We are all familiar with the iconic RRS Discovery, currently berthed as the crown jewel of Dundee’s waterfront – but for now, let’s concentrate on what we’re good at – ramping up the darkness…
Author: DD Tours
DD Tours is run by Stewart and Louise, 2 local tour guides who love sharing the stories of Dundee's history on our walking tours.
Friday 13th Myths
Everyone knows that Friday 13th is supposedly connected with bad luck and bad omens. Many people across the world believe that a black cat crossing your path, stepping under a ladder and walking across a double drain is bad luck, but even more so on Friday 13th. Today we’re going to explore some ofRead more ⟶
Bigfoot
Even the name “Bigfoot” evokes unease, conjuring up images of huge, hairy bipedal humanoids with primal, base instincts and a wild demeanor. Whilst theories and sightings have been reported for years, nobody has ever managed to document irrefutable evidence of the legendary beasts. And whilst most of the more well documented cases are focused aroundRead more ⟶
Dundee crime statistics 1898 – 1902
The following is a collection of extracts of Dundee Crime Statistics from the Dundee criminal returns of 1898 to 1902 inclusive, read, in part, by us on one of our forays in the archives. A very informative and insightful glimpse into the lives and crimes of this era, it’s also hard sometimes to see whereRead more ⟶
Crime in 1920’s Dundee
Dundee is no stranger to a brawl – a reputation that has preceded the city for generations. Petty crime in Dundee, Scotland in the 1920’s was unsurprisingly, not much different to as it is now. The men, and, perhaps more importantly, the women, have proven to be a fearsome populace, and continue to fight andRead more ⟶
The Dundee Body Snatchers
In Dundee, body snatchers, graverobbers, or “Resurrection Men” turned over a considerable amount of business. When Cholera struck in 1832, the memories of Burke and Hare’s atrocities were still very much at the forefront of people’s minds. Even though Burke had been executed in 1829 (whilst Hare spent the rest of his years in relativeRead more ⟶
Bonnie Dundee
Bonnie Dundee, or John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee (c. 21 July 1648 – 27 July 1689), known as the 7th Laird of Claverhouse until raised to the viscountcy in 1688, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, Tory and an Episcopalian. Claverhouse was responsible for policing southwest Scotland during and after the religious unrestRead more ⟶
Mary Slessor
Now, you might be thinking, what has Mary Slessor got to do with Dark Dundee? Sure, she’s from Dundee, but as a missionary, she is hailed as somewhat of a heroine. Of course she is, and we’re not denying that…but what’s truly dark about Mary Slessor are the things she witnessed during her lifetime. Her father,Read more ⟶
The Common Book of Witchcraft and Wicca
Booksworld.com recently reported the release of “The Common Book of Witchcraft and Wicca. What’s all the fuss about, you ask? Isn’t it just someone trying to sell a book? No, apparently it’s not – the book is available completely free, under a creative commons license, which allows anyone to freely share and republish its contentsRead more ⟶
Up wi the bonnets…
Up wi the bonnets of Bonnie Dundee! We’re sure many of you are familiar with the old song “Bonnie Dundee”, written by Sir Walter Scott over 100 years after the death of John Graham of Claverhouse, but did you know the original poem was heavily edited for the song, to the exclusion of several verses?Read more ⟶