Famous Scottish women

Having a keen interest in history, I've read the odd history book or three. What I've noticed is a distinct lack of female representation. Maybe we could address that here, for the edification of ourselves and others who visit the Scotland.com discussion board.

Maybe you could write a brief biography of your favourite woman from Scottish history. Famous, infamous, should be famous all count.

Now the floor is open. Post away!

Weeeellllll, there was.....
ehhm, how about...
eeehhhmm
Mary, Queen of Scots?
Saint Margaret (who was actually English)
Flora MacDonald

I Think if we were talking about my favourite it would have to be

Mary Slessor 1848-1915
I remember, as a young child, having a book about her...dunno how a young catholic child was given a book about a presbyterian missionary but i got it somehow

This is a biography for children but is probably very similar to the story i had...you can imagine how it fired my imaginations<G>
http://www.wholesomewords.org/childr...slessorcc.html

I love the bit in the Collins Gem "famous Scots" which tells
"Once, soon after her arrival, she almost literally stumbled across a brutal ritualistic rape in a village. Infuriated she waded into the assailants wielding her UMBRELLA, breaking heads and jabbing bare flesh with the metal point"

The capitals for the umbrella were mine

[This message has been edited by Jarmine (edited 10 July 2000).]

Originally posted by Jarmine:
Weeeellllll, there was.....
ehhm, how about...
eeehhhmm
Mary, Queen of Scots?
Saint Margaret (who was actually English)
Flora MacDonald

I Think if we were talking about my favourite it would have to be

Mary Slessor 1848-1915
I remember, as a young child, having a book about her...dunno how a young catholic child was given a book about a presbyterian missionary but i got it somehow

This is a biography for children but is probably very similar to the story i had...you can imagine how it fired my imaginations<G>
http://www.wholesomewords.org/childr...slessorcc.html

I love the bit in the Collins Gem "famous Scots" which tells
"Once, soon after her arrival, she almost literally stumbled across a brutal ritualistic rape in a village. Infuriated she waded into the assailants wielding her UMBRELLA, breaking heads and jabbing bare flesh with the metal point"

The capitals for the umbrella were mine

[This message has been edited by Jarmine (edited 10 July 2000).]

Jarmine,

She also used the famous umbrella to repell a crocodile which was attempting to board the dug out canoe she was in. A remarkable woman and it's well worth reading her life story.

Drummy

Thanks, Drummy. I saw on another thread that you're having major surgery soon...good luck!

sonsie, I found out about this lady from my Collins gem-Famous Scots
From the net
"Margot Asquith (1864-1945) born on Feb 2
English author. She was an eccentric, outspoken and shrewd influence on social, fashionable English life."
Is it any wonder we get peeved? She was born in Peebleshire!

Anyway, here's a URL with some of the stuff from "the gem" in it. http://scottishculture.miningco.com/...famasquith.htm

Originally posted by Jarmine:

I Think if we were talking about my favourite it would have to be

Mary Slessor 1848-1915

I love the bit in the Collins Gem "famous Scots" which tells
"Once, soon after her arrival, she almost literally stumbled across a brutal ritualistic rape in a village. Infuriated she waded into the assailants wielding her UMBRELLA, breaking heads and jabbing bare flesh with the metal point"

The capitals for the umbrella were mine

Jarmine, you won't believe this, but... I've tried responding to your posting twice over the past two weeks. Each time, my computer locked up and I lost what I'd been writing!

Mary Slessor was quite the woman, and I'm glad you mentioned her. You inspired me to do some 'net searches, so I found more information about her remarkable life. I learned that she is considered to be one of the pioneers of women's rights in Africa. I also found her admirable because, unlike many missionaries, she lived among the people she was trying to convert. She also became thoroughly conversant with the language, the culture and customs, and the day-to-day lives of the people she lived among. Would be "bringers of light" to Scotland from the US would do well to heed her example.

Unfortunately, I found some references to Africa as the "Dark" Continent" on one page I visited. The author also saw fit to write that "There is no respect for truth and honesty here. 'Do right' would be a meaningless phrase, for these people do not understand what is right."

Considering that the slave trade (Kicked into high gear by Europeans and the US.), had destroyed or badly damaged traditional society in what is now Nigeria (and much of the rest of this region in Africa), that's an unfair assessment.

Here's a URL from Dundee City Council:
http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/dcchtml...essor/mary.htm

Also remarkable that she went on to accomplish so much, as she came from the working-class. I'm always much more impressed when a working-class or poor person goes on to accomplish great things, as the odds against it are much greater.

As a mill-worker, previous to becoming a missionary, she worked 12 hour days in the mill, 6 days a week. That doesn't take into account her work at home. Personally, I doubt I'd have the stamina to do much more than survive with that degree of demanding, physical labour.

Originally posted by Jarmine:
"Margot Asquith (1864-1945) born on Feb 2
English author. She was an eccentric, outspoken and shrewd influence on social, fashionable English life."

Is it any wonder we get peeved? She was born in Peebleshire!

Glad you posted that URL Jarmine! A friend in Belfast says that this Margaret Asquith quote is her favourite: When her name was mispronounced by Jean Harlow, Margot loudly proclaimed "The 't' is silent as in 'Harlow'"

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"The happiest moments in any affair take place after the loved one has learned to accommodate the lover and before the maddening personality of either party has emerged like a jagged rock from the receding tides of lust and curiosity."

Quentin Crisp

hahahaha, ah'm glad you put the Harlow quote in..ah thought it was great )

Re: the working class, when you realise what it meant to be a mill worker back then you can have some idea of just how well Mary Slessor did do!