Wilfred Owen, the Advocates Library, and a Stevenson connection

One hundred (and six) years ago, on the 22^nd October 1917, war poet Wilfred Owen paid a visit to the Advocates Library and met with Charles John Guthrie (Lord Guthrie). To commemorate the centenary I put together a very small, private exhibition in the Advocates Library. Since we’re approaching another Armistice Day, and it’s a sweet story, I decided to re-post.

Wilfred Owen’s letter to his mother, 22nd October 1917 from ‘Selected letters’ by Wilfred Owen; edited by John Bell, 2nd edition 1998

From the end of June to early November 1917, Wilfred Owen was resident at Craiglockhart War Hospital, receiving treatment for shell-shock. His doctor, Arthur Brock practised ergo therapy, ‘the cure by functioning’. Brock encouraged his patients to work and explore outdoors, and to experience the local community and culture.

‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen. Written at Craiglockhart in the first half of October 1917, revised at Scarborough or possibly Ripon in January-March 1918. Copyright: British Library/The Wilfred Owen Literary Estate. Image source: First World War Poetry Digital Archive.

When Owen learned that author (and Advocate) Robert Louis Stevenson had stayed nearby as a child, he set out to visit Stevenson’s childhood haunts in the Pentland Hills. There he met Lord Guthrie who lived in Stevenson’s former house, Swanston Cottage. Stevenson’s family had spent summers at Swanston from 1867 to 1880. When Lord Guthrie took the lease in 1908 the property was much as it had been in Stevenson’s time. Wilfred Owen had tea with Lord Guthrie at Swanston, at which time the judge persuaded him to undertake some “historical research work” – leading to Owen’s visit to the Advocates Library.

Stevenson remembered Swanston Cottage with fondness and a detailed description of its unusual architecture featured in his story St. Ives: being the adventures of a French prisoner in England. Owen read St Ives while at Craiglockhart and enjoyed it so much he wrote of it to his mother, recommending she buy a copy to read herself.

Stevenson’s description of Swanston Cottage. Published in ‘St. Ives’ and reproduced by Lord Guthrie in ‘Robert Louis Stevenson: some personal recollections’, 1924

Lord Guthrie had known Stevenson at university and both men were called to the Bar in 1875. Although Stevenson soon left Edinburgh to pursue his writing career, Lord Guthrie stayed in touch with Stevenson and his family until the writer’s death in 1894.

“I remain, my dear Guthrie, your old comrade, Robert Louis Stevenson” – from a letter, dated 18th January 1880

After 3 months of treatment at Craiglockhart, Owen was deemed fit for light duties (office work) and left Edinburgh. However, by October 1918 he was back on the Western Front where he won the Military Cross for his courage and leadership. Wilfred Owen was killed at Ors on 4 November 1918, just days before the Armistice was signed.

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894 Image: http://www.britannica.com

Lord Charles John Guthrie, 1849-1920 Image: http://www.nationalgalleries.org

Wilfred Owen, 1893-1918
Image: treasures.bodleian.ox.ac.uk

The centenary of Wilfred Owen’s time in Edinburgh was commemorated more generally during summer 2017. You can find details here.

originally posted on: ELISA blog, 2017

Women not witches: an important distinction

Witches in Word, not Deed – an exhibition at Central Library until 30 November 2023

Witches in Word, Not Deed is an exhibition…

….to remember the real women who were persecuted as witches in Scotland… Thirteen women are remembered … bringing attention to the loss of life and identity in which the witch trials resulted.

https://talesofonecity.wordpress.com/

These were not witches. They were simply women: accused; often tortured; then murdered for the commission of utterly fictitious crimes.

There have been a number of projects in recent years, raising awareness of the many women who were tried and executed as witches in Scotland. The first I became aware of was the vocal and tireless, Witches of Scotland. This is a campaign seeking justice for those accused women.

The Witches of Scotland (WoS) Campaign was launched on International Women’s Day 2020 by Claire Mitchell [KC] and Zoe Venditozzi. The campaign has 3 aims: to obtain a pardon for those convicted as witches under the Witchcraft Act 1563, to obtain an apology for all those accused, and to obtain a national memorial to remember those killed as witches.

https://www.witchesofscotland.com/

The very excellent Claire Mitchell KC, and author Zoe Venditozzi also host a podcast. They originally planned a short run of (I believe) 6 episodes, but will soon reach their 70th!

Witches of Scotland podcast

Through this podcast I learned of a project local to me, The Calder Witch Hunt, along with many, many others. They interview authors, academics and fellow campaigners. Very much worth a listen and follow.

Speaking of local “witches”, there’s a “Lizzie Brice’s Roundabout” near me. The local lore is that Lizzie Brice was a witch and, I was told, “the last witch burned in Scotland”. Everyone accepted that as truth… However, according to a booklet produced by the Local History Library, Lizzie was, happily, not accused of witchcraft.

