The Stamp & The Story.

Wonderful stories everyone.


What a great way to spend Sunday morning.

Dianne

Tinus,

Great story. Thanks for posting.

Londonbus1....off to buy a diving suit !

londonbus1... diving suit? backed up sewer system?

Glenfinnan, Lochaber, in the Highlands of Scotland is a tiny village, with a big history. In 1981, the set issud to mark The National Trust's Jubilee included this stamp.



This monument, erected in 1834, marks the spot at the head of Loch Sheil where Charles Edward Stuart - Bonnie Prince Charlie - raised his standard and began the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, claiming the Scottish and English thrones for his father. He went south into England, coming within 100 miles of London, then retreated north. In 1746, defeat at the battle of Culloden marked the end of the uprising. King George II's younger son, William, Duke of Cumberland, lead the victory at Culloden on his 25th birthday. The King then set about ensuring that the Highlanders would never be in a position to rise again. Barracks were maintained across the highlands to enforce rule, and the carrying of arms, the wearing of the plaid (kilt) and the playing of bagpipes (considered an instrument of warfare) were all banned. So began the end of the clan system and its way of life. My local town, Fort William, was named for the King's barracks built there. The Gaelic name for the town is An Gearasdan, The Garrison.
In 1760, William's nephew George III succeeded to the throne. He was famously less successful in keeping down uprisings in his colonies.

SV,
Didn't you read Tinus' story ??

Anyway, no diving suit for the sewers, just go wading in as you are.
No problem

STAMPGAL
Another great story, one I had a bit of knowledge of too.
Very nice...keep 'em comin'.

Haggisbus1

Rabbie Burns ~ Scotland's national poet & known variously as:The Ploughman Poet; Scotland's favourite son; The Bard of Ayrshire; Robden of Solway Firth. Regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement his poetry in Gaelic, English with a Scot's dialect & standard English is recognized worldwide [his Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung at New Year's] but Burns had little formal education. He later influenced another Scottish icon, the young Walter Scott.

The stamps above show his hair parted on one side in one image, & the other side in the other. Looks like the printer of the day couldn't make up his mind!

Thanks, KGV! Robert Burns' influence was felt more widely too. J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye", and Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" are both titles borrowed from Burns.

Thanks Londonbus 1 & stampgal!
Love the stamps and stories.

stampgal my wife is also into literature
and says it is nice to see someone that knows
their Robert Burns.

That stamp you posted has really grabbed me.


Thanks

Things seem to be taking a literary turn, so I thought I'd share The Stamp and The Poem. This Danish stamp was a favourite of mine in my childhood album. (1974 issue, old willow, Hverringe). It reminded me of those broken trees you see clinging to life at the top tidelines of beaches. Recently, my appreciation was renewed when I looked again and realised its also a Slania! So its a double favourite. And then yesterday I read this poem which reminded me of the stamp. So here they are together.




"Upon The Beach", by Felix Dennis.

Upon the beach a solitary tree
Defies the sea - a shambling stag at bay,
The left side iridescent greenery,
The right a driftwood copse of salt and spray.

I wade from where the living sap still thrives
To stroke an antlered bough worn white as bone:
Wet sand sucks at my feet - so time sucks lives,
The concubine reduced to chaperone.

What lightening strike was this, what storm or wrack
Wrought ruin with a hydra-headed glance?
Half-naked, with the crab grass at her back,
She stands, as we must stand, a shrine to chance.

So ravaged kings on crutches play their part,
And ghosts of faded beauty stir the heart.

Oh goody! A poet I don't know! Lovely poem. Thanks for sharing. I'm not a stamp collector [only the poor wife of one!] so I had to look up Slania. Interesting. That makes it pretty special all round. KGVs wife.

KGV's family line stretches back to Bonnie Prince Charlie [on the wrong side of the blanket naturally]

Londonbus, I ate haggis in Scotland ~
& then they told me what was in it!!

Wow!
Let me know if you guys are planning on coming over for another uprising - I'll rally a few clansmen and put the kettle on!

Mrs KGV, the poem is from a new collection by Felix Dennis called "Tales from the Woods". I've only seen this poem so far, quoted in some publicity material.

Great stories all! It's waaaaaay past my bedtime now, but I've got a good story to share while at work tomorrow.

KGV
I never thought there is a stamp with Robert Burns, but i'm not surprise because he wrote great songs. I have a cd of the canadian opera singer Meredith Hall and she sings Robert Burns songs. The title of the cd is "My love is like a red red rose". In the booklet all the songs are translated in french. Listening to this cd is a taste of paradise. Daniel