‘THE FOOL OF THE PIECE’ BALFOUR AND GLADSTONE’S ‘HIGHLAND FLING’

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This is the seventh time in the last

Most popular baby names across eight decades revealed

National Records of Scotland has revealed the most popular names given to babies born over the past eight decades - with 12 names staying in the top 100 for 88 years

Fife Pilgrim Way reaches milestone at St Andrews

An important milestone has been reached on the Fife Pilgrim Way with the dedication of its final gateway panel at the ultimate pilgrim destination of St Andrews

Historic Environment Scotland unveils plans for new Archive House covering 5,000 years of history

Plans are underway to move approximately six million archive items to what will become a ‘world-class’ archive facility in Bonyrigg

Donald Ross and the highland Clearances

Andrew J. Ross provides the background to his new book on the life of his relative Donald Ross, a critic of the highland clearances who raised money and provided supplies for sufferers of the potato famine, but ultimately became a victim of his own success and emigrated to Canada following fraudulent fund-raising

Stirling’s lost hogback

Dr Murray Cook reports from his home city of Stirling, on the trail of a reputed ‘missing’ hogback monument

THE QUEST FOR THE LOST CHURCH OF SALINE

John Gooder and Linda Moyes of Saline & District Heritage Society chart an archaeological dig in search of a ruined medieval church whose location had become lost in the mists of time

MÁEL COLUIM III: THE COMPLICATED LEGACY OF AN 11TH-CENTURY KING

Dr Neil McGuigan reassesses the reign of Malcolm III, a king long overshadowed by his famous predecessor (Macbeth) and wife (St Margaret), but who deserves to be remembered as a pivotal figure in the evolution of the medieval Scottish kingdom

EMBROIDERING HER TRUTH: Mary, queen of Scots and the language of power

Mary, queen of Scots might be the most widely-discussed of all Scottish monarchs, but one aspect of her life has been consistently overlooked: textiles. Mary used fabrics throughout her reign to send political messages, and during her long imprisonment in England, embroidery became a vital lifeline and tool. Clare Hunter explains

‘THE TOURIST INDUSTRY HAD BEEN KILLED ALMOST STONE DEAD BY THE RESTRICTIONS’: THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND IN 1940

Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, the government imposed tight restrictions on citizens’ access to, and movement within, significant swathes of Scotland, including most of the north. Neil M. Bruce explores the impact of these restrictions, and asks how people responded to them

THE DAPHNE DISASTER, PART 2: INQUIRY AND RELIEF FUND

In the second and final part of his study of the sinking of the steamerDaphne in 1883, William B. Black reconstructs the investigation into the causes of the disaster, and also explores the challenges and controversies surrounding financial relief for the bereaved

...THOMAS AND JEAN WEIR

History Scotland’s consultant editor, Dr Allan Kennedy, explores the scandalous lives and deaths of Thomas and Jean Weir, whose convictions for incest, bestiality and sorcery in 1670 have variously horrified and fascinated people ever since

CARE AND FEEDING OF A REBEL

In our newest edition of Spotlight: Jacobites, Dr Darren S. Layne discusses the manner in which penal authorities were instructed to treat Jacobite prisoners who were held in British facilities on both sides of the border during the 1745 rising

DIARY DATES

EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, PLUS SELECTED ONLINE EVENTS TO ENJOY FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

BOOK REVIEWS

A distinctive Scottish presence in the Empire

Travelling into the wilds

Ian Hill visits the remote isolation of the far north

Reconsidering medieval Scotland

Jenn Scott explores kings, courts and community

ARCHIVES REIMAGINED

A new exhibition featuring sound and video installations inspired by archive recordings taken up to 70 years ago are offering exhibition visitors fresh perspectives on Scotland’s rich oral tradition

THE GOLDEN AGE OF ELITE PUBLISHING

THE SCOTTISH HISTORY SOCIETY: VOLUME IN THE SPOTLIGHT

GLEANING CLUES FROM JAIL RECORDS

Ken Nisbet takes a look at what jail records can tell us about our ancestors, with valuable information including personal appearance and state of dress

FINAL WORD

David Win, general manager of Eilean Donan Castle, gives us an inside account of his decision to allow visitors to enjoy the world-famous historic site throughout the entire year

SEEKING SOCIAL HISTORY IN SCOTTISH CRIMINAL RECORDS: WHAT ELSE CAN CRIME TELL US?

Dr Louise Heren demonstrates how criminal case files not only provide us with the details of serious crimes, but can also reveal fascinating insights into people’s way of life

WHAT’S IN THE NAME OF MY STREET?

Adrian Clark presents a study of the many different places named after Charles Pratt, 1st earl Camden, onetime lord chancellor of Great Britain, including two Caribbean slave plantations – something that may not have pleased this friend of civil liberties

Dining at school Training a generation of Scotland’s dinner ladies

When people reminisce about their schooldays, most remember eating school dinners. While they might not always be remembered fondly, they have now been a staple feature in the school day for generations. However, before the Second World War, the picture was very different, as Sarah Thomson explains

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