Scottish Country Dancing - if Jean Milligan only knew!

RSCDS

The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society was founded in 1923 by Jean Milligan, the first dance teacher at Jordanhill teacher training college, and Mrs Stewart of Fasnacloich.  (As it happens, 'Whittaker's' mother-in-law Peggy McAulay (nee Fife) was Jean Milligan's first pianist at Jordanhill during her time as a student there ...)

If Jean Milligan only knew!  Her society has grown and prospered, and spawned branches worldwide.  The Whittaker Library has dozens and dozens of Scottish country dance tune-books, from St Andrews, Edinburgh, Carlisle and the Borders, Leeds, Birmingham, even New Zealand!  We haven't got every book of dance tunes ever published, but it felt like it today when we were updating our catalogue!  Old ones and newer collections - they're all represented.


Take a look here.

What makes a Scottish country dance tune? Some are from old fiddle tune-books.  Some have been written in a similar style by modern Scots or other Scottish country dance musicians, worldwide.  Does it have to be Scottish to be a Scottish country dance tune, then?  We would say, not necessarily!

Here's another mind-boggling thought: just imagine if you totted up the hours that our books have spent being played at ceilidhs worldwide, since they were published.  And then, how many dancers have been accompanied by pianists playing from those books ... not to mention, how many cups of teas were served between dances ...!

Dance Base - Scottish Country Dancing Workshops this Weekend

Edinburgh Dance Base Workshops - find out more here.

"This event is part of Tradfest, a new festival inspired by the traditional arts of Scotland."

Whittaker has an indirect connection with the RSCDS, for "his" late mother-in-law had a scroll of honour from that esteemed body. Sadly, the left-handed "Whittaker" has two left feet  ...

From Jordanhill to Cowcaddens with love

from TheGlasgowStory.com

First there was the Normal School in Cowcaddens, for trainee teachers.

Then it moved to Jordanhill campus.  "Whittaker's" late mother-in-law was amongst the first intake to the new college.  (She played the piano for Royal Scottish Country Dance Society matriarch, Miss Jean Milligan, who was on the Jordanhill staff.)

Image from Slainte.org.uk

Jordanhill College subsequently became the Jordanhill campus of the University of Strathclyde.  However, the campus now lies empty. 

Image from Strath.ac.uk ("We are moving!")

Earlier this week, "Whittaker" was offered some choral materials left behind in the library there.  We couldn't take them all, but we've offered a good home to some Scottish choral song arrangements.  Check our catalogue here.

So, although these scores haven't made the round trip, the wheel has in some senses turned full circle.  From Cowcaddens to Jordanhill and back.  And Miss Peggy Fyfe from Maryhill, who married in Newcastle to become Mrs Margaret McAulay, is succeeded by another Mrs (Dr) McAulay back in Glasgow, working in what was the Athenaeum (Peggy's Uncle John's favourite haunt), and cataloguing scores from what was Jordanhill College.  It's a small world.

• Read Jordanhill Library's Last Day, a Storify story by Librarian Anabel Marsh
• Anabel Marsh's Farewell Jordanhill pinboard - more images to look at.