universal
values. It appeals to the freedom and dignity of the individual but it
also appeals to the freedom and dignity of the nation.
(Backing moves
to gain Arbroath Abbey World Heritage Status 9 February 2008)
Sir Alexander
Fleming (1881-1955)
A good
gulp of whisky at bedtime – it’s not scientific but it helps.
(Cure for the
cold)
Maureen Watt
If we
don’t teach all our young people properly about the history and current
context of their country and society, the vacuum will be filled instead
with the often misguided imagery of Hollywood.
(January 2008)
See
Scottish Quotations in our Features Section
SONGS
OF ROBERT BURNS
A collection of some of the best known songs by Scotland's greatest
songwriter and National Bard, Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
WILLIE BREW’D A PECK O MAUT
O,
Willie brew’d a peck o’ maut,
And Rob and Allan cam to prie;
Three blyther hearts that lee-lang night
Ye wad na found in Christendie.
Chorus:
We are no fou, we’re nae that fou,
But just a drappie in our e’e,
The cock may craw, the day may daw,
And aye we’ll taste the barley bree.
Here are we met, three merry boys,
Three merry boys I trow are we;
And mony a night we’ve merry been,
And mony mae we hope to be!
It
is the moon, I kent her horn,
That’s blinkin’ in the lift sae hie;
She shines sae bright to wyle us hame,
But, by my sooth, she’ll wait a wee!
Wha first shall rise to gang awa’,
A cuckold, coward loun is he!
Wha last beside his chair shall fa’,
He is the king amang us three!
Flagnote:
A song of companionship and conviviality which celebrates an evening
spent by Robert Burns and Allan Masterton with William Nicol. The words
were written by Burns in 1789 to an air by Masterton to commemorate what
have been a byous nicht.
See the SONGS OF ROBERT
BURNS in our features section
SING
A SANG AT LEAST
(compiled by Peter D Wright)
"That I for poor auld
Scotland's sake
Some useful plan or book could make
Or sing a sang at least ........"
- Robert Burns
REMEMBER THE
ALAMO
Jane Bowers
(words as sung by Gaberlunzie)
A hundred and eighty were challenged by Travis to die.
By a line that he drew with his
sword as the battle drew nigh.
"The man who will fight to the death
will cross over
He that would live let him fly,"
And over the line stepped a hundred
and seventy-nine.
Chorus :
Way y y y Up Santy Anna we're
killing your soldiers below,
So the rest of Texas will know and
remember the Alamo!
Jim Bowie lay dyin' his powder was ready and dry.
From flat on his back Bowie killed
quite a few in reply,
Young Davy Crockett was laughin' and
singin'.
The challenge was fierce in his eye.
For Texas and freedom a man more
than willin' to die.
A messenger sent from the battle both bloody and loud.
With words of farewell that he
carried were bitter and proud.
Remember little darlin' my dyin'
tomorrow
When Texas is sovereign and free.
We'll never surrender and ever shall
liberty be.
Footnote : My thanks to
Gordon Menzies of Gaberlunzie for supplying the words for 'Remember The
Alamo' which was a very popular song during the Scottish Folk Revival.
It was one of the songs on the first ever LP recorded by Gaberlunzie
'Brave Words 'n' Fighting Talk' which has recently been re-released on
CD. The Alamo fell on 6 March 1836 resulting in the death of most of the
defenders including David Crockett and Jim Bowie, of Scots descent, and
at least four native born Scots - Robert W Ballentine, John McGregor,
Issac Robinson and David L Wilson. John McGregor was a piper and enjoyed
musical duels in the Alamo with David Crockett. McGregor playing his
bagpipes and Crockett the fiddle. The defenders of the Alamo all lived
up to the hope penned by Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis at the
outset of the siege on 24 February 1836 - "I am determined to sustain
myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what
is due to his own honor and that of his country - VICTORY OR DEATH." As
long as freedom is valued, men, such as the defenders of the Alamo, will
be remembered. Visit
www.thealamo.org for more background to their stand for freedom.
See the
SING A SANG AT LEAST in our
features section
SCOTTISH FOOD, TRADITIONS
AND CUSTOMS
Carpe
diem! Seize the day! Today 29 February 2008 is Leap Day which by
tradition is the one day that women can propose marriage, thus keeping
men safe for the next 1460 days! So ladies go ahead and seize the day.
Supposedly a 1288 law by Margaret, Queen of Scots (then five years old
and in Norway) required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was
refused by the man, compensation ranged from a kiss, to a £1, to a silk
gown to soften the blow. Thus added to 14 February, St Valentine’s Day,
we have another romantic day this February, which calls for another
romantic recipe. Chocolate Cloud Cake is just the ticket to round off
any romantic meal.
Chocolate Cloud Cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
250g dark chocolate minimum 70%
cocoa solids; 125g unsalted butter, softened; 6 eggs: 2 whole, 4
separated; 175g caster sugar: 75g in the cake, 100g in whites; 2
tbspns Cointreau (optional); grated zest of an orange
(optional); 23cm springform cake tin
Cream topping: 500ml double
cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbspn Cointreau (optional); half
tsp unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling
Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/gas
mark 4. Line the bottom of a 23cm Springform cake tin with baking
parchment. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a
microwave, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.
Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75g caster sugar, then
gently add the chocolate mixture, the Cointreau and orange zest. In
another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add
the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape
but not too stiff. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of
egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the
prepared tin and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake
is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly. Cool the
cake in it's tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.
When
you are ready to eat, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand
or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin.
Don't worry about cracks or rough edges: it's the crater look we're
going for here. Whip the cream until soft and then add the vanilla
and Cointreau and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not
stiff. Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it
out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly
with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.
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)
Tweed said to Till',
"What gars ye rin sae still ?"
Till said to Tweed,
"Though ye rin wi speed,
An I rin slaw,
Whar ye droun ae man,
I droun twa."
Gordon
Wright’s Scottish Photo
Library