My early encounters with Scottish Nationalism

In our time in central Africa, my family were active in the Caledonian Society. and my brother and I both had kilts to wear at 'Scottish' occasions - both in the MacDonald tartan - as my paternal grandmother's name was Margaret McDonald, her family name included as the second or middle name of my father, Alexander McDonald Edmonds. My father also had a collection of records featuring both Jimmy Shand and his band and the tenor, Robert Wilson. In the year we vsiited Scotland, 1950, and I started schooling at Harris Academy in Dundee, I saw and heard my first pipe band, probably the Black Watch, the Angus regiment, and was enthralled.

When we returned to Britain in 1953, coronation year. Previously, the big news had been the removal of the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey in 1950 - and my mind had been captivated by the thought of Scottish patriots (actually members of the Scottish National Convention) taking action to restore to Scotland this ancient relic (supposedly the rock that served as Jacob's pillow) that had been 'stolen' by Edward I, the Hammer of the Scots. In 1954, I attended with my parents a gathering at Greyfriars Kirkyard to hear John MacCormick, the founder of the Scottish National Convention speak in favour of a devolved Scottish Parliament. Twenty years later, one of his sons, Neil, the Regius Professor of Public Law at Edinburgh University, was a support speaker at my final election rally in Hawick Town Hall when I was SNP candidate for Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles in October 1974. The seat was held by the Liberal MP, David Steel, who had been head boy at George Watson's College when I was in my second year there.

My parents also took me in these years to listen to the eccentric but brave Wendy Wood, the founder and leader of the Scottish Patriots, promoting her cause at 'Speakers' Corner' near the National Art Gallery at the foot of the Mound, just off Princes Street Gardens. Moe and more, I wanted to find out about Scottish history: and of course my heroes became Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Guardian of Scotland who was hanged, drawn and quartered by Edward I, and King Robert the Bruce who won the Battle of Bannockburn.

From my earliest days, I had grown up with the notion that Robert Burns' song, Scots Wha Hae (Bruce's Address to his army at Bannockburn) was Scotand's National Anthem. When I was in Mr Telfer's music class at Watson's in about 1955, we were taught many Scottish songs. One day, we were to sing Scots Wha Hae. To Mr Telfer's amazement, I insisted on standing to sing it - the only one in my class to do so - and much to the amusement of my classmates. It was not an easy thing to do, especially as I was already very unhappy at that school and felt I didn't 'fit in.' However, although Mr Telfer told me I should sit down, he allowed me to continue to take my stance (as it were) for Scotland's anthem.