 SPORT IN SCOTLAND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Finding gems in the archive Festival is 70 years old FREE 

The magazine of the National Library of Scotland www.nls.uk Issue 35 Summer 2017

Antarctic adventure Our visiting exhibition takes us on the famous journey with and the

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 SPORT IN SCOTLAND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Finding gems in the archive Edinburgh Festival is 70 years old FREE  Compelling Shackleton exhibition chronicles

The magazine of the National Library of Scotland www.nls.uk Issue 35 Summer 2017 a remarkable story of bravery, survival and triumph over disaster at foot of the world

Antarctic adventure Timeless tale Our visiting exhibition takes us on the famous journey with Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance There’s something captivating about old photographs, especially when they chronicle extraordinary and pioneering events. That’s DISCOVER just one reason why our visiting exhibition featuring early ISSUE 35 SUMMER 2017 images from the Antarctic is likely to be popular. Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton CONTACT US We welcome all comments, and has been brought to the Library by the Royal questions, submissions and Geographic Society and the Institute of British Geographers. subscription enquiries. Please Hurley’s remarkable high-resolution photographs, of write to us at the National Library of Scotland address below or which more than 90 are featured, date back to 1915 and email [email protected] capture Shackleton’s failed attempt to cross Antarctica. Their FOR THE NATIONAL LIBRARY ship, Endurance, became trapped in the ice and they were EDITOR-IN-CHIEF eventually rescued after great hardship and bravery. Alexandra Miller The images show not just the team’s stunning EDITORIAL ADVISER surroundings, but also the daily life of the crew. When Willis Pickard the ship finally sank, Hurley rescued the glass plates and negatives from under the icy water. They tell a compelling Contributors: Bryan Christie, Stewart McRobert, Nigel and timeless tale about survival at the edge of the world. Donaldson Here in more hospitable climes, we’re moving towards PUBLISHED BY Edinburgh Festival season, and our pages feature a Connect Publications celebration of the event’s 70th anniversary this year. www.connectmedia.cc And there’s another anniversary to mark – it’s 20 years EDITOR since the beginning of the J K Rowling phenomenon with the Lauren Campbell publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on [email protected] 26 June 1997. We take a look at her close connections with the DESIGN Library, including her donation in 2005 of the first copy of one Mark Duncan of her works. Renny Hutchison [email protected] Our recently appointed sports specialist, Hugh Dan MacLennan, tells us about his background and the role he plays ADVERTISING here. He also reveals some of the hidden gems in our collection. Alison Fraser [email protected] So there’s lots to engage and stimulate you. Enjoy your summer reading! ISSN 1751-5998 (print) ISSN 1751 6005 (online)

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW TELEPHONE 0131 623 3700 FAX 0131 623 3701 Dr John Scally, EMAIL [email protected] National Librarian The National Library of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity. Scottish Charity No. SC011086 www.nls.uk

FIND US ONLINE THE THE ANSWER IS CLUES IN OUR ARCHIVES www.nls.uk Can you guess where @natlibscot in Scotland these www.facebook.com/ photographs on the NationalLibraryOfScotland left have been taken? Let us knowyour www.instagram.com/ guesses! natlibscot/ Tweet @natlibscot using www.youtube.com/user/ hashtag #natlibquiz NLofScotland

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 3 CONTENTS

6 NEWS Find out the winner of this year’s Callum Macdonald Memorial Award, join us on a voyage round Staffa and delve into the John Murray Archive

10 CREATING HISTORY We take a look at some of the wondrous items within the Edith Simon (pictured) archive 19 including personal letters to her loved ones and close friends CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF THE EDINBURGH FESTIVALS

15 SUMMER EXHIBITION More than 90 high resolution images are used to take us on a journey through our visiting exhibition Enduring Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley

22 TREASURES DISPLAY It’s all about the sub-continent in our latest display Images of India which is celebrating the UK-India Year of Culture

24 SPORTS FAN Meet our first ever Sports Writer in Residence Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan and find out what he’ll be up to

28 LIFE CHANGING We talk to Kit Guy (pictured below) whose experience as a volunteer at the Library is shaping her life CONTRIBUTORS...

Sally Harrower Paula Williams Jan Usher Stewart McRobert Dr Hugh Dan Curator, Curator, Maps, Social Sciences Editorial Executive, MacLennan Modern Literary Mountaineering and Curator Connect Sports Writer Manuscripts Polar collections Publications in Residence

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NEWS EXHIBITION ON TOUR + STAFFA VOYAGE + JOHN MURRAY MAP PROJECT+ MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT ROAD CLASSIFICATION

DELICIOUS JOURNEY

The fascinating story of the development of the Scots diet over the past 400 years is to be told at venues across the country in a new touring display by the Library.

It is the first in a planned series of free touring displays that aim to introduce the Library’s collections to people across Scotland, close to where they live. Hugh Bryden (left) with Lady Marks and Hugh McMillan It is a fulfilment of a commitment made in the Library’s strategy to extend its reach beyond POETRY PAMPHLET SUCCESS Edinburgh and Glasgow. Aberdeen University FOR DUMFRIES PUBLISHER library is the first venue to host the new exhibition, Dumfries-based Roncadora a pamphlet entitled “Sheep Tapsalteerie Press for his which will run there from Press has won this year’s Penned”, written by poet Hugh pamphlet, “tilt-shift” by June to August 2017. It will Callum Macdonald Memorial McMillan. The award, which is Kate Tough. He received a then move on to the New Award, which recognises unique in Scotland, recognises cheque for £600. Lanark World Heritage Site excellence in poetry a publisher, rather than a The author of the winning visitor centre in September pamphlet publishing. writer, with a connection pamphlet, Hugh McMillan, until November. with Scotland or Scottish is also eligible for a separate The display includes a It is the second time that culture. It was established prize of a two-week residency series of colourful panels publisher Hugh Bryden in 2001 in memory of Callum as the Michael Marks Poet that tell the story of food has won the award, having Macdonald MBE, Scottish in Residence at the Harvard and drink in Scotland, triumphed previously in literary publisher and founder Center for Hellenic Studies in based on photographs and 2009. He was presented of Macdonald Publishers Greece in July. descriptions of material with the winning quaich and Printers. Graeme Hawley, one of in the Library’s collection. and a cheque for £1,500 at a Second place was awarded the judges and General Visitors will be able to view ceremony at the Library in to Duncan Lockerbie of Collections Manager at the films from the Library’s May. The winning entry was Aberdeenshire-based Library, said: “This award is an Moving Image Archive on opportunity to acknowledge two small screens in some the best Scotland has to offer of the venues. in contemporary poetry The information is publishing, and celebrates taken from the popular the coming together of both exhibition Lifting the Lid: the content and the carrier 400 years of food and by looking not only at the drink in Scotland which words, but also how the words was staged at the Library appear on the pages, and in Edinburgh in 2015. how those pages work as an Curator Olive Geddes, artefact. The standard gets who developed Lifting higher every year.” the Lid, said: “We hope The Callum Macdonald that, through this touring Memorial Award is exhibition, people can supported by the Michael learn more about food in Marks Charitable Trust and Scotland and about how administered by the National tastes have developed.” Library of Scotland.

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NEWS SPIRITUAL VOYAGE AROUND STAFFA Experience a stunning visual and musical homage to Mendelssohn’s visit to the fabled Fingal’s Cave

A visual and musical treat is being offered to Library visitors during August when they will get the first chance to experience a new collaborative work that will have its World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Festival’s 70th anniversary celebration concert.

Staffa is a film and musical score that pays homage to Felix Mendelssohn’s famous 1829 visit to the haunting Fingal’s Cave on the island of Staffa, which provided the inspiration for his Hebrides Overture. BAFTA and Grierson award- winning filmmaker Gerry Fox and acclaimed composer Ned Bigham have collaborated on Fingal’s Cave, Staffa the new work for full orchestra and large screens depicting three simultaneous visions of repeated throughout the day Scotland and involved the marriage of sound and image. the uninhabited island. Staffa from 10am-6pm. use of pioneering drone- Gerry Fox said: “We have can be seen and heard for Staffa will have its mounted footage of Staffa in hopefully captured the free at the Library from 17-27 World Premiere at the 70th three contrasting weather vastly different moods and August as a three-screen anniversary concert on 27 conditions; sunny, rainy conditions of Staffa to create quadraphonic installation, August, performed by the BBC and stormy. a spiritual voyage around with a stunning performance Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The musical score the distinctive cave and recorded by the Royal The project has been dramatically evokes the its beautiful surrounding Scottish National Orchestra, supported by Creative different moods in a perfect landscape.”

almost half a million rare and that will be preserved by the “Our sound heritage Unlocking unique recordings threatened project in Scotland include is under threat as tapes, by physical degradation or stories of the working lives minidiscs, lacquer, vinyl our sound stored on formats that can of people across the country; and shellac discs degrade no longer be played. interviews with prominent or equipment to play them heritage These recordings tell a literary figures including becomes obsolete,” said rich story of the UK’s diverse Hugh MacDiarmid and Dr John Scally, Scotland’s The Library is to be the history through traditional, Edwin Muir; and recordings National Librarian. location of a new sound pop and world music, drama of traditional Scots music “This is a vitally important preservation centre, one of and literature readings, oral and songs. project that will help to save 10 being created across the history, regional radio and A vital element of the nation’s sounds and UK. It is part of a major £18.8 wildlife sounds. Unlocking Our Sound preserve them to be enjoyed million sound preservation The National Library of Heritage will be an interactive for many generations and access project, which Scotland will work with website hosted by the British to come.” has received a £9.5 million archives, libraries and Library, allowing listeners to National Lottery grant. museums across Scotland explore a wide selection of For more information, The Unlocking Our Sound that have sound recordings recordings. visit the Save Our Sounds Heritage network is led by in their collections. This website is scheduled project www.bl.uk/ the British Library. It will save Examples of the recordings to go live in 2019. projects/save-our-sounds

8 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Painstaking art of conservation The Library’s conservation team have recently completed a major project associated with the John Murray Archive. They have managed to repair, conserve and re-house more than 225 manuscripts, which equates to just over 10,000 individual items.

Sarah Wilmott, Project Conservation Technician, worked on the project with former colleague Lynn Teggart, who has since left the Library. Sarah said: “The team used 61 metres of Japanese paper, our colleagues at Sighthill made 1,028 booklets and Lynn delicately removed 23 strips of Sellotape from one single letter. “The John Murray Archive contains have been used by Patrick more than 150,000 items and it has Leigh Fermor while serving been a privilege to work on this with the Cretan resistance in important historic collection.” 1944, a cheque paid to Jane She added that their favourite items Austen for her novel Emma, include a map with severe insect and a number of Lord Byron’s damage which is believed to original playbills.

Map collection marks road classification A recent addition to the was needed. The Ministry Library’s online collection is of Transport devised a road a set of Ministry of Transport classification system for this maps that marked a new purpose and a definitive list era in identifying road of road classifications was This side by side classification. published in 1922/23. view compares The maps, issued by These maps of Scotland, two MoT maps of West Lothian and the Ordnance Survey (OS) at a scale of half-inch to the the Bridges to the in 1923, were the first to mile (1:126,720), were reduced present day accurately show the initial from larger-scale mapping numbered roads in Scotland. at one-inch to the mile. They The roads depicted on this were published as a set of 34 set of maps are Class I roads sheets covering Scotland, THE SCOTTISH GENEALOGY SOCIETY showing important routes with a standard sheet Family History Centre connecting large population coverage of 48 by 36 miles, centres or through roads, the area covered by four one- All Scotland’s OPRs on film… census records… and the less important inch to the mile sheets. There Largest M.I. collection in Scotland and free access to Class II roads. were no contours on the www.ancestry.co.uk and www.findmypast.co.uk The Ministry of Transport maps, with relief shown just Open 5 days a week, except Friday & Sunday was formed in 1919, and by spot heights. The series Contact us at 15 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL following the Roads Act in was published up until 1936 Telephone 0131 220 3677 1920, the Government was and the road classifications [email protected] www.scotsgenealogy.com allowed to generate revenue were constantly revised and from an excise duty on updated on later editions. road vehicles and licences. With the rapid increase in View the maps at: road traffic, a method for http://maps.nls.uk/os/half- managing the road network inch-mot-roads/

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 9 EDITH SIMON ARCHIVE

It’s the wealth of engaging and revealing personal correspondence that breathes life into the story of a prodigious artist and writer CREATIVE

FORCE CURATOR’S CHOICE – BY SALLY HARROWER, MANUSCRIPTS CURATOR

he greatest fascination of creative energy – the fact that she was both fields of creative endeavour, and working with archives is the producing enough new work to carry the surrounding illustrations give people you meet. More often this off year after year. And art for Edith only a hint of her output. I recommend than not, the person you’re Simon was a second career, or one to Antonia Reeve’s handsomely illustrated getting to know through their which she returned after a long and book about her mother, Edith Simon: Tpapers is dead, but I would argue that an successful literary career that saw the Moderation Be Damned (2005), for a archive resurrects its creator more than publication of some 20 books between much fuller account. anything else we can leave behind. 1937 and 1972. In the archive, it’s the correspondence Anyone who has lived in Edinburgh Both these lives are well-represented in that really tells the stories. Edith Simon during the last 50 years might recognise the archive – notebooks containing drafts was born in 100 years ago, into a the name – Edith Simon had a solo art and research relating to the novels and middle-class Jewish family. Her father, exhibition at just about every festival non-fiction books as well as photographic Walter Simon (described by Edith’s for a period of 30 years. This tells you records of artworks in various stages something about her phenomenal of creation. Edith was acclaimed in Continues overleaf>

10 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Photograph by Antonia Reeve

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 11 EDITH SIMON ARCHIVE Photograph by Antonia Reeve Photographs by Antonia Reeve

From previous page> As war often separated the couple, there sister Inge as “a cheerful pessimist”) are many loving letters from Eric to Edith. foresightedly moved with his family to London in the early 1930s. The earliest Her letters don’t survive, but they must letters in the archive date from this period. These are to “Liebes Edchen” from have made him love her all the more friends she left in Germany. Friendship was something else at which Edith two clearly enjoyed writing to each occasional mock-flirtatious tone, there’s evidently excelled. other: “When we finally got [to H.Q.] the no hint of a romantic connection – both For example, there is a great series Battalion Commander ordered me to take were aspiring writers and their shared of letters from a friend called David up a position at an observation post some cultural and political interests, and Mindline. The first two surviving letters two kilometres away. He presented me humour, created a strong bond. are written from Spain in the winter with a jar of potted tongue and sent me A good reason for assuming there was no of 1937-38, where Dave had gone to out alone in the cold, cruel world...” romance between Edith and Dave is that, volunteer with Soccoro Rojo Internacional On the evidence of the archive, Edith in 1942, she met and married Eric Reeve, (International Red Aid). The letters and Dave continued writing to each a scientist. As war often separated the are long, vivid and often funny – the other until the late 1940s. Despite the couple, there are many loving letters from

12 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Eric to Edith. Her letters don’t survive, at the vagaries of war and the RAF. Edith CARING AND CREATIVE From far left, clockwise: a self portrait of Edith, the but they must have made him love her ends one early letter with the winning Woman in the Rain sculpture, a selection of letters from all the more. One of Eric’s begins: “My line: “It is a pity we don’t know any people the archive beautiful writer of most Charming and in common; I write very good gossip.” Above, clockwise: Karate ‘scalpel painting’, a letter from David Mindline to Edith and a letter from Edith showing Inspiring Letters”. The story continues after John Mair’s her signature He then goes into great detail on how death. Edith had no contact with Mair’s The large image on page 11 shows Edith in her studio creating one of many works of art Edith should seek medical help for a wife when he was alive, but she wrote to persistent bout of diarrhoea! Yet this is Jean Mair after his death. The two women a love letter. He ends: “I think about you became lifelong friends. Jean was later THE NUMBERS much more than is good for the war effort instrumental in introducing Edith to the […] Surely only a fundamentally good literary agent David Higham, who in turn God could create anyone so charming, found Edith a US publisher, and it was delightful, entertaining – in fact perfect – perhaps in the States that her literary in all aspects.” career really took off. Another – sadly much briefer – We’ve run out of space and the Reeves wartime correspondence was that haven’t even reached Scotland. That between Edith and John Mair, a writer happened in 1947 which – appropriately and trainee pilot with the RAF. Edith enough – is the year in which the must have written to him because she Edinburgh Festival started. It might had enjoyed his novel, Never Come Back have taken such a sea change to turn BOOKS PUBLISHED (1940). It was to be his only book as he Edinburgh into the city in which such 20 died in action in 1942. This file includes a vibrant creative force as Edith Simon a few of Edith’s letters, and the quality would feel at home. between 1937 and 1972 of the letter writing – of both – is so She lived here, with her much-loved engaging, ranging from thoughtful family and at the centre of a vast comment on writing (specific and social and creative network, until her general) to wry humour, often directed death in 2003.

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 13 Scots is truly alive an kickin amang the bairns

Our Scots Scriever Hamish MacDonald talks about the success of the 'Wee Windaes' website and the enthusiasm and interest among school children for the Scots language

yne the official launch o the Wee Windaes website in December 2016 we hae ettled tae gie mair kennin tae the Scots leid through Sthe National Leebrar’s braid-reenigin collections, as weel as takkin schuil frae primary schuil level tae mair activities an the occasional ‘wheen advanced an specialised kennin o ABOVE: The Buke of Howlat has a featured o blethers’ tae different airts o the leids an linguistics. windae on the Wee Windaes website to which the country. It is guid tae report that a The texts wae’in the National will now contribute halesome interest in Scots is truly Leebrar continue tae kittle alive an kickin amang primary schuil dumfoonerment an wunner. Mair on Anna Gordon’s ballad collection, bairns in the Kingdom o Fife, while recent additions tae Wee Windaes hae Wee Windaes furder explores the saincentary scholarts in Dundee, includit a double featur o twa dramatic oral Scots tradition by luikin at the Ayr, Bellshill, Banff an Kirkcaldy warks frae the late saxteenth an scrievit record o Traivellers’ Tales, wi hae shawn a mettlesome response seeventeenth centuries, namely wunnerfu imprents sic as Duncan whan gied the opportunity tae wark the play ‘Philotus’ o undetermint Williamson’s ‘A Thorn in the King’s creatively in the Scots tung. Time scrievership (though this has Foot’, editors Ewan MacColl an Peggy an again it is reportit that pupils whiles been attributit tae Alexander Seeger’s collection ‘Till Doomsday in wha din’nae ayeways engage in Montgomerie), an Archibald the Afternoon’ an Stanley Robertson’s classroom activities aftimes tak Pitcairne’s ‘The Assemblie’. In ‘Reek Roond a Camp Fire’. The yaise o a gleg interest an can even the ‘Biographa Dramatica’ Scots as weel as a rowth o words frae excel whan a lesson is jurnal o 1812, Philotus the Cant language are considert in gied in Scots. wis descrived as ‘by the supportin texts. Frae a licht-hertit As weel as offerin far the most offensive 19th century novel tae contemporary learin activities drama ever produced’ fiction, frae Galt tae McNeillie tae providit by Education an ‘sufficient proof of Kelman, Glesga Scots will alsae be Scotland, Wee the barbarous state keeked intae through a wee windae, Windaes will nou alsae in which Scotland frae its origins in braid Scots tae its extend tae ither pairtner remained till civilised mair present form. John McNeillie will organisations wha can gie by its intercourse with featur again in a forthcomin windae some furder provision tae England’. Whither sic a critical on the literature o Gallowa, as the learin aboot a particular featur o dingin-doon o Philotus can be reenge o Scots - an its dialects an the site. We are cantie then that the justified or no, the play is nanetheless variants - continues tae glent frae the University o Edinbrugh will gie mair an ootrageous Renaissance comedie shadier or lesser kent neuks o the grist tae the mill by gien additional o mainers – somewhit at odds wi the Leebrar's collections. materials tae oor featured windae stents o discipline then ‘The Buke of the Howlat’, wi insights prevalent in the capital. Pitcairne’s  The Scots Scriever post is funded intae the conventions, orthographies ‘The Assemblie’ is a hale-hertit for two years by Creative Scotland. an linguistic origins o the text. Aw skaithin on kirk an state affairs at the It is based at the Library and aims to o whit means that the educational hin-end o the Glorious Revolution. raise awareness, appreciation and use potential o Wee Windaes nou reenges In addition tae a featured windae of Scots across the country.

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BELOW: Frank Hurley captures moving pictures using a Prestwich No.5 cinematograph

ENDURING

EYETHE ANTARCTIC LEGACY OF SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON AND FRANK HURLEY Words: Paula Williams See overleaf>

