Scotland's Independence

@polarberry Definitely would like to hear how it turns out. My experience is that sometimes it takes a little less time and sometimes a little more depending on the oven. It is the color I always look for - the 'sand' color. (not white sand - but more of a very light brown sand).

Good luck! If you're interested there is a great Youtuber called "What's for Tea" that does a Scottish food (and other food) cooking vlog She is a Scot living on the Isle of Arran I believe. (She always shows scenes of Arran at the end of the videos). https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatsForTea/videos

She's super pleasant and charming to listen to and she does some fun videos on traditional Scottish foods like scotch pies, trifles, etc. Here is her video on shortbread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPA50b_iyvQ

Posted by: @elainesk

My 27th great Grandfather married the sister of King Robert the Bruce, for anyone with ancestry in Scotland it is absolutely fascinating to see how you could be connected to Scottish Royalty. 

Cool! My maiden name is Bruce. We go back to Robert the Bruce through the Stewarts. I bet there are millions who go back to him. We have a tartan too. I opened a thread here last week on ancestry and so many in this community trace back to the Mayflower. I do not, although my husband does and so do my kids. My big claim to fame is Robert the Bruce. Ha ha!  

I noticed that in May 2016 researchers in Glasgow found a genetic marker that identifies direct descendants to Robert the Bruce in men. Here's another source from University of Strathclyde. 

Cool; I'll check her out, thanks!

Approximately eleven minutes to go, looks good through the door but don't want to pull it open to check to avoid heat loss.

When my daughter got back from Scotland, she asked me if I know what Black Pudding is. I said yes, why, did they serve it to you? She said they were served it the final night, which had a traditional Scottish evening theme, and she tried to eat it out of politeness but thought she might get sick if she kept on.

I told her, "Well, we have Spam, so..." ? 

UPDATE-just pulled it out. It is the color of beach sand and smells so, so good! Hope I can wait to eat it or I am going to burn the h*ll out of my mouth. Mamaly, thank you very much for the clarification of the ingredient amounts. I had found one recipe that called for baking soda and that struck me as wrong. How can something with three ingredients smell so amazing??

Love black pudding! (My husband, not so much ? ). But I also like the taste of haggis too and have been known to order some for a Burn's night. (I order from the Scottish Bakery in Detroit - Ackroyd's). 

Genealogy is great. My maiden name is actually Wallace. (Father/Grandfather) (I tease my husband and tell him I loved him a lot to give up my maiden name for his last name - which is hard to pronounce and chock-full of Eastern European consonants, like 'Y' and 'Z'!). My husband's first name is William - so when we found out we were having a boy, I looked at my husband and I said...I have to do it....Our son's first and middle name is William Wallace!

My grandfather (Wallace) was born in Galston Scotland ("Wallace" country), but then moved as a young boy to Stirling where his father was a manager at the coal mine there. (Stirling also happens to be the location of the Wallace monument, as the famous battle of Stirling Bridge was fought there.) My grandfather and his brothers used to do boy scouts in the early days of scouting at Stirling Castle.

My grandmother was a McIntosh and born in Greenock, Scotland. Her father was a shipwright and worked for a time for Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast, Ireland. We think he was working there when the Titanic was being built, although we're not sure. My grandmother definitely remembered the Titanic sinking, although she was probably only about 6 years old when it sank. (She says her mother woke them up that morning with the news.) Interestingly, my grandmother's family was from the Isle of Skye. Now, Skye isn't known for the McIntosh clan (they're more from the Inverness area), but the records definitely show them there in the late 1700s (and I've got some DNA connections on the Isle of Skye as well). Still trying to figure out how a small group of McIntoshes ended up on Skye!

Anyway - it is super interesting stuff!

Kindly - Mamaly

@elainesk, eek Bristol, yeah that is not the greatest place to live compared to where your son is now;-) So happy to read your story. I haven't been to Fife but know the history due to my studies. Robert the Bruce was quite the character. Hope the Scots can stand tall again.

