By Jim Henderson In the fourth episode of the Viking story (see Voice for Arran, issue 111) reference was made to ‘Innis Shroin’ (Holy Isle.) In fact, over the years, there have been many inaccurate references to Lamlash and Moliase. What follows is the background to the village and island name, which has developed and …
THE BATTLE OF LARGS OCTOBER 1263 In the concluding part of Jim Henderson’s history of the Vikings, we hear how both the Scots and Norwegian fleets congregated, with a huge group of Viking longships gathering in Loch an Eilean (Lamlash Bay) before the fated battle which began on 2nd October 1263, just slightly further north …
A member of The Orders and Medals Research Society (UK), Simon Muggleton, is currently researching the life and career of Allan Nicol, of Whiting Bay. Simon contacted the Voice to see if readers might have any information relating to Allan and which could assist Simon with his research. Simon bought Allan’s medals in auction recently …
The Vikings in the Western Isles – part three By Jim Henderson In part three of Jim Henderson’s history, we learn more about the use of the Birlin ships that was based on the Viking longship design, and also about the continuing battles for dominance in the western Isles between the Scots and the Norse …
In part two of Jim Henderson’s history of the Vikings, we learn about the period they spent in western Scotland, beginning at the time when they landed on Iona in the late 8th century for the first time. The Viking Period in Western Scotland By Jim Henderson It is considered by historians that the first …
Coronavirus: advice from the Middle Ages for how to cope with self-isolation By Godelinde Gertrude Perk, Postdoctoral researcher in Medieval Literature, University of Oxford, originally published in The Conversation, March 27th 2020 The pandemic of COVID-19 is often called “unprecedented” – and for many people cooped up in their homes in different countries, the experience …
A history of the Vikings By Jim Henderson In the first part of a four part series, Jim Henderson considers the reasons for the Vikings’ roving way of life, and introduces some of the Longships that they developed to assist with their excursions and conquests. Over the series we will learn about their journeys from …
The Climate Emergency. How did we come to this in 2020? Historical context and patterns of consumption. How do we change repeating attitudes and behaviours? By Sally Campbell Historically we know the industrial revolution, started in the UK with coal to generate steam power coupled with brilliant innovative engineering and the hard labour of millions …
By Alice Maxwell In September I hosted a house concert, Music in the Time of Anne Frank, which was covered by the Voice for Arran and the Arran Banner. Shortly afterwards I received a phone call from Jack Paterson of Whiting Bay who had read the article, and said he had a fascinating story to …
Last month Lyn Beard from Australia contacted the Voice to help her investigate a family connection with Arran, and the Allison family of Brodick. Here is what she writes: I am researching a family connection to the Allison’s of Brodick. My father-in-law, Des Beard, died in Perth, Western Australia in 2012 and recently I was …