Comments for Scotiana

Comment on Monstrous Conspiracy that condemned the innocent Oscar Slater (1909) .. by Iain McEwan

Iain McEwan — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:16:59 +0000

Hello, Claudia -

Greetings from Scotland! Thank you for your interest in Scotiana – our readers will be intrigued to know that you have a family connection to Miss Marion Gilchrist, the old lady who was so savagely battered to death.

My understanding is that (as reported in the Daily Record and other newspapers of the time) Miss Gilchrist inherited on the death of her father a sum of between £30,000 and £40,000 – at today’s values, between three and four million pounds. Miss Gilchrist lived quite simply, although she had a passion for collecting diamond jewellery and kept many pieces hidden within her flat. On the evening of her murder, only one brooch was taken.

To know more of the murder, I would refer you especially to the two books by Thomas Toughill – ‘Oscar Slater – The Mystery Solved’ (Canongate, 1993) and ‘Oscar Slater, The Immortal Case of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’ (Sutton Publishing, 2006). Mr Toughill writes with the benefit of research that became possible only after the last of the documents concerning the case were released. They had been kept secret for 80 years. One might reasonably surmise that there had been more than a little to hide – ‘no smoke without fire’, we say.

I urge you to read all that you can about the Oscar Slater affair, and to pass the books on to others in your family. Far from being ‘just another murder’ – and a particularly brutal one – it is a case without parallel in all of Scottish criminal history.

(By the way, someone at Dumfries and Galloway Family History Society (dgfhs.org.uk) may well be able to help you with research in SW Scotland.)

Thank you again for your Comment. Please feel free to get in touch with us again.

With kind regards from all of the team,
Iain.

Comment on Robert Louis Stevenson: Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Catriona, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde… by MAJA

MAJA — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:57:20 +0000

We do not know this edition but maybe our readers can help out. We’ve checked on Abebooks.com, Alibris.com, Amazon.com and other major book sites but will continue to search. Is it an old book? Does it have a jacket? Would be delighted to find it.

Comment on Robert Louis Stevenson: Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Catriona, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde… by jorge perea

jorge perea — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:01:01 +0000

i have book title treasure island kidnnaped by robert louis stevenson the regent press, no edition i like to know if this is original or not.thank you

Comment on Monstrous Conspiracy that condemned the innocent Oscar Slater (1909) .. by Iain McEwan

Iain McEwan — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:07:29 +0000

Hello, Malcolm -

Thank you for your comment. I’m sorry, I can’t help much, but you may know that Thomas Toughill’s book contains a few Press photos from the trial.
Photography is not permitted today in Scottish courtrooms. Does any reader happen to know when – and for that matter, why – the ban was introduced, for our law courts are, as a rule, open to the public?

Kind regards from the team at Scotiana,
Iain.

Comment on Monstrous Conspiracy that condemned the innocent Oscar Slater (1909) .. by Claudia Cunningham

Claudia Cunningham — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 23:25:43 +0000

I live in Australia and my grandfather, Ebenexer Gilchrist was the nephew of Miss Gilchrist. My Grandfather emigrated from Scotland first to South Africa, then New Zealand finally Australia. My mother told me the story of the murder of Miss Gilchrist and how Oscar Slater was condemned to death and I believed he had been hangedt for a crime he had not committed. As a result of this belief I have opposed capital punishment. I was pleased to read he was released from jail which then makes me ask the question “Who murdered my great, great aunt?” We always believed the motive was burgularly as she was a wealthy woman.
My Great Grandfather was disowned by his family has he disobeyed them and married a servant of the household, Agnes MacGregor. The family set him up in a carpentry business and then claimed his body when he died for burial. I believe my Great Grandmother could not go to the funeral. His sister Marion was the only one who kept in contact with them. I would be very interested in finding out more about the family and the murder
Thank you
claudia Cunningham
Qld, Australia

Comment on Scottish Traditional Tales: Wilson’s Tales of The Borders and of Scotland by andrew ayre

andrew ayre — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:22:32 +0000

please see my post on site. I have just launched a project to revive interest in these tales in Wilsons home town Berwick-upon -Tweed.i would be interested in these tales, as whilst i have a full set and they are now availble online FOC , these have some historical interest.

Comment on Scottish Traditional Tales: Wilson’s Tales of The Borders and of Scotland by andrew ayre

andrew ayre — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:19:13 +0000

I am based in Wilsons home town, Berwick-upon-Tweed. I have just launched a project to revive interest in these tales. many editions are now available on line but if anyone would like to make copies available for research etc on this project , i would be pleased to here from you and can provide further background info.John Cheek , i am particularly interested in your copies of historic interest. project contact e-mail aa@wilsonstales.co.uk

Comment on St Trinian’s, Ronald Searle’s famous cartoon set in Edinburgh… by Ronald Searle | Emma J Bebbington

Ronald Searle | Emma J Bebbington — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 01:05:30 +0000

[...] http://www.scotiana.com/st-trinians-ronald-searles-famous-cartoon-set-in-edinburgh/ [...]

Comment on Betty Mouat’s Lone Voyage, a Miraculous Survival .. by Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:52:50 +0000

Thank you for your interesting comment, Mr Jones. You must be proud to know that one of your ancestors was part of Shetland’s illustrious seafaring tradition. Those old sailors – many in open boats – were exceptionally brave men; James Jamieson, master of the Columbine, was just 36 when he was swept to his death in the storm.
Well done for having reached far-off St. Kilda! Few people achieve this. Were you able to step ashore – were there any traces of a pier?
With kind regards from the team at Scotiana,
Margaret.

Comment on Scottish Traditional Tales: Wilson’s Tales of The Borders and of Scotland by Luke

Luke — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 02:58:15 +0000

I have all 3 volumes Wisons tales of the borders as in photo above contact me if interested going to put them on ebay