Tag: Scottish History
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Murder, Resurrection and Dissection: The Dark History of Edinburgh’s Medical Past
In 1827 Edinburgh, Burke and Hare murdered lodgers to sell corpses to Dr. Knox, leading to Burke’s execution and posthumous dissection for anatomy. Abbie Teal recounts this gruesome episode of Edinburgh’s history.
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Craigmillar Castle: Edinburgh’s Forgotten ‘Other Castle’
Craigmillar Castle boasts a six-hundred-year history, but is often overlooked as Edinburgh’s forgotten castle. Eleanor Whitehead explores the stories of alleged witchcraft, royal escapes, and infamous plots that haunt the castle’s history.
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Scotland & Empire
Whilst abolitionists are widely celebrated, Scotland’s involvement in the slave trade is often overlooked and forgotten. Angela Davis examines the colonial legacy of Scottish men in Australia.
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Origin and Myth: Scotland’s Stone of Destiny
Myths abound about the origins of the Stone of Destiny, also known as the Stone of Scone. Megan Crutchley traverses these legends and explores what they can tell us about how Scots understand their country’s past as well as its present.
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Exhibition Review – Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life
Written by Tristan Craig. Exploring the long, and at times bloody, history of medical practice, ‘Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life’ offers a fresh glimpse into the lives and minds of those who shaped the discipline. Tristan Craig discusses the National of Museum of Scotland’s latest exhibition and the enduring legacy of Edinburgh’s most…
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The Order of the Thistle: A Symbol of Positive Anglo-Scottish Relations from the Medieval to the Modern Period
Written by Sophia Aiello. Anglo-Scottish relations have been tense at the best of times, but how can a royally gifted honour help this relationship? And how has the history of the Order of the Thistle run parallel to Scottish history?
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Auld Reekie Riots: The Story of Captain Porteous
Written by Amy Hendrie. Captain John Porteous represented to Edinburgh’s underclasses a distinct inequality of treatment by the ruling elite. But how did the public reaction align with the crime?, And why were his actions so controversial?
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“Hell on wheels”: The Miserable History of the Edinburgh Trams project, 2001 to the Present
Written by Inge Erdal. Anyone who’s been living in Edinburgh for a while is familar with the central tram system. To the ire of many inhabitants, the project was plagued with problems for the start. What can it tell us about local governance, national projects, and the task of creating urban environments in the twenty-first…
Retrospect Journal 