(written especially for Doric Future)
I would like to introduce you to Our Doric Man, From “Down Under”!
This lovely Australian man originally from Crathie, Aberdeenshire, contacted me when he started to watch some of my videos from Aberdeenshire on you tube.
When I started my Doricfuture Project, I asked Hamish to record some of his memories and stories from his ‘hame land’.
Hamish waited patiently till he got a new computer, so he could make sure that his Doric Roots were recorded, because he feels they are very precious to him. I would like to thank Hamish for his continued support for DoricFuture, which makes my efforts all the more worth while.
Jill Cantlay McWilliam.
The Doric Language and Me.
Ai Ai foulk, Ma name is Hamish Kemp
Born n brocht up in the parish o’ Crathie. Ah wis born the year afor the war startet. Ma mither wis an Anderson fay Donside. Ma father wis ean o. the Kemps fray Craigevar. worset mills.
Ah believe The Kemps originated fay Scandinavia. Ma mither is distant ralitiv o. Bonnie Prince Charlie. Bit thats a complicated story.
Ahy startet squeel at Girnoc. After that ah wint tay Ballater squeel. Hid tay bicycle in the summer days bit hid tay waak when it wis snaen.
Ah left squeel fin ah wis fefteen. Ma first job wis at Birkhall Hoos wei the Queen Mither. Only there for her holiday time.
After that ah wis feed at mony farms Dee side n Don side. Fin ah wis 22 ah got mearret tay a lassie fray Blairgourie an we moved doon sooth tay sooth o England.
Ah served an aprentiship in wid turnin and cabbinet makin.
After seven years in England ma wife and 3 bairns migrated tay Melbourne Australia. Aye though it looks like am in Hawaii or the Carabein wi that sark on ha ha
I had a successful busines here in Australia makin furniture.I
I still spik Doric when ma alest son is en the hoos wi me. The ither twa dinna ken much Doric.
My first wife passed awa 13 years ago noo. Bit ah marrit anither quine. shes fra Thailand. She loves the Scottish language , bit disna unnerstaun Doric. She tries tay spik wei a Scottish accent.
Translation
Hello people. My name is Hamish Kemp
Born and raised in the parish of Crathie. I was born the year before the war started.My mother was an Anderson from Don side. My father was one of the Kemps from Craigivar wool mils.
I believe the Kemps originated from Scandinavia. My mother was a distant relative of Bonnie Prince Charlie. But thatys a long story
I started my school life at GirnocAfter that I went to Ballater SchoolI could bicycle there in summer months but had to walk during winter because of the snow.
I left School aged 15. My first job was with HRH Queen mother at Birkhall House .After that I had employment on many farms on Deeside and Donside.
I got married when I was 22 To a girl from Blairgourie and we moved to south of England.
I served an apprenticeship there as a wood machinist cabbinet maker.
After 7 years in England we migrated to Melbourne Australia. Yes though it looks like I am in Hawaii or the Caribbean with the shirt I am wearing.
I had a successful business here in Australia ,making furniture. I still speak Doric when my oldest son in our house. My other 2 kids dont understand much of Doric. My first wife passed away 13 years ago. I have since re married a girl from Thailand. She loves the Scottish accent and is amused by the Doric.
Watch this space……..
The Orra Loon – A Doric story
Ah wis feed at upper Cuffies tay be the ora loon.
Ah hid jist turned saxteen an a wis a bit green atween the lugs, Bit seen got tay ken fit ah hid tay dee. Pooin neeps, cutten sprots, ay day ah wis telt tay whitewash the steens aroon the greevs hoos. The Greeves wife socht me in for mornin flycup. She made the best ovin skons ah hiv iver tastet.
Ah mind fine the day Ah started at Upper Cuffies. I hid ma new dungerees and tackety beets on. Ma beets made a braw noise like horse fin ah walked our the ccassies in the close.
Ah hid only been there about fower wiks fin the greave telt me tay gang owre tay Sprotties tay help them wi the thrashin mill. ah got up at 5 o’clock that mornin and as seen as ah fenished ma brose n cream Ah jumped on ma bike in off ah wint. Didna tak lang, it is only aboot twa miles wi the shortcut our breast o’ the brae.
Fin ah got tay Sprotties the first loon ah saw wis the Piger. He said tay me ah look afa snod wi ah ma new clase, bit ah needed a pair o’ nicky tams. He ran our tay the bothy, sean cam back wi a pair. Ah didna wint tay weer them, they tsunk o’ pig sharn, aboot mak ma sik. Onywy that wid be better than let a rat or moos renin up ma leg
Fin the traction engin started there wia reek and stame awa’y, an a afa soon. REach the forman telt me tay gang tay the back o’ the mell and tay keep the shakers clear o’ cuffins, ‘n yavins.
Weel ah did that till fly time. My goodness! the flycup wis braw, bit the kitchie lass wis somthin deferent. Am sure she looked at me twice. She hid the biggest paps Ah had iver seen. Noo am waitin tay ken if ah will be back the morn
A Doric story.
I was employed at upper Cuffies to be the young apprentice.
I had just turned sixteen and was not very up on how a farm operated. But I soon got the hang of it. Picking turnips, cutting rushes for thatch, I even had to paint the decorative stones around the managers house with white wash. One morning the managers wife invited me in for a morning cup of tea, she made the best scones I have ever tasted.
I remember very well the day I started work at Upper Cuffies {name of farm } That day I had my new overalls on and new boots with hobnails in the soles. When walking on the cobble stone surface of the farm yard my boots made the noise of a horse.
I had just been there a matter of 4 weeks when the manager told me I had to go to Sprotties farm to help with the threshing of the grain. I left early to go to Sprotties farm it was about 2 miles away. On arrival at Sprotties the Pig man introduced himself and told me I need to wear Leather straps round my legs just below the knee to prevent rats and mice running up my legs. He gave me an old pair of his, but they stunk of Pig excrument. When the traction engine started there was a great noise with smoke and steam coming out from it. I was instructed to go to back of the mill and keep check on the chaff, clear it if need be. I did that until morning break when we had tea and cakes, served by the girl that worked in the kitchen.
She was a beauty with great boozum
She looked at me 2 times. I want to go back tomorrow
Ah mind lang lang ago
Ah mind lang lang ago. En the winter months fin the snaw wid be up tay year arse.
The wiffies o’ the SWRI (Scottish womans rural instute) wid orginise intertanement for the comunity
Sometime card games like whist, sometimes a short play that wid laste aboot an oor or mare.
Ah wis jist a little loon , bit hid big expectations ( big word for doric spicker ) hahaha Wid gang oot the back o’ the hall we the quines and maybe get a lettle kiss
Sometimes the SWRI wid orginisa a dance nicht. Eightsom reel, strip the willow, Gay Gordans
Fit affa fun we hid lang ago.
Ah post a photo.
Ma mither is on the left next tay the loon playin accordian.
Mah britherin law is next tay the ither accordian.
The twa guys wi accordians are pairt o’ the Eddie Esson Scottish Dance Band
A couple of photos fay a lang lang time ago
A couple of photos fay a lang lang time ago Jist like abody els back then we ah hid a job tay dee an we did it weel
After I left School just before my 15th birthday, I became self taught. reading history and geography.
When I worked on farms that was the best education I ever had.
I think every School leaver should be made to spend 1 year working on a farm.
Since coming to Australia I have been a boat builder, furniture maker,
even spent 18 months on the Gold fields. Also Mined for Opals and gemstones
Cut and polish gemstones. And made Jewlery.
All that is behind me now
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Things hay change affa muckle our the years. Ah mind fin we hid tay hiv twa battries tay power the wireless an
Ivery ither wik we hid tay tak them tay the local garrage tay get them charged. We even hid battries under the stair tay power the fone. Ay in fit aboot the camera? a widden box wi a little winda that looked like an eyee. Cuid only tak sax pectyers then tak the spool tay the chemist tay be developed.
Noo it’s ah deen wei “mobile” ///
Things have changed so much over the years
I remember our radio was powered by 2 batteries, which had to be recharged at the local garage every other week.
Our telephone was powered by a battery stored under the stairs.
What about the camera? A wooden box with a little window on it. Could only take 6 photos, then had to take to chemist to be developed.
Now it’s all done on mobile phone
looks like naybody is readin mah posts, or admin is nay lettin them git throo
Hamish, I read your posts ! Others can add to your posts,. If you send them a link. if you copy the link at the top of the page, I think! Copy and paste! My little heed disna do well with technical stuff!! I’m sure you will figure it oot !
Aye aye foulk. A winner if onybody will read ma post?
Maybe am spikin tay ma sel.
Ony wy, tell me, die yea concidder Doric ta be the language o’ the north east,
or is it the lifestil o’ the fouk o’ the north east?
Fit iver it is thers nay gangin back. yea micht gang forret tay the future, bit itll niver be like it wis afore.
foulk that spik the doroc afor are noo mixen et wi pan loaf fry doon sooth.
Thatl day for the day. Keep lookin Al be back seener than yea micht think.
.
Hello people. I wonder it anybody reads my posts.
Perhaps I am talking to myself.
Any how, tell me what you consider Doric? Is it the language of the north east or is it the lifestil of the north east ?
What ever it is there is no going back. You may go forward into the future but it will never be the same as before.
The people that spoke Doric before are mixing the language with the very polite Queens English from the south.
That will do for the time being,Keep a lookout for me. I will be back sooner than you think
LINK? Ah dinny ken fit that micht be.
Am a bit o’ a gumeral fin it comes tay modern electronics
Jill. Ah dinna ken fit year spikin aboot
Hamish, I read your posts ! Others can add to your posts,. If you send them a link. if you copy the link at the top of the page, I think!
Yer nae spikkin til yersel Hamish. A curran o fowk’ll read an nae makk ony comment. Aa’ve jist cam on iss page the day throwe facebook an fair enjoy’t readin it – hud gaun wi’t. My maun spikks aboot takkin the batteries doon t the garage as weel bit he’s a thochtie auler nor me an we aye hid power – aye except fan it wis aff an aat wis aften! There’s a lot o intrist in the Doric nooadays an aat canna be bad bit I canna see fowk spikkin it thw wye it ees’t t be kis wir aa ower mobile bit ye’ll ken aat yersel.
Some o’ ma stories are true, Some are nay. Mak up year ain mine.
It wis ah Friday neicht after the picturs cam oot, Ah wis bikin hame aboot ten o’ clock.
It wis en the Summer month so still nay dark. Fin ah wis passin the graveyard I got the affa smell o’ fruit.
It wis cummin fra the Major,s orchard that wis jist owr the dike fra the graveyard.
Ah jist coodna resist fra getten aff ma bike and climin owr the gate enta the graveyard. Our the graves ah snuk till ah cam tay the steen waa that seperated orchard fra graves
Oh min, fit a sicht, appls, pers, plums awaye.
Ah feled ma pooches and some under ma bonnet.
En then it got a bet scary. There was this affa “BANG”
The Major hid fired a shot ower ma heed.
The dike wis aboot eight feet high. Bit Ah wint clear ower the tap o’et.
That wisna the end o’ that. Next day the Bobby wis knockin at the door wintin tay spik tay me.
He telt mea that sombody hid raded the majors geardin. Ah telt him that wis affa thing tay dee.
Onywy, the Bobby telt me tay tie bags aroon my beets next time so ah widna leave fetprints.
Ah ofen winnered if me takin his dochter tay the picters hid onything tay day wi his advice.
It was a Friday night after the movies finished. I was cycling home about 10pm
It was in the summer months and still not quite dark. When I was passing the cemetery I got the strong smell of fruit,
It was coming from the major,s orchard which was just over the wall from the cemetery.
I could not resist getting off my bicycle and climbing over the gate into the cemetery, I quietly walked through the graves then over the stone wall that separated the orchard from the graves.
Oh man what a sight it was. Apples, Pears, Plums everywhere.
I filled my pockets even put some inside my cap.
That is when I got the fright of my life. There was a very loud “BANG” The Major had fired a shot over my head
The stone wall was about eight foot high but I went clear over the top of it.
That wasn’t the end of that. Next day the local policeman came knocking at the door wanting to talk to me.
He told me someone had been raided the Majors garden. I said to the policeman that that was a terrible thing to do.
Anyhow, the policeman told me. Next time I do that I need to tie bags around my boots so there be no footprints.
I often wonder if his advice had anything to do with me taking his daughter to the movies
Ah see we hiv a hanfil o’ fouk fray America gined the group.
Ah winner foo money can unnerstaun the Doric.
It wid be grand if some o’ them wid post a few wards here
Ah the best the noo. Look after een an ither
Lovely to hear fae ye Moira, far div ye bide ? Jill,Doric Future!
Born n bred at Girnoc, fuwer miles fra the toon o’ Ballater. Fin Ah wis twal year ald we moved tay Glen Muick three miles fray Ballater. Ma Father, “Cam o’ fermin foulk” warked en the forestry.
Ah left Squeel fin ah wis fefteen year ald. Weel officialy left at fefteen. Bit actualy ah wis jist 14. Ah hid a bit o’ conflict wee the Dominie an jist waked oot niver tay gang back. Ah warked en farms up n doon Dee an Donside till ah wis twinty twa year ald. After that Ah wint doon tay England we mah young wife fray Blairgowery tay wark.
Ah warked a couple years melkin Coos there, till ah hid an accident and quidna waak because my back wis affa dammaged.
Fin Ah got a bet better Ah got a job en a furniture factory. Ah didna like beein shut enside a factory a day. That’s foo Ah migrated tay Australia.
My Doric Story.
Born n bred at Girnoc, fuwer miles fra the toon o’ Ballater. Fin Ah wis twal year ald we moved tay Glen Muick three miles fray Ballater. Ma Father, “Cam o’ fermin foulk” warked en the forestry.
Ah left Squeel fin ah wis fefteen year ald. Weel officialy left at fefteen. Bit actualy ah wis jist 14. Ah hid a bit o’ conflict wee the Dominie an jist waked oot niver tay gang back. Ah warked en farms up n doon Dee an Donside till ah wis twinty twa year ald. After that Ah wint doon tay England we mah young wife fray Blairgowery tay wark.
Ah warked a couple years melkin Coos there, till ah hid an accident and quidna waak because my back wis affa dammaged.
Fin Ah got a bet better Ah got a job en a furniture factory. Ah didna like beein shut enside a factory a day. That’s foo Ah migrated tay Australia.
Ah dinna wint tay write a book here, am jist geein Doric language a bet o’ a leg up.
Ah arived en Melbourne we a wife an three bairns an twa hunner dollars en mah pooch.
Ah did hay an aller brither bidin in Melbourne, we bade we him for aboot four months en a caravan in his back yard, then ah pet a deposit on a Hoos ah winted tay buy. My wife got a job 3 days aifter we got tay Melbourne, it took me sax days tay fin a job.
Our the next few years ah hid deferent jobs, maken furniture, beldin boats, Ai, ah even made a boat for masale. Ah finished up we ma ain business, maken furniture and sorten hooses. Fin ah got aller Ah sloed doon a bit and went prospecting for Gold n ither gemsteens. Ah did that for a few years. Am nay a millionare, bit am ah richt. Ah hay twa baubees tay rub the gither. Back aboot 1980 ah bocht a smaa buss, it hid 20 seats ensid o it. Ah reipt oot ah the seats except the eens in the drivin cabbin. Ah made a bed richt up at the back o the buss we drawrs enaneth et. Ay, Ah even hid a chunty unner the bed Ah put en a sink, cooker, fridge,Tv Even hid a wardrobe ahint the passenger seat. Ai, It wis a Hoos on wheels ah richt.
Wei the buss ma wife n me traveled our a lot o’ Australia lookin for gold n gemsteens, Sometimes I did lettle jobs for fouk that bayd hunners o’ miles awa fray the toons. Ah learnt a lot fin warken on the farms ah our Aberdeenshire. Ah think abody shuld wark a year on the farms fin they leave Squeel. Av been doon affa deep holes lookin for Opals, Av been up tay ma neck en water an deep Burns looking for gold. Ah will niver forget the day Ah fun a Sapphire aboot the half the size o’ a gulf baa. Ah got an experianced mannie tay cut n pollish the steen, bit ma wife winna weere it because its affa expencive an she micht get et tint. Ony wy she got lots o’ ither jewelry ah made for her.
on ma trevels ah hay seen some Unbelievabl sights. They hay Road trains here en Australia. That is an affa big larry pullen 3 affa big trailers. If that rig went enta a Doric farm it could niver turn roon again tay get oot. Ah ken there is a big farm en Scotland aboot maybe 10 thoosin acres. Noo thats big. Bit nay say big as ah farm en Australia thats 3.5 million acres. Ah widna like tay pet a fince roon that tay keep the Rubbits oot.
Ah mine ay necht after it got dark ah parked the buss near a burn, thoucht ah wid dee a bit o’ fishen en the mornen. My goodness me! fin daylicht cam in ah saw a sighpost saying. Dinna camp here because Crocodils eat campers.
Ave been oot en the desert sleepin unner the stars. Ah hay heard fouk sayen they hay slept in four an five star Hotels. Ah hay sleeped en a thusin star Hotel. Aye nicht at the Easter lang wickend Ma twa suns n me went campin up on the Snawie mountins. We thought the wither wis gan tay be Aricht. Fin we got there it started tay snaa, It snaad ah nicht an we didna hay a tint, only sleepin bags. That wis a lesson larned for young loons.
Ah mind ma first experiance wei a Road Train. Three affa big trailers bein pued we a massive ingin cad a prime moover. Got a bed an ahthing en et. Ah cam up ahent the train an thocgt ah wid niver get passed et. Ony wie, the oot back roads are real strecht, nay mony corners and nay mony ither cars. Fin ah got mah chance ah pulled oot fray ahent the truck an it took me about 5 meenits tay pass the thing. The train wis deein a hunner kilometers an oor. Ah hid to de aboot a hunner n ten.
They even hay places on the ootback roads far the air planes can land. Fleein Doctor an some farmers can use en emergancy. Ah think Ahv said anuf for noo TA TA
Absolutely brilliant Hamish, I hope your story will encourage other folk who have emigrated from their hame land in Scotland to send in an account of their adventure and what life is like in their chosen destination. We could have a website just on that very subject !!!!!!……
Sad but true.
Fin Ah wis only sax year ald ah mine mah mither wis makin scones. She said tay me. Hamish mah loon, rin ower tay the farm an ask Mrs Clark for three pints o’ skimed melk tay make scones. She telt me there wis three bawbees en the pail tay pie for the melk
She telt me tay hurry back and watch n nay skale ony.
It wis a four pint pail.
Mrs Clark telt mea tay tell ma mither it wid only be anither bawbee for a full pail o’ milk.
Fin ah got hame ah telt mah mither fit Mrs Clark hid telt me about the extra Bawbee tay fill the pail.
Mither put her haun on mah shooder and said, Laudie, ah jist henna got anither bawbee in the hoos
Come on all you people, Doric or not Doric. This is the place to find the ancent history of the North East Scotland Doric people and there way of life past and presant. A little bit of input means a great deal
Hamish I read you blogs ! Ye are a treasure, we are just trying to build up the DTV community, it takes its time to get folk together and get them to join, so more folk will read your blogs ! I love your stories Hamish , I’m your no 1 fan ! Jill x
I used to milk the coos as a bairn nae very well , it was a skilled job Jill x
Fin Ah worked en the Diry Farm. Ah hid tay get up an 5 en the mornin.
Shout en the Coos an get the machines redy. Ma breakfast wis half a pint o’ theck cream aff the tap o’ a10 gallon melk can fra the nicht afors milkin tay wash doon a haunfae o’ abernathie biscutes.
Am nay guan tay gee up. yea canna haud a gweed Scott doon.
Ah yea hiv tay dee is Pet yer best finnger forret and press the buttons
Wi ma big Kilmarnock bunnet I ran tae catch the train,
Never will I forget the trick played by Sandy Laing,
Says he “Hie Jock when ye get tae the toon, speir ye for Katie Bain, ma loon,
She bides at number eichty street in Glesca.”
Yer Kilmarnock Bonnet ! Brilliant
Jill x
Thats pairt o’ a cornkister fay awa bak. A hunner years or mare
Am jist gang tay wesh abody a marry xmas. May year pootches be deep,
an year arms be short. Dinna let the Deevil get entay year heed at this time
I wish I could have an internet conversation person to person with someone on this website
Ai Ai Doric foulk.
Foo yea ah deein?
The streen ah wis dreemin aboot ma ferst jobs on a farm our there on Donside.
The fearmer wis affa kin tay me, ei helpin mea fin a did somthin rang.
He telt mae, as I gang through life Ah wid hay tay houk mah ain neeps
I’m with ye Hamish, in listening. ! Jill