An initiative at the University of Aberdeen's Elphinstone Institute is seeking the help of people from the North-East to find out about singers of the past.
The Performance Edition of 'The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection' funded by The British Academy and led by Dr Katherine Campbell, is approaching completion. The collection was made in the early years of the twentieth century by Gavin Greig, a schoolmaster at Whitehill School near New Deer, and Reverend James Bruce Duncan, a Free Church minister at Lynturk near Alford. It is a marvellous collection that has now been published in eight volumes containing almost 2,000 songs.
The Performance Edition will contain 150 songs and is based on a number of the singers that Greig and Duncan collected from. Dr Campbell would like to hear from anyone who knew the following people or from any of their descendants. Photographs are particularly welcome.
Robert Alexander (1835-1917) was a farmer who died in Aberdeen but formerly lived at Quarrylea, Whiterashes. He was married to Jane (née Dunbar) and his children included Catherine, Beatrice, Mary and Grace.
James Angus (1852-1929) from Peterhead. Angus worked on the whaling ships for a time and was married to Ann (née Murison). The couple's children included Ann, William, James, and John Cordiner Angus.
Archibald Knowles (c. 1839-1924) spent most of his life in Aberdeen where he worked for a time as a joiner. He was married to Mary Thomson from Keith and his children included William, Adam, John, Mary and Archibald.
Alexander Mackay (or McKay) (1858-?) worked for a time as a butcher in the Alford area c. 1909 but later emigrated to Canada and was living at 15 Ward Street in Toronto in 1925. He was married to Mary Ann and his children included Robert, Mary Jane, Annie, Emily, Georgina, Maggie and Flora.
John Quirrie (or Quirie) (1848-1913), a crofter at North Mains of Craigston, King Edward, was married to Jane (née Gerrie). Their children included Eliza, Robert, John, William, Alexander, Isabella, Alfred, Jane, Leith and Eleanora.
Mrs Ann Jane Sangster died in 1920 aged 77. Her maiden name was Angus and she was married to James Sangster. She lived at Cortiecram, Kininmonth, Lonmay and her children included Alexander, Andrew F., John C., Margaret, Peter G., Hellen, and Angus.
Please write to the Institute at 24 High Street, Aberdeen, or telephone 01224-272996 (24 hour answer phone) and leave your name and contact details. Alternatively, you can e-mail k.m.campbell@abdn.ac.uk