Scottish Customs From the Cradle to the Grave

by Bennett, Margaret

• ISBN13: 9781841582931
• ISBN10: 184158293X
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-01
• Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Summary

A highly readable and absorbing anthology of traditional Scottish customs and rites of passage, Scottish Customs from the Cradle to the Gravedraws upon a broad range of literary and oral sources. Scotland has been fortunate to have written accounts of intrepid early travellers such as Martin Martin, Edward Burt and John Lane Buchanan, and extracts from their writing are found alongside modern interviews made by Margaret Bennett and researchers from the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University. This expanded edition includes a large amount of new material. The result is a detailed and comprehensive picture of social behaviour in Scotland over the last 400 years. The book is divided into three sections, each covering a stage in the cycle of life: Childbirth and infancy; Love, courtship and marriage; and Death. The first edition was joint runner-up of the 1993 Katharine Briggs Folklore Award.

Author Biography

Margaret Bennett is Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Glasgow, and lectures part time at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition and Acknowledgements	xiv
Introduction	xix
Notes on the Editing of Texts and Transcriptions	xxiii
Part I: Childbirth and Infancy	1	(88)
The Mother and Child in Days Gone By
Belle Stewart and Sheila MacGregor	4	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	5	(3)
Christina [Ciorstaigh] Docherty	8	(1)
Alexander Polson	9	(1)
Meigle SWRI	9	(1)
Revd James Napier	10	(7)
James Thomson	17	(1)
John Firth	18	(1)
Dr Harry P. Taylor	19	(1)
Changelings
Domnhull Mac ---	20	(3)
Dr Martin Luther	23	(1)
Protection and Prevention
Martin Martin	24	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	25	(3)
Alexander Laing	28	(1)
Alexander Stewart	28	(1)
Alexander Polson	28	(1)
Elizabeth Stewart	28	(1)
Practical Midwifery and Care of the Newborn
J.J. Vernon and J. McNairn	29	(1)
Margaret Ann Clouston	30	(3)
Meigle SWRI	33	(1)
Dolly Wallace	33	(1)
Captain Edward Burt	34	(1)
Dr David Clow	34	(1)
Dr Harry P. Taylor	35	(1)
Iain Nicolson	36	(1)
Martin Martin	36	(1)
Nan Courtney	37	(3)
George Penny	40	(1)
Margaret Wilson	40	(1)
Wilma Forret	41	(1)
Care of the Mother, Then and Now
Ina Mason	42	(1)
Dr David Clow	43	(1)
Hanselling the Baby
Margaret Wilson	43	(1)
Betsy Whyte	44	(1)
Maureen Jelks	45	(1)
Charles Hunter	45	(1)
Ian R. MacIntosh	45	(1)
Maeve MacKinnon	46	(1)
Wetting the Baby's Head
Ardella Hurd	46	(1)
Joe McAtamney	47	(1)
Elma Stanage	47	(1)
Baptism, Christening and Choosing a Name
Sir Donald Monro	48	(1)
Catherine MacNeill	48	(1)
Revd John Lane Buchanan	49	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	50	(2)
Alexander MacDonald	52	(1)
Meigle SWRI	53	(1)
Sandy Stanage	54	(1)
Gladys and Charles Simpson	54	(1)
Ishbel Morris	55	(1)
Mrs Janet Faulds	55	(1)
Queen Victoria	56	(1)
John Firth	57	(1)
Thomas Pennant	57	(1)
J.J. Vernon and J. McNairn	58	(1)
The Town Council, Aberdeen	58	(1)
