Cornerstone No. 188, page 19
GS 64’ s poetry arrived on bookshelves in 1934 under the collective title. It was re-issued in 2014. Notable poems in this anthology include( sounds Anglo-Scots!),, and
. It also contains some love sonnets written( according to the author) for a man but whom, we know not and Nan Shepherd never married. Finally, the work of non-fiction – – inspired by Nan’ s love of hill-walking and written during the 1940s, although not published until 1977( the author’ s choice). Anna Shepherd lectured on English at the Aberdeen College of Education and edited the Aberdeen University review until 1963. The university awarded her an honorary doctorate in 1964. She died on February 23rd 1981 and is commemorated in Makars’ Court in Edinburgh and, of course, on a £ 5 note. £ 10: Mary Somerville. Mary Fairfax was born in the Scottish Borders, at Jedburgh, on Boxing Day 1780. She was to rise to prominence in the sciences of mathematics and astronomy despite barriers and obstacles put in her way by members of her own family. At first it would appear that Mary enjoyed a privileged position in society from which her scientific ambitions could be satisfied and furthered. After all, her father was Vice Admiral Sir William George Fairfax and Mary’ s family was of distinguished stock. However, Sir William branded Mary“ a savage” and packed her off for‘ tuition’ as a boarder in Musselburgh to learn the‘ 3 Rs’. She returned with a smattering of French, a command of simple arithmetic and a faltering ability to read and write – an inauspicious start to life in the sciences, so our subject settled into life as a socialite in polite Edinburgh society; but a thirst for knowledge must be quenched and GS65 found a perfect drinking vessel in the form of Euclid’ s a work from which she quaffed as if a drought were apparent. Things became worse at home when Mary’ s sister died aged 10 and her parents ascribed her demise to studying( so much for enlightenment amongst senior members of the Senior Service). Our subject was thus forbidden to study, but she continued – in secret. Another obstacle almost barred the way when, in 1804, Mary married a distant cousin who was also the Russian Consul in London, a Captain Samuel Greig( another of the seafaring fraternity). This union produced two children but was not a happy one as the Captain did not approve of‘ learned women’ and took a prejudiced stance against Mary’ s pursuit of academic interests. This spouse died in 1807 and our subject moved back to Scotland. Spouse No. 2 came along in 1812 in the form of Dr. William Somerville who actively encouraged his wife’ s quest for learning. With his support and contacts, Mary began to circulate in scientific and artistic circles meeting J. M. W. Turner( she appears in the film
), Sir David Brewster, the inventor of the kaleidoscope and William