Post by LLady on Sept 15, 2006 6:58:41 GMT 10
September 11
On this day in 1297, William Wallace led his troops to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Wallace defeated Edward I in this great military victory, which established him as the legitimate leader of Scottish resistance. John Balliol had surrendered to the English, and Edward regarded Scotland as his domain, making a triumphant tour to Scotland and removing the Stone of Destiny from Scone. Edward imposed John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, as Governor, sparking a revolt that was led by Wallace in the south-west, and Andrew Murray in the north-east. Wallace and Murray raised a band of enthusiastic volunteers, although the English troops rallied by Surrey and Cressingham from Berwick were, in contrast, well-equipped, imposing, and confident in their superiority. The Scottish troops congregated on Abbey Craig (now the site of the Wallace Monument) when the English arrived on the south bank. The impatient Cressingham led the English troops over the narrow wooden Stirling Bridge, and the Scots attacked, leaving the bridge choked with bodies. Cressingham was one of the first casualties in the massacre, and Surrey retreated south as far as the Tweed. Wallace returned to recapture Berwick and raid Northumberland and Cumberland.
On this day in 1931 Bill Simpson, the Scottish television and stage actor, was born. He achieved national fame in the title role of the BBC TV series, "Dr.Finlay's Casebook", in the 1960s. This popular drama, detailing the life of a rural doctor, was filmed in the town of Callander which became the fictional 'Tannochbrae'.
This historic day in 1997 saw the Referendum on Devolution in Scotland which approved the creation of a new Scottish Parliament. In the 1990s, the Labour Party had revived the idea of devolution and, on their return to power in 1997, the first moves were made.
The referendum received an overwhelming "Yes" vote in favour of establishing a Scottish assembly with tax-raising powers, with 74.3 per cent voting for a Scottish parliament and 63.5 per cent in favour of it having tax-raising powers. The election was the first in the UK to contain an element of proportional representation, and Labour were returned as the largest single party, winning 56 of the 129 seats, only 9 short of an overall majority. The Scottish National Party gained 35 seats, the Conservative Party 18, and the Liberal Democrats 17, while the remaining 3 seats were taken by independents and smaller parties. The Scottish Parliament was formally opened by the Queen on 1 July 1999, with Labour politician Donald Dewar invested as the first minister, at the helm of a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition government.
On this day in 1297, William Wallace led his troops to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Wallace defeated Edward I in this great military victory, which established him as the legitimate leader of Scottish resistance. John Balliol had surrendered to the English, and Edward regarded Scotland as his domain, making a triumphant tour to Scotland and removing the Stone of Destiny from Scone. Edward imposed John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, as Governor, sparking a revolt that was led by Wallace in the south-west, and Andrew Murray in the north-east. Wallace and Murray raised a band of enthusiastic volunteers, although the English troops rallied by Surrey and Cressingham from Berwick were, in contrast, well-equipped, imposing, and confident in their superiority. The Scottish troops congregated on Abbey Craig (now the site of the Wallace Monument) when the English arrived on the south bank. The impatient Cressingham led the English troops over the narrow wooden Stirling Bridge, and the Scots attacked, leaving the bridge choked with bodies. Cressingham was one of the first casualties in the massacre, and Surrey retreated south as far as the Tweed. Wallace returned to recapture Berwick and raid Northumberland and Cumberland.
On this day in 1931 Bill Simpson, the Scottish television and stage actor, was born. He achieved national fame in the title role of the BBC TV series, "Dr.Finlay's Casebook", in the 1960s. This popular drama, detailing the life of a rural doctor, was filmed in the town of Callander which became the fictional 'Tannochbrae'.
This historic day in 1997 saw the Referendum on Devolution in Scotland which approved the creation of a new Scottish Parliament. In the 1990s, the Labour Party had revived the idea of devolution and, on their return to power in 1997, the first moves were made.
The referendum received an overwhelming "Yes" vote in favour of establishing a Scottish assembly with tax-raising powers, with 74.3 per cent voting for a Scottish parliament and 63.5 per cent in favour of it having tax-raising powers. The election was the first in the UK to contain an element of proportional representation, and Labour were returned as the largest single party, winning 56 of the 129 seats, only 9 short of an overall majority. The Scottish National Party gained 35 seats, the Conservative Party 18, and the Liberal Democrats 17, while the remaining 3 seats were taken by independents and smaller parties. The Scottish Parliament was formally opened by the Queen on 1 July 1999, with Labour politician Donald Dewar invested as the first minister, at the helm of a Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition government.