Margaret Bennett	59	(1)
Rose MacDonald	60	(1)
Nan Courtney	61	(1)
John MacLeod of Dalquhurn	62	(1)
Hugh Hagan and Howard Mitchell	63	(1)
Audrey Fletcher	64	(1)
May Anderson and Nan Millar	64	(1)
John Firth	65	(1)
Alexander Polson	66	(1)
George Penny	66	(1)
Bill Salton	67	(1)
Sir Walter Scott	67	(1)
Dolly Wallace	68	(1)
Duncan `Major' Morrison	69	(1)
West Highland Free Press	70	(1)
Rocking the Cradle and Keeping Amused
Peigi Stewart and Murdo Stewart	71	(1)
Elizabeth Stewart	72	(1)
Alexander Polson	73	(1)
Dolly Wallace	73	(3)
Sandra Miller	76	(1)
Pat Christie	77	(1)
Fosterage and Adoption
William MacKay	77	(2)
Betsy White	79	(1)
Bill Innes	79	(5)
Ethel MacCallum	84	(3)
Maryann Hollingan	87	(2)
Part II: Love, Courtship and Marriage	89	(112)
A Reflection of Former Times
Thomas Pennant	94	(1)
Revd James Napier	94	(3)
Revd Robert D. Higham	97	(2)
Divination
Revd Walter Gregor	99	(4)
Margaret Wilson	103	(1)
Alexander Polson	103	(1)
Courtship and Bundling
Revd John Lane Buchanan	104	(1)
Martin Martin	105	(1)
Scottish National Dictionary	105	(1)
Arthur Edmondson	105	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	106	(1)
Murdo Murray	106	(2)
Handfasting
Martin Martin	108	(1)
Revd Donald MacQueen	109	(1)
Meigle SWRI	109	(1)
Betrothal Ceremonies
Revd George Low	110	(1)
Iain Nicolson	110	(1)
Dolly Wallace	111	(2)
Robert Jamieson	113	(1)
Rosie and Dougald Campbell	114	(1)
Feet Washing and Other Good Clean Fun
Captain Edward Burt	115	(1)
Samuel Hibbert	115	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	116	(1)
John H. Dixon	116	(1)
Norman Kennedy	116	(2)
James and Ina MacQueen	118	(1)
Maureen Jelks	118	(1)
Mary Brooksbank	119	(1)
Nan Courtney	120	(2)
Pat MacNab	122	(1)
Margaret Wilson	122	(1)
Jim Rendall	123	(1)
Elizabeth Stewart	123	(1)
Bill McBride	124	(1)
John Jack	125	(1)
Wedding Presents
Peigi Stewart (Bennett)	125	(2)
Dolly Wallace	127	(1)
Hen Nights and Stag Parties
Louise MacVicar and Joan Mann	127	(4)
Margaret Bennett	131	(1)
Joe McAtamney	131	(1)
`Jumping the Chanty' in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire
Audrey Bain	132	(5)
Celebrating the Marriage
Logierait	137	(1)
Revd James Napier	138	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	139	(4)
Revd W. (Bill) Pollock	143	(1)
Alexander Polson	144	(1)
Isobel Colquhoun	145	(1)
Margaret Wilson	146	(1)
Doris Rougvie	146	(1)
Joseph Laing Waugh	147	(1)
Revd John Lane Buchanan	148	(2)
Highland Weddings
Captain Edward Burt	150	(1)
The Inverness Courier	151	(1)
Duncan `Major' Morrison	152	(2)
Alexander MacDonald	154	(3)
William Mackay	157	(3)
Trefor M. Owen	160	(3)
Christina Stewart	163	(2)
Weddings in the North-east Fishing Villages
Revd Walter Gregor	165	(2)
Shetland Weddings
Robert Jamieson	167	(3)
Don Ratter	170	(1)
Feastin' and Dancin'
Revd James Napier	171	(2)
Revd Walter Gregor	173	(3)
Iain Nicolson	176	(1)
Wedding Cakes and Favours
Doris Rougvie	177	(1)
J.J. Vernon and J. McNairn	178	(2)
Racin and Ropin
George Penny	180	(1)
Revd James Napier	181	(1)
Tom Ovens	182	(2)
Walter Culbertson	184	(1)
Dan and Sheena Allan	185	(1)
Anna Cunningham	185	(1)
Scramblin and Scatterin
Bill Douglas and Bill Kirkwood	186	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	187	(1)
Joseph Laing Waugh	187	(1)
Margaret Wilson	187	(1)
George Bennett	187	(2)
Arranged Marriages and Elopement
Muriel Mayhew	189	(1)
William MacKenzie	190	(1)
Thomas Pennant	191	(1)
Robert Chambers	192	(1)
The Herald	192	(1)
Weddings and Honeymoons During Wartime and the Depression
James and Ina MacQueen	193	(1)
Nan Courtney	194	(1)
Rose MacDonald	195	(1)
Ann Pollock	196	(1)
Pat MacNab	196	(1)
May Anderson	197	(1)
Nan Millar	198	(1)
Divorce
Revd George Low	199	(1)
The Bible	199	(2)
Part III: Death and Burial	201	(106)
Death Omens
Revd Walter Gregor	204	(2)
Margaret Wilson	206	(1)
Pat Christie	206	(1)
John Firth	207	(1)
Iain Nicolson	208	(2)
Murdo MacLean	210	(1)
Anne MacDonald	211	(1)
Alexander Polson	211	(1)
Christina [Ciorstaigh] Docherty	212	(1)
Fiona Hunter	213	(1)
Wilma Forret	213	(1)
William Wilson	214	(1)
Revd James Napier	215	(2)
Preparing the Body, Layin' Out and Kistin'
Revd Walter Gregor	217	(2)
Sir John Lauderdale of Fountainhall	219	(1)
Margaret Ann Clouston	219	(1)
John Firth	220	(1)
Gladys and Charles Simpson	221	(1)
Betty Stewart	222	(1)
Douglas Neally	222	(1)
Burial
Revd Walter Gregor	223	(4)
Florence Clow	227	(1)
James Thomson	228	(1)
Revd Donald MacQueen	229	(1)
Death and Burial in Dumfries and Galloway
J. Maxwell Wood	230	(8)
Emily Smith	238	(1)
Death and Burial in an East Lothian Mining Company
Marianne Holligan	239	(4)
Funerals in the Outer Hebrides
Douglas Neally	243	(2)
Alexander Carmichael	245	(1)
Trefor M. Owen	246	(2)
Angus Peter Campbell	248	(3)
Funerals in Badenoch and Strathspey
Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus	251	(1)
Christian [Ciorstaigh] Docherty	251	(1)
Rosie and Dougald Campbell	252	(2)
Floral Tributes
Doris Rougvie	254	(2)
Funeral Customs `of every rank' in Skye
Macdonald of Kingsburgh	256	(1)
Murdo MacLean and Teenie Stewart	256	(1)
Iain Nicolson	257	(3)
Peigi and Murdo Stewart	260	(1)
Iain MacLean	261	(2)
Iain Johnston	263	(3)
Murdo Stewart	266	(1)
Watching and Waking
Revd James Napier	267	(3)
Hugh Miller	270	(1)
Lewis Grant	271	(1)
Revd Walter Gregor	272	(1)
Douglas Neally	273	(1)
John Firth	273	(1)
Bill Douglas	274	(1)
Greenock Telegraph	275	(1)
Paying Respects
BBC News, 1989	275	(1)
BBC News, 1994	275	(1)
John Lane Buchanan	275	(1)
Hugh Hagan	276	(2)
Martin Martin	278	(2)
Alexander Carmichael	280	(1)
Jean Cameron	280	(1)
John H. Dixon	281	(1)
Funeral Expenses
William MacKay	281	(1)
Alexander Laing	282	(1)
Ian MacDougall	282	(4)
Douglas Neally	286	(1)
Captain Edward Burt	286	(3)
Alexander Carmichael	289	(1)
Revd James Napier	290	(1)
The Last Post
Betsy Whyte	291	(2)
Captain John A. MacLellan	293	(2)
A Professional Attitude to Death
Howard Mitchell	295	(3)
Prof. Edward Duvall	298	(1)
`Pet Cemeteries'
James Allan Rennie	298	(1)
Indelible Memories
Revd Donald Sage	299	(1)
Margaret Bennett	300	(1)
Margaret Bennett	301	(1)
Evening Times, Glasgow	302	(1)
May Anderson	302	(2)
Grave-markers, Cairns and Memorials
J.J. Dixon	304	(1)
Seton Gordon	304	(1)
James Allan Rennie	305	(1)
The Herald	305	(2)
Glossary	307	(8)
Further Reading	315	(4)
Bibliography	319	(10)
Index	329