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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 2d

Whither Halloween?

Nobody takes the time to carve lanterns out of neeps nowadays, and nobody takes the time to scrape out a sheepskin and skull for their costume. Sigh.
#OldWeirdScotland

South Uist guisers, 1932
(📷Margaret Fay Shaw)

a black and white photo of two children wearing sheepskins over their faces and bodies, heavy boots, and holding shepherds' crooks.

a black and white photo of two children wearing loose heavy clothes and masks made from sheepskin.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 2d

place (and the parish that's a 3 is the water I was thinking about, I say... *hesitatingly*)

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 2d

I can think of a 2 :)

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 2d

might there be a parish named for a water/river? My guess without cheating. No idea about highest score.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 2d

I say this every year, but Halloween costumes were scarier in the #OldWeirdScotland, but here's some genuinely terrifying shit from Drumlithie Draughts Club kids...

Mearns Leader and Kincardineshire Mail, 1936

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 3d

Half a house missing, you say?

#OldWeirdScotland

Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Jul 13

This week in Peterhead, 1950
#OldWeirdScotland

HALF A HOUSE APPROVED BY MINISTRY
Refusal by the Department of Health to sanction the building of half a semi-detached house after granting permission for the other half drew strong criticism at a meeting of Peterhead Town Council.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 6d

"Ay, this year we're takin the weans ower the Iron Curtain for the Fair"

Print Ad, Scots Magazine, July 1981
#OldWeirdScotland

1981 Print advert for SovScot Tours Limited.
Stylised Kremlin spires sit atop a saltire next to the words "Soviet Union, 15 day sun and interest tours direct from Glasgow".
The three main tour options are named "Russian Riviera" , "Crimean Riviera", and "USSR three cities tour".

Geordi La Forge version of Drake meme. Upper panel "doon the watter". Lower panel "taps aff in Crimea"

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Reposted by Old Weird Scotland

Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Aug 12

It's "help an undergraduate research project time"!

Siân is researching how well Scottish people and Scots speakers are understood. Listen to some audio clips and see how well you fare. Took me less than 10mins and it was very fun!

forms.gle/wUJBQquieSt2...

#OldWeirdScotland

Language understanding study

This research project is being undertaken as part of an undergraduate degree in the School of Arts, Culture and Language at Bangor University. The focus of the study is to research the understanding ...

forms.gle

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Aug 12

It's "help an undergraduate research project time"!

Siân is researching how well Scottish people and Scots speakers are understood. Listen to some audio clips and see how well you fare. Took me less than 10mins and it was very fun!

forms.gle/wUJBQquieSt2...

#OldWeirdScotland

Language understanding study

This research project is being undertaken as part of an undergraduate degree in the School of Arts, Culture and Language at Bangor University. The focus of the study is to research the understanding ...

forms.gle

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Jun 2

Britain From Above isn't paywalled. You just need to get a (free) account and log in to get full zoomable images.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · May 14

Are ditch barrows UFOs?

(from AD Cunningham's A History of Rannoch)

a very simple sketch drawing of the ditch barrow at Innerhadden showing it's general topography. Above it is a "UFO" drawn to fill the same shape and space as the barrow.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · May 14

"Queen Elizabeth was furious"

(from Edward Peck's The Battle of Glenlivet)

a line drawing of Queen Elizabeth I slamming a fist down on a desk while couriers swoon with fright in the background. Text reads: Queen Elizabeth was furious.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · May 14

I love little local history booklets. They're full of small and often weird stories that deserve to be better known. They're also full of small and weird illustrations that *definitely* need to be shared:

An occasional 🧵

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · May 2

it's an all purpose sentiment I think

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · May 2

Dating to before 1684, The motto on the arms of the Royal Burgh of Inveraray, Semper Tibi Pendeat Halec, is thought to have originally meant "may the fish sauce always be ready for you".

#OldWeirdScotland

The arms of the Royal Burgh of Inveraray. Officially it is described as:

In the waves of the sea, five herring entering herring net pendant from the sinister chief, all Proper [Above the Shield is placed a Burghal coronet] and in an Escrol below the Shield this Motto "Semper Tibi Pendeat Halec"

It's a shield with a crown made of bricks on top. There's five fish swimming into a net. A fancy ribbon is underneath the Shield with the Latin motto on it.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 25

The 1970s really were the golden age of souvenirs from Scotland.

For the equivalent of £11.99, you can fill your house and nose with sweet peaty nostalgia!

#OldWeirdScotland

A print ad that reads: A Scottish made Scottish Souvenir. ABSENT FRIENDS
are reminded of Scotland when they make their own PEAT REEK with a THISTLE PEAT REEKER £1.10 EACH

Plus post. pkg. & ins. Home 15p Overseas 50p Cash with Order to: THE SCOTTISH SHOP. 1 Station Road, Gourock, Scotland.

The image on the ad is of a ceramic thistle incense burner in a tartan hinged gift box

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 19

On Good Friday 1882, 147 people in Inverness became severely ill after eating hot cross buns. While not fatal, they all experienced vomiting, tremors, and a dry throat.

An unidentified alkaloid poison was found in the spice mix. The case was never solved.

#OldWeirdScotland

An engraving of an animated streetscene with children selling hot cross buns from baskets. A baker's shop is visible in background and a dog is in the foreground trying to get a bun.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 18

(the village is the namesake of actor Tilda Swinton)

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 18

In the village of Swinton in the Scottish Borders, the local football pitch has a stone mercat cross for a centre circle. Known as the "12th Man of Swinton", the cross was used to the home team's advantage during league matches.

#OldWeirdScotland

Four football players watch an airborne ball rebound off the column of a stepped mercat cross. In the background is a church and clock tower. The pitch is surrounded by a simple white fence. The photo is black and white and has a watermark that reads "WeirdScotland"

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 17

Congratulations on your curiosity at a relatively early age! 😅

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 17

please someone tell me a similarly cringe story of disabusing yourself of a notion...

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 17

My uni was founded in 1413, by (anti)papal bull and for the four years I was there I'd occasionally ponder the logistics of getting a live bull from France to Scotland in the 15th century.

You can imagine my partner's face when I asked how she thought the bulls got to Mexico City...

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Apr 17

A confession because I was reminded of it today:

Until my mid-20s, I had it in my head that a Papal bull was an actual live 🐂 with a note attached to it.

"Well you know it's a big deal when the Pope sends you one of those cows all the way from Rome/Avignon"

Just never questioned it.

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Reposted by Old Weird Scotland

Andy Arthur💃🏰⚓🦌 Threadinburgh 🧵 @threadinburgh.scot · Mar 24

On this day in 1921, a large crowd watched the launch of a great, white ship in Leith. The largest sailing vessel ever completed in the UK, this 5-master was the "København". 8 years later she disappeared without trace and has never been seen nor heard from again 🔭
threadinburgh.scot/2023/01/21/t...

The launch of the second København, contemporary newspaper photograph from the Daily Record. It shows a large, white sailing ship - without her masts - sliding into the water down a shipyard slipway. The outlines of figures can be seen on her bow and also watching from shore. The ship's anchor can be seen as can a Union Jack flag on a short mast.

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Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · Mar 22

By the age of 1, Siamese cat, "Jane Austen" had climbed 16 peaks (inc. 11 Munros) with her owner Fiona M. Wilkie.

Jane was harnessed on a 12ft lead and took naps in Fiona's rucksack.

#OldWeirdScotland
#WeirdCatScotland

A Siamese cat lounging on top of a blue and cream 1970s style backpack

A Siamese cat sitting on a lichen covered rock. She is wearing a light blue harness. In the background is a lochan and rocky hill in Coulags glen, Sutherland, Scotland.

A Siamese cat on a rocky cliff looking down at the camera. She is at the end of a red length of rope.

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