The Highland Clearances

[Stephen Malkmus]

Could someone please recommend me a good book on this topic as I would like to learn more about it. Thank you.

[Cyclizine]

It's a topic I've always found interesting given some family history. I think Eric Richard's book is probably the most balanced I've read. It gives a good overview of the whole social, political and economic changes at the time to explain the Clearances in some context.

[Miguel Sanchez]

Samuel Johnson's Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland

[ICTJohnboy]

I can recommend this from local author and historian :

 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1794407.Culloden_Tales

[yoda]

I've just started the Eric Richards book. It has been recommended by a few people, as has James Hunter's "Set Adrift Upon The World".

[jester]

Culloden by John Sadler deals with it in passing, though not in expansive detail. What he does portray is simply horrific. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

I would avoid reading anything by Michael Fry - who even arch-unionist Brian Wilson called the David Irving of the Highland Clearances.

[John Lambies Doos]

The unionist troll oliver does a programme on it, thought it was interesting but in hindsight was probably full of bigoted unionist bias

[Wee Willie]

 

This guy wrote a famous book on the subject

John Prebble - The Highland Clearances (1963)

https://www.list.co.uk/article/2770-john-prebble-the-highland-clearances-1963/

 

but this guy clearly disnae agree wi' him

Perpetuating some myths of the Highland Clearances

https://roddymacleod.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/perpetuating-some-myths-of-the-highland-clearances/

[moses1924]

There's a very good book called The Lowland Clearances which was interesting in considering the subject in parts of the country not usually associated with clearance. Care needs to be taken to differentiate between the events immediately after the '45 and the process of clearance to make way for different forms of land use which took place later. On the subject of Culloden there is an interesting book "Sweet William or the Butcher" which presents a very interesting assessment of events in light of contemporary values.

[Newbornbairn]

Bunch of teuchters emigrated. What's the fuss?

[Mark Connolly]

The only one I've ever read was The Desperate Journey. Not sure how historically accurate it was though!

[RedRob72]

'Scotland, The History of a Nation' written by David Ross (Lomond 2004) is an easy read.

[jester]

3 hours ago, Wee Willie said:

but this guy clearly disnae agree wi' him

Perpetuating some myths of the Highland Clearances

 

https://roddymacleod.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/perpetuating-some-myths-of-the-highland-clearances/

A quick squint on anyone who denies there were Clearances or attempts to paint them as "not as bad as they seemed" usually reveals them to be of the batshit mental British Nationalist variety. That chap appears to be no exception.

The "Clearances" are vastly misunderstood. There were a series of them, before the '45, post '46 and the later "economic Clearances". They have never been fully and openly addressed as it's no doubt shameful, to Britain among others. 

In the book The Last Highlander by Sarah Fraser I discovered that Duncan Forbes of Culloden had been blackmailing MacLeod and MacDonald of Sleat. In 1740 both these chiefs, strapped for cash had "sold" some of their kinsfolk to slavery on the American plantations. The price of keeping quiet was their loyalty to the crown.

I think that the proposed closure of Fort George should be seen as an opportunity to house a permanent visitors centre and memorial to those who suffered during the Clearances, and to educate future generations of what actually happened, rather than educate them in myth or denial.

[invergowrie arab]

Prebble's book is probably the best one for a starting point.

Tom Devine is always worth listening to 

 

[ICTJohnboy]

Been quite a good response to this, but nothing from the OP so far!

I must admit I find it an interesting subject - having been almost cleared out the Highlands myself.

[Stephen Malkmus]

I've bought the Eric Richards book - there seems to be a surprising lack of literature on the subject. I suppose there is not too much source material to be pored over.

As an Invernessian schoolchild, I remember being taught in some detail about the Jacobites and Culloden but never the Clearances which is pretty strange as they could have related it to a lot of subjects - history, geography, economics etc.

I want to know who I should direct my grievances, which have been repressed for generations, towards.

[invergowrie arab]

2 hours ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

I've bought the Eric Richards book - there seems to be a surprising lack of literature on the subject. I suppose there is not too much source material to be pored over.

As an Invernessian schoolchild, I remember being taught in some detail about the Jacobites and Culloden but never the Clearances which is pretty strange as they could have related it to a lot of subjects - history, geography, economics etc.

I want to know who I should direct my grievances, which have been repressed for generations, towards.

I don't know how old you are but for most of the 20th century the people who ran the council/s and education board/s in the highlands were the same people whose families did the clearing.

I think until very recently all of the highlands, and indeed Scotland, had this Stockholm syndrome going on where the symbols of oppression were worn as badges of honour. 

The highland regiments, the Scots diaspora in the empire, the sturdy Highlander as the lairds gille and empty wilderness.

[jester]

I was in Edinburgh Castle a few months back. Reading one of the information panels on an exhibit, I noticed that it said that recruitment into the British Army was used as a means of pacifying the Highlands: If the menfolk were away fighting for Britain, they couldn't be at home, fighting for Scotland or the Clans.

It then went on to say that this soon became less successful as there weren't enough men to recruit from. Not really a surprise if you were clearing them out of the country...

[invergowrie arab]

Immediately after the 45 Gaelic, tartan, fealty to clan chief, freedom of assembly all proscribed.

Unless you were in the army.

The Co-option of Gaelic culture into the army was a calculated act repeated countless times by all imperial powers throughout history.

I'm not out to lionize clan culture though. Life as a Highlander in the 18th century looks utter shite.