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 15 LASTING LEGACY ‘I have tried to tell of the wonders we saw, of the Celebrating the Endurance expedition’s dangers we faced...’ Frank Hurley’s accounts centenary, the original, fragile glass plate and celluloid negatives, stored securely and spectacular images capture the reality of at the RGS (with IBG) for more than 80 an incredible story of bravery and survival years, have been digitised. The exhibition showcases Hurley’s images, to explore the expedition’s lasting legacy and to collect its t the heart of the Library’s “I have tried to tell of the wonders community memories. Hurley’s pictures visiting exhibition Enduring we saw; of the dangers we faced; of the are integral to the popularity and Eye: The Antarctic Legacy glamour of being the first to penetrate durability of the Shackleton legend. of Sir Ernest Shackleton the unknown; of our successes, and of The final panels explore the “local and Frank Hurley are our failures, - just as glorious – and to heroes” of the Endurance, the Scots who Amore than 90 high-resolution images, picture … the incredible beauties, as well travelled with Shackleton and taken by Shackleton’s official expedition as the awesome desolation, of that vast supported his plans. photographer Frank Hurley. unpeopled continent – Antarctica.” They encourage us to consider Brought to us by the Royal Frank Hurley, Argonauts of the both their legacy and our shared Geographical Society (with the Institute South 1925 Antarctic heritage. of British Geographers), the images were “Shackleton’s Endurance: Discovering saved by Hurley under the most extreme FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL our shared Antarctic Heritage” is a circumstances and provide a lasting Using three cameras, Hurley tried to project, enabled by the Heritage Lottery record of the men of the Endurance and capture the daily life of the expedition Fund, to explore local links to the their story. Hurley’s technical ability as well as the beauty and grandeur of Endurance expedition and the ways in and eye to capture the story set their surroundings. which the experiences of the men – him apart as a pioneering Using a Prestwich No.5 and their knowledge of Antarctica – photojournalist. Pushed cinematograph he captured came to be shared, understood, and by the environment, he moving pictures, later then inspire people across the United created images that still incorporated into the Kingdom. Local reminiscences from have the power to throw film South, which will be across the UK will be posted online us back 100 years and screened at the Library. during the tour of the exhibition. more than 10,000 miles A large tripod glass-plate on to the ship and the ice. still camera enabled him WORDIE ARCHIVE The Imperial Trans- to capture the detailed In addition to the photographs, the Antarctic Expedition, led images. He was often to be Library is displaying material about by Sir Ernest Shackleton found with it out among the the expedition, largely from the Wordie (pictured), left Britain just as ice floes, or hanging off the ship’s Collection, but also on loan from the war was declared in August 1914. masts to get an interesting shot. After Wordie family. The goal was to cross Antarctica via the ship was crushed, he was left with his Glasgow-born James Mann Wordie was the newly conquered . The smaller “pocket” Kodak FPK, on which the young geologist on the expedition. largest group sailed via Buenos Aires he captured the immediacy of the men’s His archive and personal collection of and South Georgia to the Weddell Sea. A fight for survival. more than 4,000 polar books are here small team was based on the other side An album of images developed at the Library. of the continent at the Ross Sea, to lay aboard the ship, known as the He was a mountaineer, food depots and await the arrival of the Green Album, was rescued explorer and academic, main party. The ice in the Weddell Sea and is now at the Scott who went on to become was particularly difficult that year. Their Polar Research Institute. master of St John’s ship, the Endurance, became trapped, The images on display College, Cambridge. and one of the greatest stories of human came from the glass He was president of endurance and endeavour unfolded. plates and negatives the RGS at the time of Through the exhibition, we travel on rescued from under the the successful climb the ship and experience the cramped icy water by Hurley when of Mount Everest, conditions on board and in the so-called the ship was sinking in sponsored by the Society. haven of , to the eventual November 1914. The plates He led several expeditions rescue. Life among the ice is shown large were too heavy and Hurley was to Greenland and the Arctic in Hurley’s spectacular photographs. forced to select only 120. The others he and was involved in the planning of The exhibition has been researched, smashed on the ice. the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic written and curated by Meredith Hooper, “Sealed in containers, many of the Expedition with his friend and college the Antarctic historian, writer and negatives were submerged beneath fellow Vivian Fuchs. Fuchs and Edmund broadcaster, from original source material the mushy ice deep in the bowels of the Hillary crossed the continent via the in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It wreck for a fortnight. Rescued after some South Pole, fulfilling Shackleton’s also draws on information provided by sensational diving, the cases experienced dream, in 1958. descendants of some of the 28 men on the perils of a six months’ drift on an The Heritage Lottery Fund has the Endurance. Meredith largely uses ice-raft.” supported the exhibition to tour the UK words from the men themselves, sourced Frank Hurley, Shackleton’s from the RGS in London. The Library is from their original diaries. Argonauts 1948 its only Scottish venue.

16 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 NEW EXHIBITION

James Wordie, Alfred Cheetham and (left to right) scrubbing the galley floor

For more info on the exhibition visit: www.nls.uk/ exhibitions/ enduring- Enduring eye Eye: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Hurley will be at George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, between 16 June and 12 November, The images on display came 2017 from the glass plates and negatives rescued from under the icy water by Hurley when the ship was sinking

Frank Wild looks over the wreck

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 17 NEW EXHIBITION

MAP KEY

Actual voyage of Endurance

Planned routes for voyage and expedition

Drift of Endurance in ice pack

Ice drift after Endurance sinks

Voyage of the James Caird

Drift and retreat AGAINST of Aurora ALL THE ODDS MAPPING SHACKLETON’S ANTARCTIC PROGRESS

BELOW: ENDURING EFFORT: THE UNFOLDING TRANS-ANTARCTIC TIMELINE Frank Hurley 8 AUGUST, 1914 18 JANUARY, 1915 ship abandoned. Camp 24 APRIL, 1916 Endurance party Endurance leaves Great Endurance trapped in on the ice. Shackleton and five rescued from Elephant Britain as First World pack ice in Weddell Sea. others sail for South Island on fourth attempt War is declared. 21 NOVEMBER, 1915 Georgia on James Caird. (24 months, 22 days 7 MAY, 1915 Endurance sinks. after leaving UK). 5 DECEMBER, 1914 Ten men of the Ross 20 MAY, 1916 Endurance leaves Sea party stranded 2 APRIL, 1916 Shackleton, Worsley, 10 JANUARY, 1917 South Georgia. ashore as Aurora is Aurora limps into and Crean reach On the other side of damaged and swept New Zealand. Stromness whaling Antarctica, Ross Sea 16 JANUARY, 1915 away in a gale. station South Georgia. party rescued by The 9 APRIL, 1916 their ship Aurora, with arrives in Antarctica 27 OCTOBER, 1915 Launch boats for 30 AUGUST, 1916 Shackleton on board. to lay food depots. Endurance crushed, Elephant Island. Remainder of the Three men are dead.

18 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

YEARS OF CELEBRATING THE HUMAN SPIRIT We delve into our archives and dig out festival items from over the years

his year marks a significant flowering of the human spirit’. Little events grew into the Edinburgh Festival milestone for the Edinburgh did either man know that they and Fringe. More festivals have grown International Festival (EIF). their fellow founders would inspire the up around EIF in August and early It is 70 years since the first world’s largest annual arts celebration. September, as well as throughout the event was held in the wake of Since 1947 the event has brought year. There are now 12 major annual Tthe Second World War. together audiences and artists from festivals in Edinburgh covering topics The Festival was conceived by Rudolf around the world. as diverse as books, cinema, jazz, Bing, then the General Manager of From the start, the International politics, science and spirituality. Glyndebourne Opera. As expressed by Festival inspired artists who were not its first Chair, Sir John Falconer, the part of the International programme to idea was to ‘provide a platform for the put on shows of their own, and these Continues overleaf>

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 19 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

From previous page> Look back Every year, Library staff gather flyers, programmes and playbills from all over the city to add to our rich collection of material representing the many Edinburgh festivals. Here, we take a look at some of the items from the festivals from the last 70 years.