Tracing family/ancestry can be quite amazing. I have not gotten further than 1400, but it gives one a sense of belonging, doesn't it? To know where you came from?

WOW! I just checked out Ackroyd's-did not know about them-and I am in hog heaven. I will be ordering a lot. And I can buy haggis. Oh joy. ? 

Am eating the shortbread now. First slice plain; next slice with blueberry jam, if I get a second slice. Family just discovered.

@jeanne-mayell I'll check that link out! I think because there were far fewer population in Scotland and many were Clan members and Castle Royalty that if you are fortunate to have a well known surname from Scotland then chances are you will find you are a descendent of Scottish Royalty.  I wish I had started my ancestry journey before my dear Mum passed, it is through my maternal Grandfather where our McGregor connections than land up connecting to Robert the Bruce.  Andrew de Moray whose son Andrew married Robert the Bruce's sister Christina de Bruis (Bruce) was the unsung hero at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, he was the guy instrumental in the win of that battle with William Wallace, sadly he was badly injured and died not many weeks after.  Christina was Andrew's 2nd wife. 
The Royalty and blue bloods of Scotland have many branches leading to them from many surnames, they had several wives/husbands and plenty children.  My road to my Bruce connection was through the McGregor clan, where the infamous Rob Roy McGregor is my 2nd cousin 11 x removed, James the Iv banished the surname McGregor and it was 170 years before anyone born a McGregor who had to be renamed, could ever use the surname McGregor again and it was thanks to Rob Roy McGregor.  The McGregors were a parcel of rogues at the time of banishment of surname and were hunted down and jailed or hanged if they were still using the McGregor name. Such a rich history, a rugged wild history of Scotland and the bloodlines of Scots are spread far and wide.  Scots kids for many decades were only taught British history which was 99% English history, we were clueless of how rich our Scottish history and Clans were unless taught by our families, our education was controlled by London so when SNP came to power in 2007, the first thing was making sure Scottish history was taught in our schools far more than the minimal amount we received. Many of us are learning so much about our history now, for the young Scots who are around 74% of 16-34 year olds are pro Independent and considering the many things inflicted on Scotland and its people by the powers in London over the centuries which was left out of the older generation's history lessons, the young Scots are wide awake and know how badly Scotland suffered but also I think it has stirred in them the want to return to a Scotland that had balls and not the underdog of England. x

http://www.sath.org.uk/edscot/www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandshistory/warsofindependence/andrewmoray/index.html

@polarberry  I have never had the willpower to stop at one piece of shortbread, I find it hard to put down the packet......lol. 

@mamaly The Wallace Monument is one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in Scotland, to be standing in the grounds of Stirling Castle looking at the Monument is breathtaking, I wish I was younger and fitter to walk up the many, many steps to the top of the monument.  The Wallace Sword is on display on the first floor.  
Not so much nowadays but in the past there was a pattern to naming your children, my Mother has first name of her Mother and her Great Grandmother but her middle names are the surnames in our close family branches.  First names though I knew they were carried on from Fathers & Grandfathers but did not know the full system used in olden times.  Also if a child died the next male or female would take the name of the male or female that had died, something we would not do in modern times in respect of the dead child.  Interesting though https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/help/traditional-scottish-naming-patterns

@moonbeam

I was fortunate to travel to Skye  with my daughter in April of 2019.  It was the best trip ever.  We saw the fairy pools and so many other jaw dropping  and inspiring places. I would go again in a heartbeat.

Hope yo get to travel there one day soon.