Lizzie Bryce was a widow living in the parish of Mid Calder in the 1800s. She and her daughter were employed to house “pauper children” from Edinburgh, keeping them out of the workhouses and in the more wholesome country air.

_{source: West Lothian Council Local History Library, 1999}

Unusually, for a poor woman, her name lived on: attached to the strip of woodland where she lived and later the roundabout built nearby, a petrol station, and a pub.

Women of Faculty: Remembering Margaret Kidd, 1923-2023

Portrait of Margaret Kidd in Parliament Hall

ON 13^th July 1923, Miss Margaret Kidd, MA., LL.B., Edinburgh, was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates, the first woman to become a Member of Faculty. She remained to be the only woman at the Bar for more than 25 years.

1923 SLT 106

Centenary celebrations

video: “Women of Faculty: Remembering Margaret Kidd, 1923-2023“

13^th July 2023 marks the centenary of Margaret Kidd’s calling.

At an event in Parliament Hall, attended by Margaret Kidd’s granddaughters and great-granddaughter, a portrait was unveiled.

new plaque, Parliament Hall

The new portrait of Margaret Kidd hangs next to that of the Right Hon. Lady Dorrian, commissioned to mark her elevation to Lord Justice Clerk, the first woman to hold that office.

Learn more at: Women of Faculty: Remembering Margaret Kidd 1923 to 2023

video: “Edinburgh, 1923“

Coming soon: Gaelic story exhibition at NLS

Sgeul / Story

Folktales from the Scottish Highlands collected by John Francis Campbell of Islay (1821 to 1885).

An exhibition in Gaelic and English about stories and storytelling traditions.

Visit from 9 June at George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh.

On this day…Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches

Copied from Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches on Facebook:

William Burke was executed in Edinburgh on this day in 1829. He was convicted of killing 16 people and selling their corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures.

Burke originally hailed from County Tyrone in Ireland and moved to Scotland in 1818 where he worked as a labourer on the Union Canal. Burke met Irish-born William Hare when he went to Midlothian to work on the harvest. They became friends and Burke moved into Hare’s lodging house in Edinburgh in 1827. When an elderly man died in the lodgings owing rent, Burke and Hare took the body from the coffin and sold it to Knox.

After this, they started enticing people to the lodging house where they would ply them with alcohol before smothering them and selling their corpses. After being caught by the police in October 1828, Hare turned king’s evidence and avoided being executed. Burke was found guilty and sentenced to hang.

In this recording from 1952, John Strachan from Fyvie in Aberdeenshire sings the song ‘Burke and Hare’ which is purported to contain the last words of William Burke – listen here

William Burke as he appeared at the bar. Taken in court. Portrait by George Andrew Lutenor (c. 1829). In the public domain.

Wilfred Owen, the Advocates Library and the Stevenson connection

To commemorate the centenary of Wilfred Owen’s visit to the Advocates Library I put together a small exhibition. This is the story…

Edinburgh Library and Information Services Agency

One hundred years ago, on the 22^nd October 1917, war poet Wilfred Owenpaid a visit to the Advocates Library to meet with Charles John Guthrie (Lord Guthrie). To commemorate this centenary I put together a very small, private exhibition in the Advocates Library. However, since we’re approaching Armistice Day, and it’s a sweet story, I decided to post something here too.

Wilfred Owen’s letter to his mother, 22nd October 1917 from ‘Selected letters’ by Wilfred Owen; edited by John Bell, 2nd edition 1998

From the end of June to early November 1917, Wilfred Owen was resident at Craiglockhart War Hospital, receiving treatment for shell-shock. His doctor, Arthur Brock practised ergo therapy, ‘the cure by functioning’. Brock encouraged his patients to work and explore outdoors, and to experience the local community and culture.

‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen. Written at Craiglockhart in the…

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Book review – The Monarch Of The Glen by Compton Mackenzie

The Monarch Of The Glen by Compton Mackenzie
Published 1945 by British Publishers Guild (first published 1941)

This isn’t quite such a romp as the wonderful ‘Whisky Galore’ but I very much enjoyed the gentle satire in this book.

It’s surprising/depressing to learn that Scotland’s political landscape hasn’t changed that much in the 75 years since this book was published. The land is still owned by a minority, the folk with power still think what’s best for them is all that matters… and Scottish Nationalists are still, earnestly trying to do their very best for Scotland. It is very gentle satire though. Everyone (except the hikers) comes out of it relatively well.

Mackenzie’s depiction of the Highland locals is reminiscent of those in ‘Whisky Galore’. Apparently placid, backward bumpkins who really just move at their own pace and can totally get stuff done when required. I was particularly amused by the Laird’s abysmal attempts at Gaelic (‘half luke’ instead of ‘tha i fliuch’) Obh obh!

So, a nice wee book. Gentle and amusing.