READ ALL ABOUT IT ABOVE: Programmes, leaflets and ephemera from the Edinburgh International Book Festival. RIGHT: The second International Festival, in 1948, saw its first theatrical success. An adaptation of Sir David Lyndsay’s Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis was performed to great acclaim for the first time since the 1550s. It starred, among others, Scots comic actor, Stanley Baxter

THEATRICAL SUCCESS ABOVE: The Library holds the archive of theatre photographer Sean Hudson, who became the Festival’s official photographer in 1983. These shots from 1980 show National Theatre Company performers promoting their production of The Passion. The cast included Brenda Blethyn, Brian Glover, Dai Bradley and Don Warrington. Above photos courtesy of Sean Hudson. TOP: A Fringe Festival programme from 1962

20 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 FINE FILMS ABOVE: A selection of programmes and brochures covering the early years of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. LEFT: Souvenir programmes for the Edinburgh International Festival including some designed by Jean Cocteau

FRINGE BENEFITS BELOW: Edinburgh Festival Society scrapbook, 1970. The Library’s collection of festival material features the archive of the The Edinburgh International Festival Society which includes volumes of press cuttings covering many years. RIGHT: A selection of Fringe flyers from 1977

MUSICAL TALENT LEFT: International Festival 1947 concert flyer. ABOVE: International Festival of Music and Drama 1947 inauguration

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 21 TREASURES DISPLAY India in view Images of India, the Library's latest Treasures ince its earliest days, when it was first established as display, celebrates the UK-India Year of Culture. the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, the National As Jan Usher, Social Sciences Curator, explains, Library has had an interest in this portrays the sub-continent as seen through SSouth Asia. The 1742 published catalogue contains titles of books on the Dutch East the eyes of religious faiths, artists' imagination India Company. Thereafter, there is an and camera lenses over the centuries increase in the number of South Asia- related items, commensurate with the rise of the East India Company and the An 18th-century Urdu poem British presence in India. Many Scots were part of the British Empire's administration and spent time in South Asia. Several of the Library's collections relate to colonial administration, but there is also evidence of genuine curiosity and intellectual exchange. This is reflected in the material in Images of India, including works produced by Indians, and some early published illustrations produced by ex-pat Scots. One substantial collection consists of the Minto Papers - those of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 1st Earl of Minto, and Gilbert John Elliot Murray Kynynmound, the 4th Earl of Minto. The 1st Earl was Governor General of India from 1806 to 1813. This collection includes correspondence relating to government and administration, and official material. The papers also contain the illustrated correspondence of Captain Thomas William Taylor who served as military secretary to the 1st Earl. He was a proficient sketcher and water-colourist and sent back a vividly illustrated series of journal letters to Lord Minto’s daughter, Lady Anna Maria Elliot, and her family at Minto House, Roxburghshire. The papers of the 4th Earl of Minto, who was Viceroy from 1905-1910, document the administration of India from around 1883 to 1914. There are official printed reports from major government departments as well as Minto’s correspondence and papers, newspaper cuttings, printed speeches and so on. Also included in the display is Lady Minto’s beautifully illustrated scrapbook, presented to her when Lord Minto’s tenure ended in 1910. She adored jewellery, and had noted in her diary that when shown the Nawab of Rampur’s collection of superb pearls, that it was: “impossible to obviate breaking the 10th commandment…”.

22 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 The scrapbook is inscribed “A pearl collections of correspondence and related necklace”. It is signed by various material that report on the experiences prominent Indian and Anglo-Indian of individual Scots in government, in Some display ladies and contains tiny watercolours trade, in the army, in medical practice of Indian scenes which would have been or elsewhere. There are also papers of highlights very familiar to the Vicereine. The one Scottish travellers and explorers in the on these pages features the ruins of subcontinent. Akbar-Nama the Lucknow Residency, with damage Also of note are the papers and pencil (Book of Akbar) from the Indian Rebellion of 1857-58 still and watercolour drawings of John Akbar was the third in evidence. Francis Campbell of Islay, author and Mughal Emperor (r. collector of West Highland Tales, a noted 1556–1605) and this is PHOTO ALBUMS folklorist and geologist, and a gifted the official chronicle The Scottish Foreign Mission Records artist. He visited India in 1876-1877 and of his reign (pictured contain material related to missionary made numerous watercolour drawings right), commissioned activity in South Asia from the early and other sketches that add to our by him and written 19th century to recent times. Included documentation of the Himalayas. by his court historian in this archive are a huge number of In all, the display is a compelling and biographer, photographs taken or collected by contribution to the UK-India Year Abul Fazl. It was missionaries, including albums such of Culture and includes a range written in Persian, as Views of Rajputana by Lala Deen of fascinating, colourful and the literary language Dayal (1844–1905). He was appointed illuminating material. of the Mughals, photographer to the Viceroy of India in and includes 1885 and received the Royal Warrant from  Images of India will be on show vivid and detailed Queen Victoria in 1897. at the Library in George IV Bridge, descriptions of Beyond these major collections of Edinburgh between 6 July and Akbar’s life and times. material there are many individual 20 August, 2017. Astrological scroll This scroll, dated 1788, opens with an image of Ganesh riding a BELOW: A view of the Botanic Garden House and Reach by James Baillie Fraser. BELOW RIGHT: Lady Minto scrapbook peacock. It is a Sanskrit scroll of astrological computations with diagrams and mythological figures, made for an individual. Ganesh is the god who removes obstructions, so it is not unusual to find him included in what is essentially a horoscope.

James Baillie Fraser (1783-1856) Fraser published Views of India: Calcutta and its Environs in 1824- 26. He had gone to India to make money to pay off family debts. Once there, he realised his artistic potential. After an extensive tour in the Himalayas, where he was constantly sketching, he settled in Calcutta and set up the agency firm of Fraser and Mackintosh. However, his art work became more important to him than the business. He was the first to publish views of the Himalayas, and he commissioned and collected works by Indian artists, as well as writing about his travels.

Ishqnama-I Gulbadan o Naunihal (The loves of Naunihal and Gulbadan) A Deccani Urdu poem composed by Ahmed Ali around 1785 (an early manuscript copy can be seen on page 22 and left), with illuminated drawings.

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 23 SPORTS

Top of the table

Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan is the National Library of Scotland’s first ever Sports Writer in Residence. In a year-long post jointly funded by the Library, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the University of Edinburgh Academy of Sport, he will be mining the Library’s vast sporting resources and opening them up to the public

riting in the Daily Express the largest collection of Scottish in 1936, the sports newspapers in the world. I knew W journalist Trevor Wignall that, but did not realise that the said “Sport... is probably the same applies to maps. biggest thing in the land. It The Library is the largest sports occupies the thoughts, and library in Scotland with a wealth empties the pockets, of countless of material on the home-grown millions”. Sport will certainly be Scottish sports of shinty, curling, occupying my thoughts for the golf and Highland Games. There next 12 months as I endeavour to are also large collections on mine the extensive and varied sports where Scotland has often sports-related material held in played a key role in the sport’s the various locations of this history and development such as wonderful institution. football, rugby, tennis, swimming, I first experienced the Library’s athletics and cricket. Among joys when, as a post-graduate the other sports to be found at student at Aberdeen University in the Library are roller derby, ice the 1990s, we were sent to George skating, bowling, boxing, snooker, Above right: A rare IV Bridge to learn how to use a athletics and bazaars. There is programme from reference library! Twenty years a huge amount of material on a cricket match in Aberdeen in 1948 later, I have now been given the personalities relating to sport in when the legendary equivalent of the keys to a sweetie Scotland, their achievements at Don Bradman played shop and access to some of the home, and also on the world stage. his last international match most knowledgeable people in And if you want to know about the Below right: Rugby’s the world when it comes to sport history of lifting big stones, à la losses in the First and Scottish heritage. While the Donald Dinnie, this is the place to World War were marked by the National Library of Scotland is find out more about them. publication in 1919 the largest library in Scotland, As would be expected, the of E H D Sewell’s valuable Roll of there are also, within our National Library of Scotland Honour. Among the collections, many smaller has one of the largest Scottish players more specialist libraries. We collections of printed named are Eric Milroy, David Bedell- are the largest newspaper and manuscript golf and Sivright and Walter library in Scotland and have golf-related material in Sutherland

24 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Right: Four “Men of Muscle” from John James Miller’s Our newspaper collections are Scottish Sports and how to Excel in home to decades of sports coverage them: a Handbook for Beginners. A snip for budding both at national and local level heavyweight athletes at 6d in the (very) old money Left: A selection of items from the Library’s amazing collection of sporting books, pamphlets and programmes

Over the next 12 months I will be delving into this rich seam of sporting history, contributing to the work of the Sports Heritage Scotland project at Hampden Park and linking our sporting heritage to other aspects of society such as the nation’s health and wellbeing. I will also be taking part in events the world, ranging from 15th junior football matches, including at the Royal National Mod, the century manuscript material a small but growing collection of Edinburgh Festival, The Academy that mentions the game right up programmes for women’s football. of Sport’s Summer School on Sport to the programme for the 2014 We have club histories from the and Culture and other events Ryder Cup held at Gleneagles smallest amateur side to the big throughout Scotland. and includes maps, early books, city teams, a near comprehensive The Library is keen to develop biographies, club histories, course collection of biographies relating to new audiences, enhance the sports design, serials and programmes. the game, extensive collections of content of its online offering and The Library has recently been football magazines, Wee Red Books, to engage with communities in trying to build up 20th and 21st Topical Times books and Roy of the terms of building our store of the century printed golf collections, Rovers annuals, amongst others. nation’s sporting history. There such as programmes for major There are more than 3,000 is a whole community of interest championships and we will books on world and Scottish rugby, which the Library can support by continue to scope and build ranging from the history of local continuing to make its collections our modern golf collections clubs to books on the Rugby World more accessible. The material held via purchase, donation and Cup and Lions tours as well as here on behalf of the nation is for Legal Deposit. early books on the development everyone to peruse at their leisure, Our newspaper collections of the game in Scotland and online, or, better still, in person. are home to decades of sports international programmes Our collections are diverse and coverage both at national and dating back to when these niche. Your sport is here – we are local level. We currently receive were played at Raeburn Place sure we have a sport for everybody 250 Scottish newspapers and rather than Murrayfield. and can help everybody with sport. have almost complete collections Cricket in Scotland was going back to 1925 and beyond. We widely played and has a long and  Access to our resources is have more than 18,000 items on interesting history. We have early free and straightforward in our football world-wide, including large histories of the Grange Cricket reading rooms in Edinburgh. For collections on Scottish football. We Club, Carlton Cricket Club and those more interested in sport have probably the largest collection books on lots of other cricket clubs science, tens of thousands of of Scottish football programmes throughout Scotland. We have the electronic journal articles are available to the public for perusal; rare programme from 1948 for a available in Glasgow at Kelvin Hall. over 9,000 programmes for full- Scotland v Australia match played in If you require help, please contact time league clubs and another Aberdeen which was the legendary Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan, on thousand for international and Don Bradman’s last international. [email protected]

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 25 ANNIVERSARY

POTTER POP-UP As J K Rowling’s legendary creation celebrates 20 years in print, we look back at the literary phenomenon that is Harry Potter

Words: Andrew Collier

t’s virtually impossible to visualise who hasn’t read about, seen or heard of To celebrate the anniversary, a special a world without Harry Potter. The Harry’s exploits. pop-up exhibition was held at the Library adventures of Edinburgh-based Most of us now know J K Rowling’s on June 26, featuring Harry Potter and J K Rowling’s boy wizard have amazing rags-to-riches story, starting related books from our collections. The done more than captivate the her writing career while a single mother event showed the international reach and Iimagination of children everywhere – in Edinburgh and putting together some huge impact on publishing of her writing. they’ve become a publishing sensation. of her first book, Harry Potter and the In fact, Joanne Rowling – her personal More than 450 million copies of the Philosopher’s Stone, in a café in the city’s rather than her Harry Potter writing books have been sold worldwide, and Newington district. name – has a long and warm association it’s estimated that the films based on It’s now 20 years since that first with the Library. Back in 2005, she signed them have made nearly $8 billion. There groundbreaking volume in the series and donated the very first copy of one can hardly be a youngster on the planet was published. of her works, Harry Potter and the Half

26 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Blood Prince, to Us exhibition, celebrating the Library on the ideas and inventions made day of its publication. in Scotland. Then, three years later, she First editions of the work can now read extracts in the Library from one fetch up to £25,000, but this one was of the original handwritten fairytales particularly special as it contained more mentioned in her book Harry Potter and than 40 pages of personal notes and the Deathly Hallows. She made seven drawings made by her. On the title page handcrafted copies of Beedle The Bard, she had drawn a coat of arms and written creating, handwriting and illustrating “changed my life forever”. them herself. Her notes also contain references to The Library event – a Beedle tea party the Harry Potter series as a whole and for city youngsters – was hosted by to the film adaptations. One of them explains how she invented Quidditch, a sport involving witches and wizards Youngsters love which is played by characters in the series. More than 20 of her drawings also reading her works illustrate this game. and immersing The one day pop up exhibition renewed our relationship and acted themselves in as a reminder of the phenomenally the volumes run to 800 pages. successful Ms Rowling’s links with The films, too, have had a major Harry Potter’s Scotland and Edinburgh. impact, not least on the UK visual effects magical world Graeme Hawley, General Collections industry, which is now a world leader and Manager at the Library, led the regularly sweeps up Oscar nominations. anniversary event. He explained: There’s also a huge range of branded the Children's High Level Group, now “It was really important for us to do merchandise available for adoring Potter called Lomos, which she co-founded something for Potter fans to mark fans, ranging from Lego to video games along with former MP Emma Nicholson. the anniversary. J K Rowling’s books and even stamps (pictured above). The charity promotes an end to the are of tremendous significance to a Tourism across the UK has been institutionalisation of young people generation who discovered boosted by the settings used in the worldwide. anew or rediscovered the joy of movies, including the famous Glenfinnan The National Library of reading, and anticipating the Viaduct on the West Highland Line which Scotland also borrowed one of next instalment. We wanted to features in two of them. Even sales of the the seven original books from celebrate the impact that these round-framed spectacles similar to those Barry Cunningham, the author’s books have made.” worn by Harry have risen in popularity. first editor, who received it from Ms Rowling’s influence on In the long term, though, is the so- her as a personal gift. the world of arts and literature called Potterverse – J K Rowling’s magical Then, in 2014, the association has been huge. As youngsters universe – sustainable? There’s little between the Library and Ms love reading her works and reason why not: after all, Tolkien’s works Rowling took another step immersing themselves in and C S Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia forward when a first edition Harry Potter’s magical series remain highly popular. of Harry Potter and the world, they have boosted The fantasy world of Hogwarts lives, is Philosopher’s Stone was children’s interest in loved, and still attracts new readers every loaned for a week as books, especially day. Harry Potter, it seems, will be with us part of the Wha’s Like longer ones. Some of for a long time to come.

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 27

VOLUNTEERING

As a schoolgirl volunteer in conservation, Kit Guy’s eyes were opened to the scope and nature of work in cultural heritage. The experience changed her life...

Words: Stewart McRobert SKILLS FOR CAREER OF A LIFETIME

olunteering at the Library things we learned how to clean books is a great experience in using special sponges that attract dirt itself, and in a few cases and how to prevent rust on metal map it can lead to a rewarding plates,” said Kit. career. Kit Guy can vouch “We made boxes for material Vfor this. In September, she became a associated with the 2014 Scottish trainee digitiser employed by the National independence referendum. That ranged Galleries of Scotland – almost exactly one from metal badges to balloons, which year after earning valuable experience as degrade over time. It was a case of a volunteer at the Library. looking at the best way to store them so Kit explained: “In 2015, while in that degradation is delayed for as long fifth year at Currie High School in as possible and when it does happen the Edinburgh, I took volunteering as a fragments of balloon don’t contaminate placements at three different locations – subject. People were aware of my love everything else around them.” the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the for history and books. My teacher saw Her band of volunteers included a mix Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art an ad for volunteers at the Library. of people. “Being still at school, I was the and the National Library of Scotland. I thought I’d give it a go, and after a youngest. A lot of my fellow volunteers phone conversation with Organisational had just completed university.” SKILLS Development Partner Andrew McDougall It was her intention to take that path In her new role she is already using I was taken on.” too. However, she became aware of the some of the skills she learned during She was part of a group of 10 volunteers opportunity to be a trainee digitiser her time as a volunteer. “Conservation is who had the chance to help out with and her application was successful. part of what we do, and it’s particularly basic conservation work. “Among other Part of her training involves 20-week important how we handle artwork. For example, in our studio we use a book cradle to support documents, some of which can be very fragile. We are Volunteering made me really appreciate encouraged to treat everything with all the effort that is put into conservation. extreme care, even newer material which can seem more robust. That’s a lesson I It gave me an idea of where I wanted to go learned while volunteering.”

28 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017

Kit Guy. Photo courtesy of Stewart Hardy

Kit believes that volunteering opened because I didn’t know much about it.” “I didn’t know what to expect when her eyes to the variety in the cultural During the seven weeks she spent at I started. I had a feeling we would be heritage sector and the scope of work the Library, she appreciated the trust working with material but didn’t know that is carried out. “I was able to get an shown in her and her fellow volunteers. how closely. The staff liked to get us appreciation of what the Library does. “We were shown what to do and staff involved as much as possible. That’s what Like other people, I had visited exhibitions, were always on hand in case we needed you want as a volunteer – you want to feel but did not know what went on behind the help, but for the most part we were left like you are doing a real job with value. I scenes. I hadn’t really thought about who to carry on with the task in hand. It was am really glad I did it and would happily looked after all of the artwork and books good to have that freedom. The work volunteer again.” and how it was done. Volunteering made wasn’t regimented – we did not have a Like others before her, volunteering me really appreciate all the effort that is set amount of material to get through in turned out to be a life-changing put into conserving the material.” a specific time. It was imperative that we experience for Kit. The experience also helped to were gentle with the material and took crystallise her thoughts about her own good care of it.”  If you would like to know more career. “It gave me an idea of where I Kit said that she did not volunteer with about volunteering at the Library, please would like to go. I had been thinking about the intention of landing a job. Instead, she contact Organisational Development areas associated with history but hadn’t wanted to gain experience and expand Partner Andrew McDougall at: considered cultural heritage, simply her knowledge of the sector. [email protected] or on 0131 623 3728.

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 29 EXPLORE THE LIBRARY Great Library resources…

Based in two cities and with a collection of more than confirmation are at 26 million printed items, two million maps, 32,000 www.nls.uk/using-the- films, three miles of manuscripts, and thousands of library/library-cards/ photographs, getting around the Library sites requires evidence-of-identity a little navigation VIEWING MATERIAL LIBRARY LOCATIONS E: [email protected] If you know what you are FILM AND DIGITAL COLLECTIONS Due to building works looking for, we recommend Kelvin Hall the public entrance will be making your request for 1445 Argyle Street moved, please follow signs. the required material in Glasgow G3 8AW advance of your visit to Tel : 0845 366 4600 HOW TO JOIN the Library. Requests licensed digital collections E: [email protected] To use the Library’s can be made in person, is https://auth.nls.uk/ldc Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Edinburgh reading rooms by telephone on 0131 623 Additionally, recent and order items from the 3820 or 3821, or by email legislation has given the OTHER COLLECTIONS collections, you need to to [email protected] Library and the other five George IV Bridge hold a Library card. This can If you have a Library card, legal-deposit libraries in Edinburgh EH1 1EW be obtained by completing books can be ordered in the UK the legal right to Tel: 0131 623 3700 the online form at https:// advance via the online collect, store and preserve E: [email protected] auth.nls.uk/registration catalogue on our website. the nation’s memory in Mon-Fri 9.30am-8.30pm On your first visit to the For information about pre- the digital age. There is (Wed 10am-8.30pm), Library, you should go to ordering, see www.nls.uk/ a mixture of electronic Sat 9.30am-1pm Registration, where staff using-the-library/reading- content available, including will take your photo and rooms/general/preorders websites in the UK domain MAPS produce a Library card for web archive, and articles/ Causewayside Building you. You will need proof of ONLINE chapters from e-books and 159 Causewayside identity and confirmation of The Library has a vast e-journals. This material Edinburgh EH9 1PH your address. Examples of range of electronic can be viewed on Library Tel: 0131 623 4660 acceptable ID and address resources, including digital computers within the versions of reference reading rooms if you are a works, massive full-text registered user. facsimiles and business databases. Many of VISITOR CENTRE these resources are The Visitor Centre at the available on the internet to George IV Bridge building users resident in Scotland, in Edinburgh has an although additional exhibition space, a shop conditions may apply selling books, stationery in line with our licence and gifts, a café and PCs agreements. with access to Library Your first port of call catalogues and other to access the Library’s digital facilities.

IN FOCUS Discover your history The Library has an impressive range of genealogical resources if you want to research your family history. The best way to start your research is to work backwards from what you already know. Collecting family memorabilia such as birth, death and marriage certificates, diaries, newspaper cuttings, letters and photographs can also provide you with further information. Also, remember to write down any information that you find and where you found it. Be methodical and follow every clue. This will enable you to create a fuller picture of your family and its history.

 To get started, visit www.nls.uk/family-history

30 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 DIGITAL RESOURCES

Photograph: National Library of Scotland

Photograph: Sam Finch

Trainees will learn to use a variety of digitisation equipment and techniques, and work across collections ranging from maps to old records Photograph: Graeme Yule, National Galleries of Scotland Learning to be hands-on HLF Skills for the Future digitisation traineeship under way

In partnership with the for two sets of 18 months, the physical copies go on heritage digitisation skills National Galleries of enables the trainees to loan. At other times they and invaluable insight into Scotland, the Library has work on many different may create digital images working in the information embarked on a Heritage collections, ranging from to support our exhibitions and cultural heritage sector. Lottery Fund (HLF)-funded fold-out maps within and events programmes. Skills for the Future Post Office directories, However, our major driver digitisation traineeship to shellac record labels for digitisation is the aim which sees materials from from our Dean-Myatt to make our collections our collections digitised collection of historic digitally accessible to MORE by 12 young trainees aged sound recordings. They the public. INFORMATION between 18 and 24. As part of will also get the chance The Skills for the Future their time at our digitisation to work on everything traineeship therefore To find out more studio, the trainees learn from Gaelic pamphlets and provides an ideal way to how to operate a variety manuscripts to antiquarian merge two very desirable about the Skills of digitisation equipment, books, printed music, and aims. It actively contributes for the Future use image editing software, 20th century exam papers. to the Library’s strategic traineeship, contact carry out quality checks, and Reasons for digitisation priority to have a third of Ines Byrne, Digital create metadata to ensure can be as varied as the our collections in digital Collections Specialist that all digital images meet materials themselves. The format by our centenary ([email protected]) our required standards. trainees may, for example, in 2025. At the same time, The traineeship, which be working on collections it provides the 12 young started in 2015 and runs which get digitised before trainees with sought-after

