The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that style, there is now this regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site including "Scottie's Photo Diary From Scotland".
To receive a text version of this newsletter as a reminder to look at these Web pages when they are published, just send an e-mail to Scottie@RampantScotland.com with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
20 Year Old Student Socks It To Labour in Scottish Election Rout
A 20 year old student at Glasgow University defeated a former Labour Party minister to become the youngest Member of the UK Parliament since records began in 1832. See: 20 Year Old Student Socks It To Labour in Scottish Election Rout
Ladies Can Now Speculate By Candlelight
The all male Speculative Society, founded in Edinburgh University in 1764 as a debating club has voted by over 60% to allow female members. Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are former members - Sir Walter's death mask is displayed in the debating chamber. See: Ladies Can Now Speculate By Candlelight
Celebrating The Coming of Summer - Finger's Crossed..
The annual Beltane Fire Festival was recently celebrated on Calton Hill in Edinburgh with drummers, fire dancers, physical theatre and a bonfire. See: Celebrating The Coming of Summer - Finger's Crossed..
Strathclyde University Splashes Out on Park Circus Mansion
Despite a shortage of finance in Scottish universities Strathclyde University bought a fashionable five-storey luxury home for its principal last year for £1.2 million. Now it has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on furniture including £1,180 on a chair. Staff who are seeing their numbers reduced and salary increases held back are not amused. See: Strathclyde University Splashes Out on Park Circus Mansion
£10 Million Healthcare Donation - Via the Car Park
A local oil tycoon has made the largest private donation to the Scottish National Health Service by giving £10 million to build a 1,000 space multistorey free car park at Foresterhill healthcare campus in Aberdeen - to relieve the stress of trying to find a space in the complex. See: £10 Million Healthcare Donation - Via the Car Park
Ballater Station Devastated by Fire
The historic railway station at Ballater on Royal Deeside, 10 miles from the Queen's residence in Scotland at Balmoral Castle (graphic of the castle via Wikimedia Commons ), was used by Queen Victoria and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, has been destroyed by a devastating fire. Used in recent years as a museum and tourist attraction some important artefacts have been saved and it is hoped that the building can be restored. See: Ballater Station Devastated by Fire
Bra Lady Going Up Up and Away
Michelle Mone (graphic here is © Michelle Mone herself, via Wikimedia Commons ) made a fortune designing and making the "Ultimo" range of up-lift bras in Glasgow but now she is moving out of Scotland - although the Ultimo HQ will still remain here. See: Going Up Up and Away
Duns Tribute to Jim Clark - Borders Farmer and F1 Legend
The 2015 Jim Clark Weekend in Duns in the Scottish Border saw an array of classic Formula One cars and star drivers like Sir Jackie Stewart ( (that's his racing car on the left displayed in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh) and Allan McNish. The event was aimed at profiling plans for a renovated Jim Clark Museum in Duns, which is scheduled to open in 2018. See: Duns Tribute to Jim Clark - Borders Farmer and F1 Legend
Canoe Take Me To School, Dad?
Five-year-old Charley McAllister is a splash hit now that her dad takes her to school in a Canadian canoe along the Forth and Clyde canal (pictured here). See: Canoe Take Me To School, Dad?
Attending to the Conveniences Doon the Watter
The Public Toilets at Rothesay on Bute in the Firth of Clyde are regarded as the most impressive surviving late Victorian public convenience in Scotland, if not Britain. Walls are entirely clad in decorative ceramic tiles, ornately patterned in rows. The floors are designed with ceramic mosaic, with the crest of the Royal Burgh of Rothesay at the entrance (see graphic). Most of the fitments are original, dating from 1899. See: Attending to the Conveniences Doon the Watter
Health Service Plays Musical Hospitals
When the architects of the new "South Glasgow University Hospital" made the main building shaped as a star they never foresaw that the local Glaswegians would disdain the contrived title and apply instead the nickname "Death Star" to the newest and biggest hospital in Scotland The new complex will have over 1,100 beds, two major Accident and Emergency Departments plus a new maternity hospital and state-of-the-art laboratory services. It will replace the Western Infirmary, The Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill and parts of two other hospitals, See: Health Service Plays Musical Hospitals
Next Newsletter
The next newsletter is scheduled for 13 June and will be a mixture of various items including "Memory Lane".
Of course, if you have any Scottish memories which you would like to contribute to "Memory Lane" please send them in to Scottie@RampantScotland.com!
Yours aye
Scottie
Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in an Archive. The Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here.
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