Scottish History

These pages are from the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1851-2002. Link…

The Depths of the Sea

Dredging cruises of H.M.SS. 'Porcupine' and 'Lightning' during the Summers of 1868, 1869, and 1870. Link…

History of Curling

Auld Daddy Scotland sat ae day,
Bare leggit on a snawy brae,
His brawny arms wi' cauld were blae,
The wind was snelly blawing:
As icicles froze at his snout,
He rowed his plaid his head about,
Syne raired to heaven a roupit shout,
Auld Albyn's Jove misca'ing:

Chorus—"Oh! for a cheery, heartsome game,
To send through a' the soul a flame,
Pitt birr and smeddum in the frame,
And set the blude a-din'ling.

Scotland's Ain Game (1890). Link…

Edinburgh's Old or New Towns

"Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh by James Grant was printed as a periodical in the 1880s and is now seen as a set of three or six volumes, and describes its history, its people, and its places by using anecdotal historical text with endless illustrations." [The sample images above, are much reduced] Link…

Loch Risay

"A Bernera man in the 1860s engineered a solution to a local problem. In high summer the lobsters [Bernera’s main industry] were at their most plentiful around Bernera; but because of the warmth and the distance to market it was not worth trying to export them. Before leaving for Australia to make some money, he marked out a site beside a narrow bay of Loch Risay. When he returned five years later, he used his money to build a dry stone wall right across the bay, cutting it off from the sea. The tide was able to run through the stone wall, aerating the water, but anything within could not escape." [my emphasis] Information from here. Other pictures. Link…