(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.
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……..
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. 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 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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