On November 9th, 1889, the Dundee Courier And Argus ran a very strange story indeed – one we found had not only a bizarre set of circumstances, but also an odd ending: “A mill foreman was fined in the Dundee Police Court the other day for assaulting a youthful worker. Time was when assaults onRead more ⟶
Category: Curiosities
The Monster of Glamis
One of the most famous legends associated with Glamis Castle is that of the ‘Monster of Glamis’; a child born to the family and so hideously disfigured he was isolated in secret chambers within the castle walls, which were sealed upon his death. Legend has its beginnings in 1821 when the first son of theRead more ⟶
On this day – Dundee’s Royal Arch Demolished
Dundee’s Royal Arch was erected in 1853 to commemorate the Royal visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1844, the first visit to the city by a monarch since the 17th century. The Queen often visited Dundee which was on her way to Balmoral. The Arch was commonly known as Victoria Arch to Dundonians,Read more ⟶
Is the truth out there?
Ghost stories and tales of spooks, hauntings, devils and witches have been around for millennia, with variations of the same theme caught up in folklore all across the world. Throughout history, we have told stories not only to define our behaviour, but also our cultural identity. When it comes to ghost stories, however, the recurrentRead more ⟶
On this day – Councillors business interests questioned in trial
Whether any of the parties were found guilty, we don’t know, having not looked at the court records. But back in the 1980s there were just as many suspicions, and likely backhanders and deals going on. So much of the corruption and greed that went on from our elected officials we will never know, butRead more ⟶
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 ⟶
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 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 ⟶
The work of the jute stowers
This rare video, with commentary by Chic Mitchell of Lochee gives a brilliant insight into the work of Dundee jute stowers. Believed to be the only colour video of it’s kind, the footage is about 10 minutes long and was filmed in the 1980’s. If you haven’t seen this before, you need to watch it.Read 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 ⟶