In 1940 Ballachulish man, Sandy MacDonald, escaped occupied France with two other Highlanders by speaking Gaelic and posing as Ukrainians. A year before the Soviets joined the war, the “Ukrainians” were free to go.
The other men were William Kemp and James Wilson. Asked in French what country he came from, Kemp replied, “Ardnamurchan”.
To scare off a lecherous knight who wouldn’t stop pursuing her, St Medana of Galloway climbed a tree and threw her own eyes at him. It worked.
In 1597, Aberdeenshire woman Ellen Gray was accused of using sorcery, witchcraft, and charms on farm worker Thomas Reddoch “so that his wand nevir lay doune”. Thomas apparently later died from his condition.
St Fillan had a pet bell that would fly to him when called. It was said to have flown from Strathfillan to Scone for the coronation of James IV. It flew by a soldier who shot it with an arrow, which is how it came to have a hole in it.
In 1961, an epidemic was raging in Scotland. MPs called for serious intervention. Ministers railed from the pulpit. Social workers warned of increased poverty and child neglect. Cinema, theatre, concerts, sports would all dwindle and die. What was this plague? Bingo.
Here are some clippings from Scottish newspapers of the time.
Tayler’s Ready Doctor, printed Falkirk 1785, was a popular self-help book full of medical advice. Here is how to promote, discourage, or cure “beardiness”
Tayler’s Ready Doctor is really full of gems. Here’s another:
In Orcadian folklore, no cat can survive on Eynhallow and no rat can survive on Eday. In the 18th century, a ship carrying grain wrecked near Eday. The ship’s rats swam ashore and all were seen to die the instant they walked on Eday’s soil.
In the winter of 1809, many Scottish ale-sellers switched to selling beer by the slice or by weight as the prolonged frost made pouring impossible.
Planted 130 years ago, the Big Kippen Vine was the largest single grapevine in the world. Covering 5000 sqft, it snaked through 4 glasshouses. Its massive trunk was 55 inches around. It produced over 2000 bunches a year.
The world’s second and third largest vines were also at Kippen!
In 1846, after being denied land to build one, the Free Kirkers of Strontian had a church built by a Glasgow shipbuilders and moored it in Loch Sunart. Attendance could be judged by how low it sat in the water on a Sunday.
