Piecing together Scotlands oral history

Their Past Your Future Scotland

Their Past Your Future Scotland is a groundbreaking Scottish history project that was launched in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The project, now in its second phase, is managed by Museums Galleries Scotland. Financed by The Big Lottery Fund, the initiative collects personal accounts and stories of people, both civilian and military who were affected by the Second World War and conflicts since. There are 13 projects in total, running across Scotland in many different locations from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen and the Highlands and Islands. Museums will be curating exhibitions of local personal testimonies coloured with associated exhibits such as photographs, diary extracts, newspaper articles, documentation and archive film.

A series of exhibitions and events showcasing these collected histories are being held all over the country throughout 2009. In 2010, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of VE Day, a website holding all the collated testimonies will be launched. The stories will be utilised as a rich educational resource via Learning and Teaching Scotlands new Scottish schools intranet, Glow. They will, however, also be a global legacy that will ensure that these testimonies and memories are documented, heard and remembered for many years to come.

Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland, said Personal accounts and reminiscences like these hold much fascination for young people and they can bring a greater understanding of what life was like for their grandparents generation. People are now acutely aware of the importance and urgency to continue to gather this information now while the opportunity remains.

TPYF Scotland is interested in hearing from anyone who has personal recollections of any of the 13 areas of Scotland represented by the Scottish history projects. A list of the 13 project areas can be viewed at: [link http://www.tpyfscotland.org.uk/ ]www.tpyfscotland.org.uk[end link].

Priseact Beinn na Coraraidh, South Uist, Benbecula and Eriskay

One of the projects, based on South Uist, is particularly interested in hearing from people abroad who may have lived or been stationed on (or alongside) anyone from the Hebridean islands of South Uist, Benbecula or Eriskay. Mairi MacLeod the project officer for TPYF at the Kildonan Museum on South Uist hopes that the project will reconnect with those who either left or gained a connection to the islands during the war. It is her hope to reach the diaspora whose stories may soon be lost. Their project, Priseact Beinn na Coraraidh is collecting reminiscences that will highlight the impact that the war had on the islands and capture the experiences of not only those who left to fight but also of those who stayed behind.

The island of South Uist may well be etched in many minds for Sir Compton MacKenzies classic book and film Whisky Galore. An evening was held on the island as part of the project, to share stories and expel a few myths of the famous SS Politician; the ship that ran aground on the island in February 1941 leaving its cargo of whisky to be salvaged by the locals. Islander Mary Bowie (nee MacLean) aged 89 entertained people with tales of her time working as a cook for Sir Compton MacKenzie and how she became his influence for the character Peggy Macroon. The events surrounding the ill-fated ship have become west highland folklore, but the evening also aimed to separate some of the facts from the fiction. In an interview recorded for the project, Maurice Watson, who is believed to be one of the last surviving members of the Politicians crew, recalled his memories of the event. Mairi would like to hear from anyone else who served on, or had a connection to the Poly as well as anyone with information on the Merchant and Royal Navy who had a presence on the islands at this time. It is known that some of the men were stationed on the Faroe Islands and Canada but there are very few oral testimonies to support this.

Mairi noted that after our last event, we heard from someone whose relative had been the coxswain on the Barra lifeboat, and from people who wanted to get back in touch with Mary, whom they hadnt seen for 50 years. We hope that by reaching out to the diaspora, well gather more stories and photographs renew old connections and make new ones. People and their stories are always welcome!

Think you have a story?

Stories required by end of September 2009

To contact Mairi MacLeod at Kildonan Museum, email: macleodmairi2@googlemail.com

To contact Andrew Salmond, Project Manager of TPYF Scotland, about any of the 13 projects, email: [link mailto: andrews@museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk] andrews@museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk[end link]