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 31 “She can accomplish too much too damned well!” W Gordon Smith THE STRATHMARTINE TRUST (Scottish Charity Number: SC 028924) “Edith Simon’s life brilliantly encompassed a number of careers: book illustrator, graphic artist, novelist, historian, translator, essayist, painter, e Strathmartine Trust (established in 1999) is a sculptor and draughtswoman. charitable trust the primary object of which is to Her output was prodigious and prolifi c – her career as a writer support research and education in Scottish History. alone would have satisfi ed more modest talents.” Giles Sutherland on e Trustees seek applications for the following grants: Edith Simon’s work • Strathmartine Awards - up to £5,000 to assist with the completion of existing projects and to aid publication. Read more about Edith • Sandeman Fund Awards – up to £2,000 for Simon on pages 10-13 research in the  eld of early medieval Scottish History. Moderation be Damned (a book about Edith Simon’s life) ISBN 0954983807 Full details and application forms can be obtained 128pp 240 x 300mm softback with 200+ full colour illustrations, contributors Inge Goodwin from e Strathmartine Trust by e-mail to and Giles Sutherland with essays by Edith Simon [email protected] or on the Trust’s plus archive CD containing nearly 900 images website: www.strathmartinetrust.org. Buy new at £20 + £3.00 pp from Edith Simon Studio, c/o Reeve, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, Edinburgh EH12 5JU, e closing date for the return of completed tel 0131 346 0469 or email [email protected], applications in each case is 15 November 2017. cheque to Edith Simon Studio, credit card/Paypal by arrangement; or buy new from Edith Simon Studio on Amazon http://amzn.to/2rnyWgN at £25 + pp

www.edith-simon.com

P.B.F.A. BOOK FAIRS IN SCOTLAND 2017

AUGUST AUGUST/ Sun 29 Sat 5 SEPTEMBER ABERDEEN GLAMIS Thu 31 Aug – Sat 2 Hilton Treetops Bridge View House, September SYKE Hotel, 161 Springfi eld Glamis, Forfar ANTIQUARIAN Road, Aberdden DD8 1QU BOOK FESTIVAL AB15 7AQ 10am-5pm. £1 Aros Cultural Centre, 10am-59m. £1 Sun 6 Viewfi eld Road, BALLATER Portree, Skye For more Victoria Hall, Station IV51 9EU information on Square, Ballater Thu 12pm-5.30pm, P.B.F.A. bookfairs, AB35 5QB Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat please visit the 10am-5pm. £1 9am-4.30pm. Free website or contact us using the details Fri 18 & Sat 19 OCTOBER below. EDINBURGH Sat 14 FESTIVAL EDINBURGH The Roxburghe Radisson Blu Hotel, Hotel, 38 Charlotte 80 High Street, Royal Square, Edinburgh Mile EH1 1TH EH2 4HQ 10am-5pm. £1 10am-5pm each day. Free MY LIBRARY © Aly Wight

Theatre director Mark Thomson’s relationship with the Library was born out of practicality... and then blossomed Dramatic effect For playwright Mark Thomson, the sheer range imagination travels through authenticity and truth via informed analysis and and volume of the Library opened up new research. Hello, National Library of Scotland. vistas and enriched his knowledge of theatre Researching each production became a given. I have examined American late have always loved libraries. was used to scouring bookshops 50s history for Sam Shepard’s Curse I Because I have always loved that had shelf loads of plays. Sadly, of the Starving Classes, dipped into books. Because words and ideas Scotland had nothing similar and the Brecht biographies when directing The have always been key to my happiness. I Edinburgh libraries’ range did not help me Caucasian Chalk Circle, delved into know many will say that being in the programme a theatre company. director notes to explore other artists’ quiet contemplative universe of silence Then I tried the National Library, where approaches to playwrights from Oscar populated by galaxies of books and the resources and range of services Wilde to Pirandello. And with the help of people gently floating around them, or opened up rich and surprising avenues the great Edinburgh mind, Owen Dudley hunched over desks, makes them calm. of thinking. I’d pop in to visit obscure Edwards, who really ought to pay the For me, never so. It places me in a Jacobean “lost” masterpieces, then Library rent as he is there so often, I heightened state, like a kid hitting discover German contemporary works by accessed myriad sources when I directed Disneyland. Like the books were active Kerstin Specht, an obscure Giraudoux, a Tim Barrow’s play Union about the union experiences, their contents brimming Victorian burlesque and more. between Scotland and England. I read with the life, the knowledge, and the Searching the main catalogue was about the world these plays and their passion of their authors. Whatever an artform. My keyword searches – characters inhabited, and gleaned what energy it took to write, I became infected. French Plays Sixties, European Plays they would have looked like through I first started visiting the National and so on – threw up works I’d never description and pictorial references of Library of Scotland 20 years ago when thought of. Some I’d read half a page of, dress, maps and sketches. I took up artistic directorship of the others I’d get lost in. The sheer range The web can throw up some brilliant Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh and and volume opened up vistas to help first-base facts and sometimes more thereafter Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum me in programming and enriched my detailed or odd information. But there Theatre. Like many relationships, it was knowledge of theatre, voice and world are legions of books not available born out of practicality before blossoming drama. Every day I spent there was like electronically. The only place I know into something fuller. having several birthdays. where I can access idiosyncratic facts or I moved from London in 1997 and My next step came when I adapted areas of interest is the Library. I still get James Hogg’s Private Memoirs and excited when I walk through the doors, Confessions of a Justified Sinner. I approach the search engine and, most I still get excited wanted to research the historical, social of all, sit in the beautiful reading room. when I walk through and domestic context of the characters, Unlike Disneyland you can’t order a Coke and, most of all, the complex religious and popcorn, but the food for the mind is the doors... and sit dynamics surrounding predestination. very, very good. At the Library, I could sit with 10 books in the beautiful at a time gathering data and knowledge, Mark Thomson is a theatre director and following bibliography routes like playwright. He was Artistic Director of reading room literary maps through the database. As the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company from MARK THOMSON a theatre director, you create worlds and 2003 to 2016.

SUMMER 2017 | DISCOVER | 33 MEMORY LANE Pretty as a postcard The National Library of Scotland boasts more than 200 collections or sets of postcards. The majority show Scottish scenes like the two below of Ayr and Dundee, but if you dig deep you’ll also find many featuring popular tourist destinations such as Edinburgh Castle and Kelvingrove Museum. There are also many showing cartoons, caricatures (bottom right), tartanalia and, less commonly, groups of Scottish women doing laundry (top right)!

34 | DISCOVER | SUMMER 2017 Famous Scots from the Past

Kings or queens? Heroes or outlaws? Th inkersor doers?

Discover the lives of some of the most famous and infamous Scots in this Edinburgh Festival Fringe exhibition, told through rarely-seen documents from the national archives.

FREE EXHIBITION

Step into the past in the elegant setting of Robert Adam’s Register House, the most important public building to grace the capital of Enlightenment Scotland.

Edinburgh Fringe Venue 502 National Records of Scotland (Matheson Dome) 9.00 – 4.30 Monday to Friday Tuesday 1 August – Friday 1 September 2017

National Records of Scotland, H M General Register House, 2 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH1 3YY www.nrscotland.gov.uk www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk