From the genius that brought you mouse-mills comes a new and exciting musical instrument: THE CHAMBER FLUTE-ORUM Available at all good music shops!
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David Hatton’s Flute-orum
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Crinan Canal Disaster
In 1859, a reservoir on the Crinan Canal burst sending debris and destruction in both directions. One man was swept from Dunardry to Loch Gilp and Crinan was flooded. A “Mr. Thomas Cook” wrote to the Times downplaying the damage, saying tourism not affected.
(and yes, it was *that* Thomas Cook). He was following Victoria on her tour through Scotland and was probably trying to set up trips on the canal as package holidays.
I also found that Crinan also almost had *two* canals. One was planned from Crinan Ferry to Loch Awe, but it never materialised. Probs not new and interesting to folk in Crinan, but was news to me. 🙂
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The Scottish Brothers
“The Scottish Brothers” (1490-1518) were dicephalic parapagus twins raised at the court of James IV. Under his care, they got higher education inc. music and languages and were fluent in Scots, English, Gaelic, Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Danish.
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PANDORE
PANDORE. n. large oyster from Prestonpans. Supposed to be big because of the proximity to the doors of the saltpans. Prestonpans oyster fishers would sing “dreg sangs” to charm the oysters into their nets. “Oysters are a gentle kin, wullna tak unless ye sing”
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Rowboats in the aisles
In September 1421, the Tyne flooded so badly that “a great many houses were entirely defaced” in Haddington. The waters were still high on the Feast of St Ninian (16th Sept) so parishioners had to row boats into the church to pray.
In 1720, the Baron of Calder’s son convinced everyone he’d been possessed, claiming he could pee ink, fly around the room, teleport to Torryburn, and could sleep through being horsewhipped (folk tested). 5 women rounded up- all got off with a mild rebuke.
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The deil is a black dog
In 1704, one of the “Pittenweem Witches” Beatrix Layng met the devil on Ceres Moor. She knew because he appeared as a black dog. This is Ceres Moor today, and my pup, Scout. She is rarely a devil. Layng denied being a witch, but adamant she had been chatting with Satan himself. Layng was released from prison after paying £8 and eventually pardoned by Queen Anne in 1708.
In October 1626, parties after baptisms had gotten so out of hand that Aberdeen made it illegal to “compell any nichtboures to drink any wyn, aill, or beir” that they didn’t want to. Anyone caught pressuring someone to drink was fined £40 (roughly the equivalent of £700 to £900, in 2019).
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Bo’ness-(not)-by-sea
Bo’ness was almost an inland town. In late 17th C, Dutch engineers proposed a dyke to “reclaim” 2000 acres of the Forth. Bo’ness sea-traders turned them down. It’s the fault of the traders too that the Forth and Clyde Canal ends in Grangemouth and not Bo’ness.
In 1803, a gang of Newhaven fishermen came up to Bo’ness to steal the mussels at Ladies Scaup. Bo’ness boats chased them down, and fought to get some of them back, but most were lost in deep water. Although some were put back, the Scaup never recovered.
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Letham Time-slip
After her car went off the road in Jan 1950, Miss E.F. Smith (55yo) and her dog walked home from Brechin to Letham. She claimed to have experienced a time-slip of 1265 years and walked onto the site of the Battle of Nechtanesmere and saw Picts and Saxons fight.
And because the details matter and I needed to know: The time-travelling dog was a miniature poodle.
Somebody write a screenplay, stat.
The story was covered in excellent detail by Richard MacLean Smith in his podcast “Unexplained” (link to that episode)