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Three generations of Cellardyke fishermen return to their home port in large-scale portraits by their descendant Alan Watson. You can see these striking images of Star Elick, James and George Doig Watson in the Scottish Fisheries Museum, and delve into the history of a local fisher family.
Ancestral Triptych
by Alan Watson
I come from a long line of fisher folk who have lived and worked in the close knit coastal villages which make up the East Neuk of Fife. My fishing heritage has always been very important to me and has appeared as a recurring theme in my artwork over many years.
This group of family fishing portraits formed the centrepiece of an exhibition of paintings and charcoal drawings I held in the 369 Gallery in Edinburgh in 1986. This show subsequently toured Scotland culminating in Ancestral Triptych being included in the first official British art exhibition to be held in the Soviet Union since the revolution.
The earliest record I have of my family in Cellardyke is James Watson who was born c 1670. William Alexander Watson born 1767 is believed to be the first skipper to have a boat registered ‘Morning Star’. The nickname ‘Star’ then follows my paternal family line distinguishing them from other Watson fishing families in the East Neuk.
5 April – 31 October 2009
On show in the Zulu Gallery
Web Link:www.scotfishmuseum.org
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Wallace and Gromit © and Aardman Animations Ltd
This summer, visitors will get an amazing behind-the-scenes insight into the science and magic of animation with the fabulous exhibition, Animated Adventures featuring Wallace and Gromit, beginning on 1st June and running until 11th October.
The exhibition contains seven original sets used in the making of Aardman and DreamWorks’ feature film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Visitors can take a sneak peek inside Lady Tottington’s luxurious home, see Wallace and Gromit’s bunny-laden basement and get a closer look at Wallace’s new Anti Pesto van. They can even see how the furry buck-toothed Were-rabbit was constructed in a stage-by-stage display!
Visitors to this fun-filled exhibition will also get the chance to try producing their very own animation.
General Information
Open 7 days, 10am – 5pm
Admission charge: £6.95 for adults, £4.95 children and concessions.
Under 4s free
Average visit time 2 – 3 hours.
Web Link:www.sensation.org.uk
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National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh
A new exhibition which encourages children to discover the natural world on their doorsteps will open at the National Museum of Scotland in June. Inspired by the simple observation methods used by Charles Darwin, Garden Detectives features a specially-created garden which will offer visitors the chance to search for clues to the natural world all around us.
Garden Detectives is part of Darwin200, a national programme of events marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and celebrating his scientific ideas. The hands-on exhibition will encourage young visitors to use their eyes, ears and sense of small to follow clues and find out about the insects, animals and plants that live in different areas of the garden, from sheds and ponds to flower beds and hedgerows.
The exhibition is free and runs from Friday 26 June to Sunday 27 September at the National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street, Edinburgh.
Garden Detectives is sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage.
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The Stanley Mills water mill complex beside the River Tay has picked up a fifth accolade for excellence in conservation.
The recent Scottish Design Awards 2009 saw it take the title for the best re-use of a listed building.
Judges made the award to LDN Architects – hired by Historic Scotland to create a visitor and education centre in the oldest parts of the complex – the Bell Mill and the Mid Mill.
Jane Rahil, Historic Scotland project manager for Stanley Mills, said: “It is wonderful that all those who worked so hard on the project to conserve Stanley Mills and give them a new future have been recognised in the Scottish Design Awards.
“The mills are an important part of Scotland’s industrial heritage and we are delighted not just to have saved them for future generations, but to have transformed them into an exciting and innovative visitor centre for the public to enjoy.”
The mills went out of production in 1989, fell into a dilapidated state and faced demolition until bought by Historic Scotland in 1995.
They were rescued with the help of The Prince’s Regeneration Trust and received considerable financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other bodies.
Historic Scotland turned the most historically significant areas into a £4.7 million visitor and education centre.
Web Link:www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
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Brass Rubbing in a 15th Century Church
Unleash the artist inside you and your family and head for the Brass Rubbing Centre tucked away in Chalmers Close, just off the Royal Mile (opposite the Museum of Childhood).
There's an array of brasses to choose from, so every member of the family should be able to find something which appeals: Celtic designs, medieval knights and roaring lions are waiting for you in this former Gothic Trinity Church. And if you're new to this activity our friendly staff will help to get you started.
Located in the Trinity Apse, this is the sole surviving fragment of the 15th century Trinity College Church and Hospital. Founded by Mary of Gueldres following the death of her husband King James II at the siege of Roxburgh in 1460, there's something here for history buffs as well as art historians.
The original Trinity Church was demolished in the 1840s to make way for Waverley Railway Station but in the 1870s the Apse was rebuilt on its current site from original stones.
Opening Hours
Monday-Saturday 10am–5pm (April to September)
Sundays 12 noon-5pm (during August only)
(Last rubbing by 4pm).
Prices: Entry is free and rubbings start from £1.50
For further details visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/museums or call 0131 556 4364
Web Link:www.edinburgh.gov.uk/museums
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National Museums Scotland has appointed Grant Mackenzie (35) as general manager at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune, East Lothian.
Grant has extensive experience in the tourism and visitor attraction sector including over two years as general manager of Deep Sea World in South Queensferry and time as stewarding and events officer at Edinburgh Castle. More recently he was employed as a senior consultant with leading Edinburgh firm Jura Consultants, providing advice to the tourism and leisure industry.
Grant, who lives in Edinburgh but originally hails from the Highlands, takes over at the National Museum of Flight following a £2 million investment at the site which saw the addition of two new permanent exhibitions and a number of new attractions and displays. The changes have already led to a significant rise in visitor numbers over the past few weeks.
The National Museum of Flight is currently open seven days a week.
For further information on the National Museum of Flight, please see http://www.nms.ac.uk.
Web Link:www.nms.ac.uk
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Following the arrival of a pair of rare Amur tigers, the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, near Aviemore, is delighted to announce that they now have three tiger cubs. Yuri and Sasha arrived from Edinburgh Zoo in September last year and quickly settled into their new Highland home. They are already extremely experienced parents, having successfully reared six cubs. With only 500 remaining in the wild, these arrivals are a welcome addition to the European breeding programme, which acts as a safety-net against extinction and as conservation ambassadors for their counterparts in the wild.
The three new arrivals were born on 11 May. As they are still quite young, keepers won’t be able to sex or name them for another few weeks. Staff at the Park have been keeping a close eye on them since they were born and all cubs are in excellent health and are ready to start exploring their outside enclosure.
Douglas Richardson, Animal Collection Manager at the Highland Wildlife Park said:
“The birth and rearing of these tiger cubs is further proof that Yuri and Sasha have settled into their new home. The cubs will be an obvious attraction for visitors to the Park, but more importantly they will further enable us to highlight key conservation messages about the plight of tigers and other species, like the Scottish wildcat, that are under severe pressure in the wild.”
Web Link:www.highlandwildlifepark.org
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pictured left to right:
Ian Craig, MD Lothian Buses, Councillor Phil Wheeler, Chris Brown (Keeper) with Tango (European Eagle Owl) and David Windmill, Chief Executive RZSS
Edinburgh Zoo has entered into a two-year deal with Lothian Buses to create a fleet of Zoo-branded buses for service 26. Ten buses now feature five different animal designs (chimpanzee, penguin, tiger, zebra and rainbow lorikeet) that dramatically wrap around all four sides of the bus. The tagline “Zoom to the Zoo” also features on all the designs.
As well as raising the profile of Edinburgh Zoo, both organisations hope that it will encourage potential visitors to use public transport. On its busier days, visitors to the Zoo can create heavy traffic congestion which causes problems for drivers as well as residents in the Corstorphine area. Both organisations are also keen to promote greener methods of travel - the new buses are fitted with the latest Euro 5 engines which produce less harmful gases.
In a further initiative with Lothian Buses, visitors to Edinburgh Zoo can now purchase “fast track” admission tickets from Edinburgh Bus Tour ticket sellers located on Waverley Bridge.
Web Link:www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
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Archaeologists believe that bones discovered at Stirling Castle may have belonged to a young knight killed in battle or during a siege.
Even though the warrior was probably only in his mid-20s he appears to have suffered several serious wounds in earlier fights.
Indeed, he may have been living for some time with a large arrowhead in his chest. Bone re-growth around a dent in the front of the skull suggest he had recovered from a severe blow, possibly from an axe. The fatal wound, however, occurred when something, possibly a sword, sliced through his nose and jaw.
The unknown warrior, who lived in or around the early 1400s, was laid to rest under the floor of a chapel near the castle’s royal apartments.
The excavation which revealed the skeletons was part of the long-term Historic Scotland project to discover more about the castle’s past and to inform its work to further enhance its appeal as a world-class visitor attraction.
A central part of this work is the £12 million Stirling Castle Palace Project, which aims to return the castle’s royal palace to how it may have appeared in the mid-16th century.
The palace is currently closed to the public and is due to reopen in 2011.
To find out more about the palace project visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/news/mediaresources.htm.
Web Link:www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
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Anstruther Harbour, 1910
As part of a series of events and exhibitions designed to celebrate the Museum’s anniversary year we will be holding an exhibition (to open on the 4th of July, the actual anniversary of the museum’s opening) of the Museum’s development over the last 40 years.
From the earliest recorded history of Anstruther, fishing was the mainstay of the town. At one time, more fish were caught, processed and traded here than at any other harbour in Scotland. The fishing industry also supported many associated trades, and was responsible for a large percentage of trade in its own right. Cured fish were exported to other parts of Scotland, to England, and abroad to Europe.
The exhibition includes many photographs and memorabilia charting the Museum’s history so far and is sure to evoke memories for the many people who have been involved in one way or another over the years. Also on show are some of the stars of the collections, including some of the very first pieces that were donated, and also some of the curiosities such as a murder weapon and a model Chinese junk that have found their way into the Museum.
The exhibition, entitled SFM @ 40, will run from 4 July until 27 September during our usual opening hours (Mon – Sat: 10-5.30, Sun 11-5).
Web Link:www.scotfishmuseum.org
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