STATUES and their historical symbolism are an issue that’s crossed the Atlantic. There it’s not just the American Civil War but emigrant Scots, like John McDonald, adorning Canadian banknotes that are under reappraisal. Here it’s appropriate to consider not just those that are now unsuitable but individuals and events that should instead be recorded. History is written by the victors and statues reflect influence at a certain time and views change over the years.
The lack of statutes to women is staggering but reflective of male power through the centuries; his story, indeed. If it wasn’t for Queen Victoria there’d be but a handful. That wrong needs righted and a statue to Mary Barbour helps, as well as remembering the rent strike and the city’s housing problems.
Reviewing Scotland’s role in the slave trade and, if needs be, acting upon it is appropriate. Moreover, Scotland could do well to follow Canada in a more honest appraisal of others. So many simply pay homage to foreign-born monarchs who deigned to visit or to aristocrats whose contribution has been limited or even cruel. In most instances it needn’t mean tearing down a landmark; simply a more factual historical explanation being given.
There’s a glorification of the British Empire despite the agony it often caused abroad and the pain that many suffered here. Remembering the dead is one thing but revelling in their deeds most certainly isn’t. The self-indulgences of the oligarchs have also had their day, especially when so many achieved their wealth either on the back or sometimes even breaking the back of their workers. Fortunately, in more recent times those erected have tended to be to able thinkers whether Adam Smith or David Hume and scientists like James Clerk Maxwell; even Donald Dewar merits his place in our history. The spat over erecting a statue in Glasgow to recall the Great Famine in Ireland therefore seems rather sad. That’s something that should be recalled given its significance and its effect on the city itself. It’s surprising that there isn’t one already in a city that received so many fleeing their native land in destitution and desperation.
After all, memorials already stand not just in New York and Boston, but also in Liverpool, places along with Glasgow where sanctuary was sought. Those arriving and their descendants have helped make their new cities and land. Ireland’s loss was Scotland’s gain in many ways, and it’s fitting to remember them and what they endured.
In Ireland the natural disaster that befell the land was compounded by ignorance and inhumanity of epic proportions, resulting in one million starving and another million fleeing. Whilst the British didn’t intend to create a genocide by their intransigence and insensitivity they most certainly caused one. It scarred Ireland for generations and has left its memory seared in the souls of descendants, whether they stayed or fled. Recording it is not just right but long overdue.
Of course, the potato blight affected the Highlands as it did other parts of Europe but nowhere near on the same scale and most certainly not with the same appalling outcome. Conflating the two events seems at best insensitive and at worst crass and historically wrong. The plight of those in the Highlands whether through potato blight or land clearances should most certainly be recalled, whether that should be in Glasgow, though, is debatable. They, too, contributed to shaping the city but it’s in emigration more than immigration where the pain is felt. Many who arrived stayed on but others departed on ships for a new world. As the famine is burned in Irish collective memory, so is land and departure in the Scots memory. That there’s no Scottish equivalent of the Emigrant Museum in Cobh in Ireland is shameful. There should be an acknowledgement of the journey and hardship so many endured; not just those cleared from their land by pestilence or landowners in past centuries but also those in more modern times who’ve simply left to seek a better life.
They’re all part of Scotland’s story, as with those who’ve arrived. Memorials to land raiders in the Western Isles are also a long-overdue acknowledgement of our people’s history and struggle. Emigrant statues in Winnipeg and Helmsdale are equally welcome: much more appropriate than castles and sculptures to those that bought and sold them like chattels and treated their sheep or deer with greater consideration.
What’s required isn’t a memorial to the potato blight in the Highlands but the removal of the Duke of Sutherland’s statue from dominating the lands he cleared. That it stands is an abomination.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel