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Burns Night: A Guide from Scots Connection.   Robert Burns, Oil on Canvas, Alexander Nasmyth, 1787.   Burns Night celebrates the life and work of Scotland's national bard, 18th century poet Robert 'Rabbie' Burns. Taking place every year, on or around, January 25th, it is an occasion that is steeped in tradition and is widely celebrated throughout the coun...

Scottish tartan weavers distinguish between colour and shade when crafting a tartan. In traditional tartan weaving, a limited set of colours is used, but different shades of the same colour can be applied. This technique contributes to the variety and appeal of tartan designs. For example, the Modern, Ancient and Weathered versions of the lightweight Gordon tartan (shown below) are identical in...

Our kilts are hand stitched throughout, with a minimum of twenty nine, and up to thirty five, hand lifted deep pleats. Pleating will normally be to the sett, but can be to the line in the regimental manner, if specially requested. We use superior heavy duty bridle leather kilt straps which are exclusively made for us at an Aberdeenshire saddlery. The kilt straps are made from the best quality ...

Scottish Genealogy - Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors. TRACING your Scottish ancestors has never been simpler. All that is needed is a name or two and an approximate location as to where they were domiciled. The next step is to try an Internet search, but remember to take into account that surnames can have different spellings. Robert Burns, for example, was the son of William Burnes. The great...

Researching Your Scottish Roots - Graveyards to Passenger lists.   Up to 1860, the place of burial, the name of the undertaker and when the doctor last saw the deceased alive, were also included. However, as with births and marriages, this amount of detail proved difficult to maintain. The deceased's birthplace was removed from 1856, as were the names of any children. The spouses name wa...

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry - Scots Connection.   Crimean War Heroes Military records are another matter. From 1603, there are the muster rolls of the individuals who fought in the Scottish Regiments, and these are housed in the National Archives of Scotland. Several Scottish regiments have their own museums housing information about past units and the men ...

The Monarchs of Scotland - Scots Connection. Calgacus, from the processional frieze of famous Scots, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, William Hole 1898 THE Scottish Nation successfully absorbed several races as it evolved between the sixth and fourteenth centuries. The early Scots were a Celtic people from Ireland who invaded and settled the North West...

Scottish Kings and Queens - Alpin to Malcolm II.   House of Alpin833-c. 40 Alpin, King of Dál Riata (Dalriada) - ALPIN is the first tribal leader on record to be styled King of Dál Riata, which then comprised Kintyre with a few territories on mainland Northern Ireland. From the evidence that exists, he appears to have died in a battle against the Picts in Galloway. However, the same lege...

Scottish Kings and Queens - Duncan I to Margaret Maid of Norway.   House of Dunkeld (1034-1286)1034 –40 Duncan I DUNCAN was the son of Malcolm II's daughter Bethoc and Crinan, Hereditary Abbot of Dunkeld, and succeeded his grandfather as King. The early years of his reign appear to have been peaceful, but in 1039 he led an army into England in retaliation against a Northumbrian attack on...

Scottish Kings and Queens - John Balliol to David II.   House of Balliol (1286-1306) John Balliol, King of Scotland, offers homage to King Edward I of England, 1292. Chroniques de France ou de St Denis, illuminated manuscript, c.1400 1292-1306 John Balliol GRANDSON of David, Earl of Huntingdon (younger brother of Malcolm IV and William I), and the son of the...

Scottish Kings and Queens - Robert II to Mary Queen of Scots.   House of Stewart (1371-1567)1371-89 Robert IITHE son of Walter, sixth High Steward of Scotland, and Princess Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I, King Robert II had shared in the Regency during his brother David II's exile, but was aged fifty five when he eventually ascended the Scottish throne. He married first, Elizabeth ...