Where are the Scots communities in England then?
One of the nations we’ll inevitably be analysing for the impact of Scottish migration will, of course, be England! That’s not going to be easy without a lot of help, but it’s arguably one of the greatest diaspora destinations of all – by volume if not by percentage of total population today. Our strategy is [i] to gain an overall understanding and then [ii] to take a particular focus where a goodly band of Scots arrived and like all good migrants upheld their cultural traditions and more…
The most commonly cited instance of such a community in England is the iron and steel workers of Corby who came to work in that new Northamptonshire industry from 1910. Amongst their great achievements over the years was the making of the PLUTO pipes to take oil supplies to the DDay beaches. Well over 25% of its population today is believed to be either first or second generation Scot.
So, the Project Team is taking itself along to Corby’s Annual Highland Gathering on Sunday 8th July to track down the community’s stories, its movers and shakers, and not to forget, its stitchers! It’s being held at Charter Field, Corby Old Village . And the Saturday previous serious lunchtime research will be in hand at Corby’s Grampian Club on Patrick Road!
But Corby is not alone! We’re already talking to people in Derbyshire too, and not just because Derby marks the closest to the English capital ever reached by an army from Scotland! Derby remembers the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie with great annual fanfare, but nearby Ashbourne also hosts a popular annual Highland Gathering and we hope to visit this year’s on 15th July to see what Diaspora stories we might be able to uncover…
So will any and all readers here who know of Highland Games, Gatherings or any other Scottish events taking place in England which are organised by migrant Scottish communities please be in touch with Gordon Prestoungrange – prestoungrange@scottishdiasporatapestry.org – as soon as possible!