Stranger than Fiction: Real History

[Maycontainthunder]

If it has good legs and a kilt, I don't care if it's an authentic Scot or not... at least as long as it doesn't open its mouth and dispell the illusion.

Ages ago on a radio show a woman from Birmingham suddenly said "I can do a Scottish accent."

Before anyone could say anything she proceeded to say "Och, aye the noo." in a broad Birmingham accent.

I spent the next five minutes doubled up laughing.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

If it has good legs and a kilt, I don't care if it's an authentic Scot or not... at least as long as it doesn't open its mouth and dispell the illusion.

Curious question: I know that a lot of Scottish culture was repressed after Culloden, including kilts, bagpipes, haggis etc., but were then revived by Walter Scott and popularized when the Prince Regent visited Scotland.

So ... were the original kilt patterns of the traditional Scottish clans preserved? If not, what took their place? Curious minds would like to know.

Ages ago on a radio show a woman from Birmingham suddenly said "I can do a Scottish accent."

Before anyone could say anything she proceeded to say "Och, aye the noo." in a broad Birmingham accent.

I spent the next five minutes doubled up laughing.

Saying "Och, aye the noo" obviously doesn't make you Scottish, any more than singing "Auld Lang Syne" or talkin' about Rabbie Burns, ye ken.

I'm not sure what a Scottish accent even is, and I've never even been to Scotland, but even I know there are differences between a Glaswegian dialect and an Edinburgh dialect. More obviously, there are differences between dialects in the highlands and dialects in the lowlands. And don't get me started in dialects in the Shetlands, Orkney, or the Hebrides.

 

[Trish]

So ... were the original kilt patterns of the traditional Scottish clans preserved? If not, what took their place? Curious minds would like to know.

There is a tartan registry. My step-dad is Scottish, full scottish dress with their clan tartan for their wedding, bagpipes, all of it. They go to Scotland every couple of years.

He looks the part too. 6'7" big bear of a man, but he's the only one over 6'2" out of 6 boys lol

 

[Louanne Learning]

Curious question: I know that a lot of Scottish culture was repressed after Culloden, including kilts, bagpipes, haggis etc., but were then revived by Walter Scott and popularized when the Prince Regent visited Scotland.

The Scottish Highlanders were allowed their plaids before that - the 78th Fraser Highlanders wore tartan at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham when the English took Quebec, in 1759. The English wanted the Scottish soldiers, so made that dispensation.

General James Wolfe died in that battle. Legend has it that he recited "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" to his officers, in the boat, before the battle, adding, "I would rather have written that poem, than take Quebec."

"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" was the most popular poem of the 18th century.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

The Scottish Highlanders were allowed their plaids before that - the 78th Fraser Highlanders wore tartan at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham when the English took Quebec, in 1759. The English wanted the Scottish soldiers, so made that dispensation.

Wow! I had no idea about this. Thank you. Were the Scottish soldiers still using targes and claymores (or should I say claidheamh-mòr?) I know claymores were declining in popularity by that time in favour of basket-hilted swords (which were lighter), but the design was similar.

I'm not sure if claymores were also banned after Culloden, but how did the British go about confiscating them? After all, a sword can be repurposed for other uses. A claymore is 55" high, so two of them can be stuck in the ground and a line of wire strung between them to create a laundry line.

"Weapons? What weapons, sir? Them's mementoes."

General James Wolfe died in that battle. Legend has it that he recited "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" to his officers, in the boat, before the battle, adding, "I would rather have written that poem, than take Quebec."

"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" was the most popular poem of the 18th century.

I remember reading about that. I also remember reading that nobody believed Wolfe, and some thought he was a madman.

General Joseph Montcalm (on the French side) also died at the Plains of Abraham.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Were the Scottish soldiers still using targes and claymores

Fraser's Highlanders were equipped with Brown Bess muskets and bayonets, a basket-hilted broadsword (claymore), a dirk, and a cartridge box. They also carried grenades, and wore Scottish bonnets

 

[Rath Darkblade]

While idly browsing, I just learned about a man called Emerich Juettner.

Juettner (January 1876 – January 4, 1955), also known as Edward Mueller or Mister 880, was an Austrian-American immigrant known for counterfeiting United States $1 bills and eluding the United States Secret Service for a decade, from 1938 to 1948.

When he was caught, he was 72. He openly admitted his actions, adding that he had never given more than one bill to anyone, so no person had lost more than one dollar.

He was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and fined one dollar.

Later, he sold the rights to his story, which was made into the 1950 film Mister 880. He made more money from the movie than he did from counterfeiting.

(From the wiki-article, here.)

I wonder if he paid the fine from his stack of counterfeit bills?

 

[CatrionaGrace]

"I would rather have written that poem, than take Quebec." "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" was the most popular poem of the 18th century.

I used an excerpt in Days of Sun and Shadow. I don't want Quebec (too big to fit in the backyard) but if y'all want to hand over Patches O'Houlinhan, I have some nice pasture.

 

[Louanne Learning]

A soldier with the heart of a poet is an interesting character.

 

[Kiraann]

As long as the authentic Scotsman keeps his kilt down. Don’t want to see that!

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Napoleon Bonaparte was once defeated by a horde of eager bunnies, who were presumably looking for some cabbage. (Here are more details, from Just History Posts. Yes, I know that's probably not the best source, but I need to start work in a minute, so I don't have time to look up something more reputable).

Basically, Napoleon had just finished defeating the Fourth Coalition, and to celebrate, he and his friends wanted to go bunny hunting. But the person responsible for sourcing the bunnies gathered thousands and thousands of tame ones (who associated humans with food) instead of wild ones (who would flee in fear).

The result? Thousands of bunnies swarmed all over Napoleon's party, being cute and fluffy and looking for food. Kind of puts the Monty Python "Killer Rabbit" into perspective, doesn't it?

So, not wishing to be seen as a bloodthirsty monster who would slay thousands of fuzzy pets, Napoleon got into his coach and drove away. Yes: after defeating Britain, Saxony, Sicily and Russia, Napoleon was bested ... by bunnies.

 

[Naomasa298]

Between the two World Wars, Australia suffered its most devastating conflict, when large parts of the country were overrun by a swift and highly mobile enemy force. Even the Royal Australian Artillery were helpless, being heavily outnumbered and were forced to retreat.

It is believed that this was the first time products from ACME Corp were used in Australian military history.

Emu War - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org