MACDIARMID’S BROWNSBANK
SCIO 045987 Registered in Scotland Charity Number SC045987.
On this page we will be posting information, critical narrative and other information relating to the life and work of Hugh MacDiarmid. We invite submissions of pieces in these categories. If you know of any such piece which you think may be worth sharing here you can submit it for consideration to macdiarmidsbrownsbank@gmail.com
In August 2018 the TLS published James Robertson’s article ‘No Ruined Stones’, an atmospheric and moving reflection of when he became writer-in-residence at Brownsbank in 1992. To read the article click Download PDF.
MACDIARMID’S BROWNSBANK
Our charity has eight trustees whose names and brief biographies are shown below.
Shona Finlayson (Convenor)
Shona is local to the Biggar area, having lived here most of her life. Recently retired from a management career in technology, she is now concentrating on her passion for the outdoors and the Scots language. Shona speaks Scots in her day-to-day life and throughout her working life refused to modify her use of local accent and Scots words for her professional audience, no matter where they were based.
Charlie Todd (Treasurer)
Charlie is a prominent church and community activist as well as local historian. His exhaustive knowledge of the area and accounting experience are a great asset to the committee. He is also an outstanding musician.
Robin McAlpine
Robin is a Director of Common Weal, a Scottish ‘think and do tank’ which campaigns for social and economic equality, participative democracy, environmental sustainability, wellbeing, quality of life, peace, justice and cooperation. He has worked for over 20 years in journalism, public affairs, political strategy and policy. He writes for a wide range of sources on Scottish politics.
Denham Macdougall
Denham retired in 2011 after working for local authority in Community Development and Criminal Justice Social Work. He teaches music and is engaged with a number of community activities as well as work for the Church. He has chaired MacDiarmid’s Brownsbank since 2019.
Christopher Grieve
Christopher Grieve is the eldest grandchild of Hugh MacDiarmid. As a child he spent much time with Hugh and Valda up at Brownsbank. His memories and insight are a much valued live connection for MacDiarmid’s Brownsbank.
LITERARY ADVISORS
James Robertson
James is a writer of fiction, a poet, editor and publisher. He writes in both English and Scots. Hugh MacDiarmid’s poetry and prose has had a seminal influence on his own work. He was the first holder of the Brownsbank Fellowship (1993 – 1995) and lived at the cottage for those two years. His seven novels to date include Joseph Knight (Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year and Saltire Society Book of the Year, 2003/04), The Testament of Gideon Mack (long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, 2006) and And the Land Lay Still (Saltire Society Book of the Year, 2010). He has also published several collections of short stories and poetry, and is a co-founder and general editor of, and contributing author to, Itchy Coo, an imprint specialising in books in Scots for children and young adults.
Alan Riach
Alan is the Professor of Scottish Literature at Glasgow University, Convener of the Saltire Society, Past President of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, 2006-10 and General Editor of the Collected Works of Hugh MacDiarmid. Born Airdrie, Lanarkshire, 1957, BA Cambridge 1979, PhD Glasgow University 1986, worked in New Zealand at the University of Waikato 1986 – 2000. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Hugh MacDiarmid’s Epic Poetry (1991), Representing Scotland in Literature, Popular Culture and Iconography and co-author with Alexander Moffat of Arts of Resistance: Poets, Portraits and Landscapes of Modern Scotland (2009), described by the Times Literary Supplement as ‘a landmark book, his fifth book of poems is Homecoming (2009). The Winter Book: New Poems was published in 2017. Read Alan Riach’s Brownsbank Talk delivered in 2012 here> Download PDF.
