Social History - Scotland

[Clare Fowler]

Hi Malmo,

the Devine book will give you a lot on the information you are searching for.  I believe it was indeed the case that in the 18th century (that is 1700s - as stated by Gordon), there was only Oxford and Cambridge.  Whereas Scotland had 4 institutions such as Glasgow Uni founded in 1451.

It is a lengthy subject which is best addressed by reading some of the material out there rather than trying to cram in an answer on here.  As an aside, I actaully took an evening course at Glasgow Uni a couple of years back on Social and Economic history of Scotland from 1700 to 1914, which was very worthwhile in understanding the underlying background to my research, and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Cheers,
Clare

[Gadget]

Another amazing resource is the School of Scottish  Studies archives at Univ of Edinburgh:

http://www.celtscot.ed.ac.uk/

Gadget

[Malmo]

Is this a ploy to get me enrolled on one of your Celtic and  Gaelic courses Gadget?

[Gadget]

Moi 

Don't have any up here in the Highlands - we're still living it 

Mind you I do have an amazing collection of books and articles on not just history but on the culture - Carmena Gaedelica is a wonderful collection of oral traditional chants, prayers, stories from the Western Isles and lots more. There was also an exhibition - An Lantair, Stornoway and touring a while back, As an Fhearann (pronounced as an yarann) - translated as From the Land, Clearance, Conflict and Crofting. Mostly a visual exhibition but with some articles.

The School of Scottish Studies has lots of online resources and, if you can get to Edinburgh, a wonderful collection of oral histories, written accounts and film/photography.

The poetry of Sorley Maclean and the art of the greatest living Scottish artist, Will Maclean, are all things to consider if you are interested in the Clearances.

Also, of course, the Report of the Napier Commission, 1883 which resulted in the first Crofting Act 1886.

No no enrolment necessary - it's all out there waiting for an inquiring mind 

Gadget

[GordonD]

I fancied having a reread of Tom Devine's Scottish Nation book(as wasn't reserching my family when read it about 5 years ago and thought it would be good to look at the general history given what I know about their lives now). I couldn't locate my copy so was looking to see where it was cheapest to get it online.

When looking at play.com I noticed that a new edition is coming out on 30th November 2006 entitled The Scottish Nation: 1700-2007. The new edition appear to be around 50 pages longer so probably not much extra discussion of the historical issues but rather an extra chapter or so on Scotland since devolution. If you want extra contemporary discussion as well the historical discussion might be better to wait a couple of months to get the new edition.

Gordon

[Malmo]

Thanks Gordon. I'll bear that in mind. Here is some details of another Devine book about to be published:

Clearance and Improvement: Land, Power and People in Scotland, 1700-1900 (Paperback

Synopsis
Social and economic changes included an increase in production of food and raw materials, in turn sustaining the remarkable growth of towns and cities over this period. However, in the folk memory of Scotland the social and cultural costs of the revolution loom much larger: the loss of land for many thousands of families; the rise of individualism and the decline of neighbourhood; the death of old rural societies which had formed Scotland's character for many generations. The drama and tragedy of Highland history during this period have attracted many authors, whereas the Lowland experience, that of the majority of Scots, hardly any. This book attempts to redress that balance, and in so doing examines why this extraordinary era, inextricably associated with failure, famine and clearance in Gaeldom, is remembered as one of 'improvement' in the Lowlands, where the folk memory of dispossession, if it ever existed, is long lost in collective amnesia. In so doing, Devine addresses an issue which goes right to the heart of the nation's past.


I'm still trying to get my hands on the book I mentioned further up the page
M

[Gadget]

Hi Malmo

It might be worth trying some Scottish bookshops for the book - or even the second hand ones such as abebooks. I've managed to get a few that way.
If you like, one of my friends owns a large seconhand/antiquarian bookshop in Inverness, and I could e-mail him to see if he has one or knows where you could get it.

PM me the full details if you want me to do this.

Gadget

[Malmo]

Hello Gadget.
 I have tried abe books and other on-line outlets, all to no avail. Eventually I thought it best to leave the matter with Amazon who said, and have restated since, that it would take four to six weeks. That was eight months ago. Amazon is only good for selling the books that they want to sell. The last time I looked at their website it was still showing as an available title. I wish they were more open and frank instead of continuously putting me on hold
The full book title is;

T.M. Devine "The Great Highland Famine: Hunger, Emigration and the
   Scottish Highlands in the Nineteenth-century"

Please don’t go to too much trouble on my behalf. I shall be passing through Edinburgh next month and will try and order a copy through one of a couple of second hand bookshops that have been recommended to me if all else fails.
Thanks
M