@jeanne-mayell  We followed what had been happening in Quebec referendums and we have such empathy for the people there, there is nothing worse for a culture to be crushed by another culture.  London banned our Highland Dress and bagpipes because the Jacobian rebels defied the English Redcoats and continued to show Scotland's culture loud and clear, they were hunted down and jailed or shipped abroad as indentured slaves by England and over the years unionists have tried to crush our identity and they have over the centuries eroded our culture. The biggest sadness is Scottish born in the Central Belt of Scotland to think its a waste of money for Gaelic to be continued taught in school and also to be put on road signs etc.  Considering Gaelic is our oldest language many Scots fought back in support for continuation of Gaelic which is mostly used in the Highlands and Islands.  In Moray they are teaching one of our other languages in school, Doric, that was the Scottish language my dear Mum spoke from that area Aberdeenshire etc. 

In the central Belt it is Scots tongue that we speak yet over the years we were made to speak 'proper English' to be understood.  Many of us now over the last number of years write in Scots on the likes of Twitter and Facebook, I guess the bloodline of rebellion is always there.....lol.  Yes, it certainly sound like there are many similarities between Quebec and Scotland in the oppression of our cultures. I hope Quebec never gives up, we know Boris Johnson and his team are already plotting the takeover of Scotland, next year a new building opens that is supposed to replace a small Scotland Office which was the go between office in Scotland that whichever Secretary of State for Scotland would work for Scotland in Westminster, behind our backs they were planning out this massive building that will house over 3000 staff with duplicate offices that are in Westminster with Conservative Gov in London basically running Scotland from this office, more or less making our elected Scottish Parliament redundant, the London Gov have renamed it UK government Office in Scotland instead of Scotland Office. 

The powers also that were due to come back to Scotland which before we joined EU belonged to Scotland, our fisheries and agriculture etc has been stolen by Westminster along with other powers belonging to us.  They are bit by bit taking back the powers we have as a devolved Nation with one objective, to stop our Independence and to kneecap us, trap us, chain us to the Uk and under London dictatorship.  We are very scared Jeanne, for us but mostly for our young Scots.  Next year is our Scottish Government Election, if Nicola and our SNP Government win majority of seats which the data seems to show that will be our mandate to have another Independence Referendum and that London cannot stop us no matter what they say, in the Scotland Act 1989, Scots were made the Sovereignty of Scotland so it is our decision and in International Law ever peoples have the right to self determination and no country can stop another country from having a referendum when the majority is showing over a period of time above 50%.  
It is not just Scotland that is moving more towards Independence, Wales Independence movement has grown quite a bit after Brexit and the stealing of their devolved powers too.  Northern Ireland was looking to have a referendum on the reunification of Ireland and N.Ireland leaving UK especially when both Boris Johnson and Donald Trump weren't caring if there was a hard border in N.Ireland which may bring back old troubles there.  Joe Biden being half Irish is very passionate like the democratic Party in protecting the Good Friday Agreement so its possible that this might appease our Celtic cousins in N.Ireland. That would be something, big bullying England reduced to Little England and no more on the World Stage. 

@lovendures, oh I am jealous now;-) Thank you! Back to Ireland first and then Scottish highlands, Skye and the coast for whale watching with my 6 year old ❤️

Here's hoping we get to live again and Covid will fade away. 

@elainesk

One of the most difficult things in tracing back one's family names is because they were stripped of the clan's surname, as in the case of my own ancestors.

The surname 'Laird' was taken, and forever used after for fear of being found out and prosecuted by the English maybe, even after immigration to the 'Colonies'. They must've murdered alot of the oppressors (?)

So the rumor is the surname was McCleod ("There can be only one" ? lols), even though my mother and grandmother were still tight lipped about it after all the time had past ... their family secrets.

And that was just one branch of the Scots ... there were more, and probably the tangle will be forever obscured in the mists of time. I suppose that 'Ancestry' might be a good source to check out, and could render some light on the ship's records, etc.

I do have Native American ancestry as well, and that is a really difficult path to source, because of all the Troubles, and lack of records.

When once I worked for a very English geneologist, she asked me about my lineage, and when I told her she said "Oh no, two of the worst!" Hahaha. (I didn't last too long with that).

I'm going to try that shortbread recipe as well, it sounds wonderful .... ?

