Photos

 

On September 30th, 2018 we had our fundraising Tea. Tea cakes and sandwiches thanks to Lynn Fallowfield. Help by Anne Rosser and Maria Kyriacou. Photos thanks to Melinda Sigal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kilmarnock, Scotland Visit

This July of 2018 was my big trip to Kilmarnock, Scotland!

I would finally meet the people who have been so helpful this year. Frank Spence is a Kilmarnock history buff, and at the Dick Institute, I met Jason Sutcliffe, Director of Collections, who gave me a tour of the local history wing. I learned so much about Kilmarnock's history!

 

Frank showed me tombstones for William and his sons James and Thomas Gregory. Their brother William was the first in the family to migrate to Alexandria, Virginia. James ran a business in Washington, DC for about 10 years, before returning to Kilmarnock, where he spent the rest of his life. James was quite prominent in Kilmarnock.

 

 

 

The oldest church in Kilmarnock, where the Gregorys attended, is now a funeral parlour. Gregory tombstones are right next to the church, and in ill repair.

 

 

In the mid 1800's train tracks were built throughout Britain. In Kilmarnock a railway viaduct cut right through the middle of town, like our highways today, sometimes. This viaduct cuts through what was the Gregory's world. But it is fairly picturesque at least.

 

 

Dick Institute has a wing devoted to local history. They have this mechanized weaving loom from much later than this film's topic, as you can see from the steel parts. The textile industry continued in Scotland until the 1980's.

 

 

This amazing painting is of an elderly weaver. This is the epitomy of the world that caused our ancestors to pack up and leave on a wooden sailing ship.

 

 

Me at Dean Park Guest House in Kilmarnock. And a very nice smoked haddock dish at the Long House.

The Kilmarnock Water runs through town, and behind the buildings on the main street.

Jason Sutcliffe at Dick Institute told me how the city of Kilmarnock repurposed the coat of arms of the Boyd family as its own. Love this modernized painting of Kilmarnock's coat of arms which I found on a building next to Kilmarnock Water.

Me setting off from my B&B on my big day of scouting around Kilmarnock with my video camera.

Sign post by the railroad viaduct in Kilmarnock.

 

Book Talk

On May 22, 2018 we had our first "Book Talk", which was the opening for the online store, Yellow Dot Shop. Profits from these events are going towards production of the film. We had Brooke C. Stoddard and Larry Moffi reading, and all the products for sale. The next Book Talk will be in late August or early September, again at St. Elmo's in Del Ray. Photos by Melinda Sigal.yellowdotshop.com

Larry Moffi, Publisher of Settlement House Books

 

Brooke C. Stoddard, Author

 

Ellen introduces the readers

 

Book Talk at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub

 

Book Talk at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub

 

Brooke C. Stoddard reading at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub

 

Burns Night

On January 26, 2018 we had the Scottish Celebration Burns Dinner to promote the film and raise funds. Ellen spoke to a packed room about the story in the film. We sold t-shirts and magazines, showed video, took portraits, heard Burns poetry, and had traditional Scottish fare. At the end we formed a big circle and sang Auld Lang Syne. (Written by Robert Burns.) Photos by Tisara Photography.

 

Scottish Celebration Burns Dinner photos by tisaraphoto.com

 

We heard "Address to a Haggis," by Robert Burns

 

We heard, "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns

 

Videography by Margaret from Old Town Productions

 

We heard the Selkirk Grace.

 

 

 

 

I recommended the books, "The Lowland Clearances*" and Johnson and Boswell's "A Journey to the Western Islands**" which is a first-hand account of what Scotland looked like in 1763.

 

We sang Auld Lang Syne, by Robert Burns, to finish up the evening.

Scottish Celebration Burns Dinner photos by tisaraphoto.com

 

I interviewed author Derek Alexander at the 1500's-built Newark Castle in the small town of Port Glasgow, which is on the Clyde River in Scotland. Derek wrote the book which inspired this film project, "Renfrewshire: A Scottish County's Hidden Past." Summer 2017.

 

*The Lowland Clearances by Peter Aitchison and Andrew Cassell

**Samuel Johnson and James Boswell: A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland AND The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides.