William Bruce, architect: "So, I'm almost done with Prestonfield House, can you guys do me a nice ceiling? dainty cherubs, peacocks, etc etc?

Italian plasterers: "Sì, sì, certo! 👌"

Bruce: "umm..."

#OldWeirdScotland

Is your Scotch not "Scotch" enough?

Do you worry what a NAKED bottle of whisky says about you?

Try our NEW TARTAN TIPPLE PIPES and keep your single malt festive, fun, and discreet (and on its side).

#OldWeirdScotland
#TartanTatAttack

In July 1919 tabby kitten, Wopsie, became the first cat to fly across the Atlantic and the first to complete a transatlantic round trip by air.

Airship R34 flew from East Lothian to Long Island, NY in 108hrs.

#OldWeirdScotland

"TAE CUT A WHANG FRAE A NEW CHEESE"

to take someone's virginity
(18th c. Scots)

#OldWeirdScotland

A lot of kirkyards have "plague plots" or "pits"--areas never to be disturbed, lest the dead reinfect the living.

Crail has one, but you won't find remains of plague victims in there.

According to tradition, interred in this enclosure are 100s of bread loaves

#OldWeirdScotland

In June 1947, George Orwell and his family almost drowned in the Corryvreckan whirlpool between Jura and Scarba.

On this day (23th Aug 1981), his brother-in-law, Bill Dunn (61) became the first person to swim across the whirlpool.

Dunn lost his right leg at the hip in WW2.

#OldWeirdScotland

In October 1958, many of the Summer Isles were auctioned in Edinburgh.

Barrabel Mason (12), her siblings Fiona and Donald, and cousin Phillip, pooled their pocket money and bid on Sgeirean Glasa ("grey skerries").

Won for £50, it had excellent rockpooling.

#OldWeirdScotland

On 17th August 1865, a freak rainstorm covered about 3 acres of Maxwelltown, Dumfries in froglets.

A fortnight before, the tracks at Lanark Railway Station were covered in tadpoles after 5 minutes of rain.

#OldWeirdScotland
#OTD

hip hip hooray! it's the Burryman's day!

#OldWeirdScotland

O! hip hip hoo-ray
Burryman will have his day!
O! hip hip hooray

5 sleeps til #burryman
#OldWeirdScotland

Burryman is nigh
6 days
#OldWeirdScotland

seven sleeps til #burryman

#OldWeirdScotland

On 6th November 1827, Dundonian William Campbell, a beggar, was sentenced to 18 months for theft.

At 9 years of age, he was probably the youngest person ever to stand in the dock of Edinburgh's High Court.

#OldWeirdScotland

In the 1940s, a piece of confectionery was angrily returned to a John Menzies stall after a man found a human tooth inside it.

The day after the shocking story made the news, the same man came to reclaim the tooth; it was his own. 🤦🦷🍬

#OldWeirdScotland

The bar vs. their understanding of Scottish geography and distilleries...

#OldWeirdScotland
#thecrapmapsofScotland

Good Morning!

Don't forget your PPE, those of you who work in it!

#OldWeirdScotland

#OTD 70 years ago

Prestonpans man Arthur McShane, 96, becomes oldest person to appear in an Edinburgh court after his arrest for public drunkenness.

He perhaps beat his own record, set in 1949, when he previously appeared aged 92.

#OldWeirdScotland
#edinburgh

📚 Take me to your library! 📚

Let's see your best niche non-fiction!

#OldWeirdScotland
#histodons #antiquidons #archaeodons #history #arthistory #scotland #museums

Peterhead this week, 1950.

#OldWeirdScotland

🎶oh it's good to touch the blue blue grass of home 🎶

#OldWeirdScotland