@elainesk tomorrow Scotland votes on the question of its independence. What is the mood right now and how are people feeling?  I understand that the Scottish leader’s popularity has increased during the pandemic because of her honesty and compassion for everyday people. 
@Polarberry @bluebelle @dina . 

@jeanne-mayell. My gut feeling is that Scotland will eventually gain independence.  Most Scots opposed Brexit and Scotland has been hurt financially because of it.  I don’t know if the Scots can make the break happen yet, but Scotland is on my personal radar and there is a fierce independent streak there.  

@jeanne-mayell Hi Jeanne, it's been a very tense run up to this election and in last year the attempts by unionist parties and media across UK to smear Nicola has been appalling. The Westminster Gov do not play by the book as Europe found out and the stronger the support for Independence have grown the dirtier UKGov have played like interfering in our devolved decisions which is breaching the agreement on devolution. Nicola's biggest enemy has come from the previous First Minister Alex Salmond who to cut a long story short was investigated for 2 accusations of sexual misconduct and where mistake were made in the handling of the case Nicola as FM as law stated was not involved and let the enquiry go ahead and play out. He was found not guilty but on his own admission admitted to inappropriate behaviour towards female staff while FM.

He started up his own party for Independence called Alba and his supporters have spent last year joining the unionists trying to bring Nicola down.

The strength and resilience of Nicola has warmed people to her who supported unionist parties, she has faced misogynist leaders of the other parties in TV debates and came off as winner because there isn't anything she doesn't know about politics, economy and honesty. Her handling of Pandemic and standing up to Boris Johnson in at times handling Covid in a different way to England, has again seen Johnson's media attack her brutally but she stood firm and we are doing well. She has not even had a long weekend break throughout, days off here and there but her priority was our health and safety.

She is very grounded, has never forgotten her roots and 7 years on as FM she is still the most popular leader in UK parties.  Wales is a also now increased their want for Independence because like Scotland, England's decision on Brexit has harmed devolved Nations trade especially fisheries. Northern Ireland's peace is being tested because Johnson broke his promise to Northern Irish that there would be no border between then and Republic of Ireland in the EU. 

Westminster fears that this time, Scotland through a good result in Scottish Election if Scottish National Party and Nicola get a majority seats for Government that Johnson cant refuse Scots a Indy referendum in eyes of International law. 

@bluebelle l so hope and pray you are right,  the union is broken beyond repair but while the UKGov in England has spread myth for decades that Scotland was too poor to ever go it alone, they had a report written on Scotland's wealth in the discovery of oil back in the 70s at a time Scots were fighting UKGov for our own Parliament and powers. The Conservatives in power back then feared if Scotland knew how wealthy Scotland now was, we would go for Independence and win so the UK Gov filed the report away in secret for 30 years (worth reading McCrone Report) and then spread the lie it was England that supported Scotland even though to this day, all Scotland's wealthy resources help prop up UK.

They aren't our neighbours, England is our oppressors and English people believe the myth that we are subsidised. The penny hasn't dropped as to why UKGov playing every dirty trick under sun to stop 'scrounging' Scotland from leaving. Our Scottish Gov needs a majority seats to be a strong message that we want Indy and England can't stop us but we fear of interference in the election results to stop that happening. Nicola has massive support so we pray that if we get a majority of power, we can start journey to leaving UK. Even if we get a minority, we would be in shared power again with Scottish Greens who are also pro Independent but a majority is what Nicola and SNP really need. 

Just joining my virtual Scots family here.? I am a fifth generation direct descendant of the David Lindsay, the First Earl of Crawford.

@elainesk

Forgive me if this seems off-topic, but I want to hear from someone from Scotland on this subject. Do you consider Scots to be a distinct language, or just a dialect of English? And do you think Scots and Scottish Gaelic should have any official status in an independent Scotland?

@coyote

I’m not Scots though that is a good chunk of my heritage, but here’s an excellent video from a linguist I follow on YT. https://youtu.be/8X5zX3yVoiQ