The Flag in the Wind
Features - The Oliver Brown Award
Paul H Scott CMG MA MLitt

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Paul Scott (on left) being presented with the Oliver Brown Award
by Ken Fee, Editor of the Scots Independent Newspaper, 2000.

On 10 June 2000 the Oliver Brown Award was presented to the distinguished Scottish author, retired
Diplomat, and President of the Saltire Society, Paul H Scott. As well as his many publications, the Award
recognised his vital contribution to Scottish Culture and Life over the past two decades.

Born in 1920, Paul Scott was educated at the Royal High School and the University of Edinburgh
(1939-41, Wartime MA) MLitt (1987). He served as a major in the Royal artillery from 1941 to 1947 and in
the Control Commission For Germany as a member of Quadripartite Committee in Berlin from 1947 to
1950. His career thereafter was in the Diplomatic Service until he 'retired' in 1980. His postings included
Warsaw, Havanna, Montreal and Milan.

After his return to Edinburgh in 1980 he has served at various times on councils of Saltire Society
(President 1996 - ), National Trust for Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival, Cockburn Society,
Advisory Council for the Arts in Scotland (Convener, 1981-98), Scots Language Society, Association for
Scottish Literary Studies, Scottish Poetry Library, Heritage Society of Scotland, Campaign for a Scottish
Assembly, Constitutional Steering Committee, Campaign for a Scottish Assembly, Constitutional Steering
Committee, Campaign Committee for a National Theatre in Scotland, Andrew Fletcher Society (President
1988-96), Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club (President, 1996), Scottish Centre for Social and Economic
Research (Convener 1990-1995), Scottish National Party (Member of NEC, 1989-97, Vice President,
1992-97, spokesman at various times on education, broadcasting and the arts, Deputy Spokesman on
Europe and International Affairs, 1997-99), Scottish Centre, International PEN (President, 1992-97),
Chairman Award panel for Scottish Book of the Year, 1981-95, Chairman, Save The Portrait Gallery
Campaign, 1993 -, Rector, Dundee University, 1989-1992, President, 64th International PEN Congress,
1997.

Honours:

• C M G (UK) (1974)

• Grosse Goldene Ehrenzeicher, Austria (1969)

• Andrew Fletcher Award for Services to Scotland (1993)

Publications:

• 1707: The Union of Scotland and England (1979)

• Walter Scott and Scotland (1981) (Paperback edition, 1994)

• John Galt (1985)

• In Bed with an Elephant (1985)

• The Thinking Nation (1989)

• Cultural Independence (1989)

• Towards Independence: Essays on Scotland (1991) (Reprinted 1996)

• Andrew Fletcher and the Treaty of Union (1992) (Paperback edition, 1994)

• Defoe in Edinburgh and Other Papers (1995)

• A Mad God's Dream (1997)

• Still in Bed with an Elephant (1998)

• The Boasted Advantages (1999)

Edited:

• (With A C Davis) The Age of MacDiarmid (1980) (Paperback edition, 1992)

• Sir Walter Scott's The Letters of Malachi Malagrowther (1981)

• Andrew Fletcher's United and Separate Parliaments (1982)

• (With A C Davis) Policy for the Arts: A Selection of AdCAS Papers (1991)

• Scotland: A Concise Cultural History (1993)

• (With Daniel Szechi) Scotland's Ruine: Lochart of Carnwath's Memoirs of the Union (1995)

• (With Ian Gordon) John Galt's The Member and The Radical (1996)

• Scotland: An Unwon Cause (1997)