THE SCOTS CANADIAN Issue XXXIX Newsletter of the Scottish Studies Society: ISSN No. 1491-2759 Fall 2014 Dr. James Fraser appointed University of Guelph’s new Chair of Scottish Studies We are thrilled to announce that Dr. James Iron Age to the ninth Fraser will be leading The University of century. Principal work Guelph's Centre for Scottish Studies in the to date has been in winter semester as the Scottish Studies relation to Adomnán’s Foundation Chair. Vita sancti Columbae, the James comes to us from the Department of circumstances History at the University of Edinburgh where surrounding its he is a Senior Lecturer in Early Scottish composition, and the light History. He is the author of From Caledonia shed by this magnificent to Pictland: Scotland to 795, The Roman text on the monastery of Conquest of Scotland: the Battle of Mons Iona where it was written, Graupius AD 84 and The Battle of on political geography James E. Fraser BA, MA, PhD, FSAScot Dunnichen 685. and activity in early He has extensive teaching experience at medieval Scotland, on the conversion and during this recent one shows just how much I the graduate and undergraduate level. Christianisation of Scotland, and on social have come to care about Scotland. I have Moreover, he is also a graduate of the questions such as the nature of kingship and been very happy here, and have made many University of Guelph, having finished his war. good friends. It won't be easy to leave, but I MA degree here in 1999. James will be Undergraduate teaching has included am really looking forward to my return to coming to Guelph with his wife, Dr. Bronagh courses on Medieval Scottish History, Ontario. Many familiar things have changed Ni Chonaill, and their two children. Introduction to Medieval History, Saints and in the fifteen years I have been gone, and it As an undergraduate, James specialized in Sea-Kings: early medieval Gaelic Scotland, will take some adjusting (not least with two history at the University of Toronto before Rome and the Caledonians, The Picts; small children) for the family and me. completing his masters work in the Centre postgraduate teaching includes The Dal "This is an exciting time in the history of for Scottish Studies at the University of Riata, The Life and Works of Adomnan of relations between Scotland and Canada. Guelph, writing a dissertation examining Iona, War and Society in Dark Age Scotland. Activists cited lessons and examples from medieval portrayals of William Wallace. To James is originally from Tottenham, Canadian history and politics during the support his studies, he worked for several Ontario. His Fraser ancestors were crofters referendum campaign, taking the links years as a manager and management trainer on Loch Inchard in west Sutherland, before between the countries for granted. The in the private sector. Donald Fraser (d. 1916), his great-great- present Scottish Government has published a His doctoral research was undertaken at grandfather settled near Gravenhurst, Ontario Canada Plan that identifies areas of Edinburgh University under the supervision which he still thinks of as a second connection and common interest in which of Alex Woolf, and considered the written hometown. It was his interest in family matters of heritage and education feature evidence concerning the conversion and history that sparked a general interest in prominently. The Centre for Scottish Studies christianisation of the Picts. He joined the Scottish history -- a combination of the role- shares many of the Government's aspirations, ranks of the School staff in 2002 and held a playing game Dungeons and Dragons and and I believe that the Centre can and should post jointly with Celtic and Scottish Studies some inspiring teaching at the University of participate publicly in the cultivation of until 2011. Toronto that drew him to the early Middle relations between Canada and Scotland, James has sat on a number of University, Ages. whilst maintaining its academic fascination College, School and unit management James has been in Scotland since 1999, in the historical relationship between the two committees, especially as the School’s thoroughly enjoying living in Edinburgh countries. Director of Quality from 2008 to 2011. (until 2012) and Glasgow (since 2012), cities “I am very conscious of the considerable He is a Fellow of the Society of with different spirits that have both been very achievements of the Centre under its Chairs Antiquaries of Scotland and formerly sat on comfortable places for him to live. and directors, and I aspire to safeguard its the executive committees of the Scottish "The real Scotland is quite a different already-considerable public and academic Society for Northern Studies and the Scottish country than many Canadians imagine it to standing, as well as building on its important History Society, and is currently on the be from afar, and for me it has been a relationship with the Scottish Collection and executive committee of the Scottish wonderful home away from home. I have its impressive publication and digitization Historical Review Trust. missed hockey and Canadian football, but I projects. His present research is primarily have been introduced to the delights of South “Hollywood having shown us how much concerned with the Pictish peoples of Asian food and St Johnstone FC. I have now general interest there is in medieval Scotland, northern Britain and the Dalriadic peoples of experienced three independence referenda in I intend to increase the breadth of medieval northern Britain and Ireland from the Roman my lifetime, and the strength of feeling I felt studies that are possible at the Centre without disturbing a winning formula for supporting The images contain a wealth of Scottish-centred research in all time periods ethnographic material, including that enjoys considerable academic renown in costume, vernacular architecture, Scotland. I think that the Gaelic tongue craft, popular music and creates a particularly special link between entertainment with an outstanding Scotland and Canada, and I hope to value as an educational resource. strengthen the Highland and Gaelic However, it is when the dimensions of the Centre's work. In motivations behind the paintings addition, I want to look at ways in which the featured in the book are examined Centre can play its part in supporting the in greater detail that the most family-history interests of so many interesting revelations come to Canadians. light. Just as early portraiture “The Scottish Studies Foundation enjoys a commissioned by wealthy patrons particularly close and special relationship often portrays its subjects in a with this Chair. I am keen to learn more particularly flattering light, so, too, "Kilmarnock Cross" about how the two interact in support of each do paintings of towns and cities in other, and what scope exists for building on the 18th and 19th centuries tend to Between 1834 and 1840 David Octavius Hill toured the foundations now in place. The prospect steer clear of a ‘warts-and-all’ the southwest of Scotland painting a series of of becoming involved in helping the approach. landscapes and townscapes for publication in a book Foundation achieve its aims excites me. As “A commissioned painting of an entitled "The Land of Burns." Many of the original the son of a keen genealogist and amateur urban landscape should by no paintings have been lost but it is believed that this local historian, and a long-time member of means be considered an accurate may be one of them. Dr. Lynch points out that the Clan Fraser Society of Canada, I have likeness,” Dr. Lynch warns us. whereas buildings and architectural details are genuine respect and empathy for the “Despite enormous industrial probably accurate, the fashions worn by the people Foundation and its mission.” changes in most Scottish towns in would have spanned many decades. the first half of the 19th century, few artists chose to accurately painters, once deprived of ecclesiastical work Painting the Town portray townscapes complete with factories, after the Reformation, tended to confine Scottish Urban History in Art chimneys and commercial development. themselves to the lucrative trades of Instead they often edited their subject matter portraiture, heraldic painting and the internal xamining old photographs of our carefully to suit their requirements. decoration of country houses. As such, many villages, towns and cities can unlock “While such paintings can be scant on of the best early views of Scotland came E vital clues to the histories of our factual accuracy, their inaccuracies often from foreign artists, particularly Dutch urban landscapes and provide an insight into serve to reveal so much more about social painters. the lives of the people who walked the streets attitudes at the time, changing fashions, the Patronage was vital to the development of before us. vanity of the individuals who commissioned the art of the townscape, and artists often But what of the days before photography, them or the personal motivations of the pandered to aristocratic tastes by placing the years before the camera’s lens captured artists. noble houses at the centre of their paintings, buildings since demolished and streetscapes “There were, of course, a number of or including aristocratic figures in the since altered? At this year’s Fall notable exceptions to this. The works of foreground. Colloquium, this was the topic of Dr. John Fleming, John Clark, Thomas Carsell The artist John Clark was acutely aware of Michael Lynch’s