Alicia Ann Spottiswoode
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Alicia Ann, Lady John Scott (née Spottiswoode; 24 June 1810 – 12 March 1900) was a Scottish songwriter and composer known chiefly for the tune, "Annie Laurie," to which the words of a 17th-century poet, William Douglas, were set. She was passionate about preserving Scottish heritage, and was the first Lady Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.<ref name=":3" />
Life
Scott was born at Spottiswoode, Scottish Borders, in the former Berwickshire.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She was the oldest daughter of John Spottiswoode of Berwickshire and his wife Helen Wauchope of Niddrie Marischal. She had three siblings, two brothers called John and Andrew and a sister, Margaret, who she was particularly devoted to.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>
Much of her childhood was spent in the countryside, where she was educated in Italian, French, drawing, literature, singing, and playing the harp. She inherited her father's interest in geology, botany and archaeology, and her grandfather's interest in Scottish history - being interested in the Jacobites in particular.
During nineteenth century archaeology was a popular pastime for women of means, some of whom, including Scott, became pioneers in the field.<ref name=":22">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1845 she directed the excavations of the Twinlaw cairns. She recorded that they "opened the Twinlaw Cairns and found a cist (which had been ransacked before) in each."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1863 Scott oversaw excavations on two barrows on the Spottiswoode estate, and the subsequent paper was published in Volume 5 of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland as "communicated by Professor JY Simpson." The artefacts found during excavations are now in the collections of the National Museums of Scotland.<ref name=":13">Template:Cite journal</ref>
In Volume 6 of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland a report on an excavation of the tumuli at Hartlaw was published by John Stuart. He reported that the excavation was directed by Scott, who was assisted by a Mrs. Warrender.<ref name=":13"/>
In 1868 the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland began to discuss the admission of women as members, as several archaeological societies in England had begun to admit them as well. The Society established its first official membership category for women, then known as Lady Associate. Lady John Scott was admitted as the first Lady Associate in 1870.Lady Associates were honorary members of the Society. The number of Lady Associates permitted in the Society was limited to twenty five at a time. Lady Associates did not pay member fees and were allowed to submit communications to be read at meetings by male Fellows, although not permitted to attend said meetings in person.
On 16 March 1836 she married Lord John Scott, a younger son of the 4th Duke of Buccleuch, and consequently become known as Lady John Scott.<ref name=":3">Preface by Margaret Warrender (March 1904) in Songs and Verses by Lady Jane Scott, Edinburgh: David Douglas, pp. i–lxiv</ref> Together they lived at his estate in Cawston, Warwickshire.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Lord John Scott died in 1860. Under the will of her father, she resumed her maiden name Spottiswoode in 1866, and was sometimes known as Lady John Scott Spottiswoode.<ref name="TTobit" />
Scott was a champion of traditional Scots language, history and culture, her motto being 'Haud [hold] fast by the past'.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> One of her best known works, "Annie Laurie," was written whilst visiting her sister and brother-in-law in Marchmont, an area of Edinburgh, and was published in 1838.<ref name=":1" /> She died at Spottiswoode, in the Borders, on 12 March 1900.<ref name="TTobit">Template:Cite newspaper The Times</ref> Scott also regularly communicated with Scottish antiquary and folklorist Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe during the 1840's, evidencing her interest in Scottish culture, history and folklore.<ref name=":2" />
Her compositions were published by Paterson & Roy,<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> and included:
Works
Selected works include:
- “Annie Laurie”<ref name=":0" />
- “Douglas Tender and True” <ref name=":0" />
- “Durisdeer”<ref name=":0" />
- “Etterick”<ref name=":0" />
- “Farewell to Thee”<ref name=":0" />
- “Foul Fords”<ref name=":0" />
- “Katherine Logie”<ref name=":0" />
- “Lammermoor”<ref name=":0" />
- “Loch Lomond”
- “Mother, Oh Sing Me to Rest”<ref name=":0" />
- “Shame on Ye, Gallants”<ref name=":0" />
- "Think on Me"<ref name=":0" />
- “When We First Rode Down to Ettrick”<ref name=":0" />
- “Within the Garden of My Heart”
- “Your Voices Are Not Hush'd”
Selected Publications
Stuart, J.; Scott, Lady J. (1865) Account of Graves recently discovered at Hartlaw, on the farm of Westruther Mains, with Drawings by Lady John Scott”<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> . Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 6, pp. 55–61. doi:10.9750/PSAS.006.55.61.
See also
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1810 births
- 1900 deaths
- 19th-century British classical composers
- 19th-century Scottish writers
- 19th-century Scottish women writers
- Scottish women classical composers
- Scottish classical composers
- Scottish women songwriters
- 19th-century Scottish women composers
- 19th-century Scottish songwriters
- Wives of younger sons of peers