Non-American full-timer with Scottish heritage. I know very little indeed about the details of my heritage. As far as I know, both my mother's parents were English (ie: born in England of English parents). On my father's side: again as far as I know, his father was born in England of English parents, but his mother was Scottish - from somewhere in Sutherland - but I have neither place names nor dates for any of my grandparents. My father never wanted to acknowledge his Scottish connection and never spoke about it, other than telling me that my grandmother was born in Sutherland! Both his parents died before I was born. My mother never spoke about her parents at all, although I knew and loved her mother, my grandmother, who died when I was a teenager. My mother's father died soon after my mother was born. So the information is scant in the extreme.
From a very early age, I have felt a very strong love for Scotland and all, or most, things Scottish. Sadly, although I have always lived in the south of England, I did not get to make my first visit to Scotland until 1999 at the age of 63!
The kilt first came into my life when I was 14 and developed an almost fanatical love of Scottish Country and Highland Dance - a love which has remained with me for 57 years. For 47 of those years, I looked upon the kilt as nothing more than a costume or 'uniform' to be worn when dancing ........ it never ocurred to me to wear one at other times. Then, the comfort, freedom and joy of the kilt hit me (hard) and I began acquiring more than the one kilt I had owned for years and, eight years ago in ten days time, I started wearing them full-time and rid myself of all the trousers I owned.
The rest is history, and I have never been more comfortable or happier.
[B][I][U]No. of Kilts[/U][/I][/B][I]:[/I] 102.[I] [B]"[U][B]Title[/B]"[/U][/B][/I]: Lord Hamish Bicknell, Laird of Lochaber / [B][U][I]Life Member:[/I][/U][/B] The Scottish Tartans Authority / [B][U][I]Life Member:[/I][/U][/B] The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society / [U][I][B]Member:[/B][/I][/U] The Ardbeg Committee / [I][B][U]My NEW Photo Album[/U]: [/B][/I][COLOR=purple]Sadly, and with great regret, it seems my extensive and comprehensive album may now have been lost forever![/COLOR]/
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