Flett Manuscript Collection – Scotland (Hebrides & West Coast 1953, 1956)

Thomas Muirhead Flett and his wife Joan were prolific collectors of traditional dance, beginning in the Western Isles in 1953, they systematically covered large parts of Scotland and subsequently also worked in the north of England. Tom’s habit was to make notes immediately following a visit to an informant, although on occasion he must have jotted down notes in their presence. These are listed as original notes below.  He followed this by writing expanded fair copy note a short time later. The following represents a straightforward listing of his collection. These are listed as written up notes below. We follow, where possible, the groupings of notes which Tom himself used.

Occasionally, for whatever reason, he never wrote up visits to some dancers, or if he did these notes do not survive.

On some of these research trips Frank Rhodes was also present and his notes are also included when they are available.

The accession of the Flett MSS onto the website is a major project.  Material will be added in sections, beginning with information collected in England.  The handlists will follow below but will thus be very skeletal for some time.  In order to facilitate research in the meantime, we have uploaded a handlist of the written up versions of the Scottish material. PDFs of the notes are available via the same page.

If you use this material for your research please use the citation specifics for the citation style you are using. Please cite both the webpage/s and the pdf volume/s you are using. Please recognise the work by Tom and Joan Flett and Frank Rhodes as appropriate.

Scotland – Hebrides 1953 and 1956 with Frank Rhodes:

JTF_TRAD1

1-3 Neil MacNeill, Isle of Barra, Scotland, 9th April 1953

3 John MacLean, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, Scotland, 10 April 1953

3 Neil MacDonald, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, Scotland, 10 April 1953

3 Barman, Scarinish Hotel, Isle of Tiree, 9 April 1953

4-5 Rachel MacLeod, Castlebay, Isle of Barra, Scotland, 9 April 1953

6-13 Angus John MacLellan, Hacklett, Benbecula, Scotland, 11 April 1953

14-17 Mrs Monk, Craegorry, Benbecula, Scotland, 11 April 1953

18-19 Angus MacMillan, Griminish, Benbecula, Scotland 12 April 1953

20 Archie MacDougall, Liniclett, Benbecula, Scotland, 12 April 1953

20 Calum MacCormack, Nunton, Benbecula, Scotland, 12 April 1953

21 Mrs MacCormack, Hacklatt, Benbecula, Scotland, 12 April 1953

21 Donald MacEachen, Airdveg, Benbecula, Scotland, 13 April 1953

22-24 John MacLeod, Iochdar, South Uist, Scotland, 5 April 1953

25-27 Peter MacKay, Kilaulay, South Uist, Scotland, 12 April 1953

27 Ronald MacDonald, Ardnamonie South Uist, Scotland, 12 April 1953

27 Donald MacPhee, Nunton, Benbecula, Scotland, 13 April 1953

28 Roderick MacPherson, Liniclett, Benbecula, Scotland, 13 April 1953

29 Calum MacPherson & Mrs Smith, Iochdar, South Uist, Scotland 14 April 1953

30-41 Hugh MacKinnon, Cliadale, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, 18 April 1953

42-43 Flora MacLellan, Cliadale, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, 18 April 1953

44-45 Neil MacDonald, Cliadale, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, 18 April 1953

46 Lachlan Campbell, Cliadale, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, 18 April 1953

47 Mr and Mrs Donald MacKay, Cliadale, Isle of Eigg, Scotland, 18 April 1953

48-65 Tom Flett correspondence – various 1953

  1. Letter from J. L. MacLean, 2 October 1953
  2. Dannsa Mor music and words
  3. Letter from Angus Matheson, Lecturer in Celtic, University of Glasgow, 19 March 1953 : Caileach an Dudain
  4. Letter from Angus Matheson, Lecturer in Celtic, University of Glasgow, 11 May 1953 : Caileach an Dudain
  5. Letter from Angus Matheson, Lecturer in Celtic, University of Glasgow, 10 July 1953 : Eigg War Dance + An Dannsa Mor
  6. An Dannsa Mor (words)
  7. Various Gaelic songs

66 Alexander Campbell, 1815 extract

67 Father Allan MacDonald, Oban, Scotland, 1953

68-76 Tom Flett correspondence – various 1953

  1. Letter from John Lorne Campbell, 5 May 1953
  2. Letter from Kenneth Grant, Diocese of Argyll and the Isles, Bishop’s House, Oban, 4 June 1953
  3. Letter from L W Sharp, Librarian, University of Edinburgh, 21 May 1953
  4. Letter from Annie G Gilchrist, 19 January 1953
  5. Letter from Mrs Bassin, Edinburgh, 6 February 1953

77-79 Mrs Wood, Clekiminn near Jedburgh

TMF_FR_TRAD2

Frank Rhodes visit to South Uist and Benbecula, 25-29 April 1956.

  1. Old man at Loch Awe 23/4/1956
  2. Murdu Murray, Tolsta, Lewis 25/4/1956
  3. Mgr. MacKellaig, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  4. Dr. MacLean, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  5. John MacIsaac, Eriskay, Donald Walker, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  6. Archie Monrowe, Lochboisdale, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  7. Angus MacLean, Smerclett, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  8. Donald MacDonald, Garrynamonie, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  9. Donald Allan Morrison, Greybridge, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  10. Patrick Steel, North Boisdale, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  11. Mrs Donald MacDonald, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  12. Kate Morrison, Greybridge, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  13. Donald Walker, Daliburgh, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  14. Roderick MacPherson, Liniclett Muir, South Uist, 26/4/1956
  15. Angus John MacLellan, Hacklett, Benbecula, 27/4/1956
  16. Roderick MacLean, Kilauley, Iochdar, South Uist, 28/4/1956
  17. Mrs Monk, Craegorry, Benbecula, 28/4/1956
  18. Angus John MacLellan (2nd visit), Hacklett, Benbecula, 28/4/1956
  19. Roderick MacPherson (2nd visit), Liniclett Muir, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  20. Mrs Campbell, (with Mr and Mrs Archie MacDonald) Garryheillie, Daliburgh, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  21. Mrs MacLeod, Ormaclett, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  22. Neil Walker, Bornish, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  23. Kate Morrison (2nd visit), Greybridge, Daliburgh, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  24. Donald Walker (2nd visit), Daliburgh, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  25. Miss Harriet MacDonald, Daliburgh, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  26. Mgr MacKellaig, Daliburgh, South Uist, 29/4/1956
  27. Dr MacLean, South Uist, 29/4/1956

Tom Flett and Frank Rhodes visit to Morar and Moidart, 5-11 April 1956

  1. Info on Ewen MacLachlan
  2. Miss Walker, Bracara, Scotland, 5/4/1956
  3. Father MacNeil, Bracara, Scotland, 5/4/1956
  4. Ronald MacLean, Cumusdarrach, Scotland, 6/4/1956
  5. S. Cameron-Head, Inverailort Castle, Scotland, 7/4/1956
  6. Mr MacRae, Inverailort, Scotland, 7/4/1956
  7. Angus MacPherson & Mrs MacDonald, Rose Cottage, Samalaman, Glen Uig, Scotland, 7-8/4/1956
  8. Sandy Gillies (Smirisary) / Mrs Kate MacLean, Glen Uig, Scotland, 7/4/1956
  9. Christina Kennedy, Glen Uig, Scotland, 8/4/1956
  10. Mrs Flora MacDonald (nee MacLean), Glen Uig, Scotland, 8/4/1956
  11. Mr John MacLean, Glen Uig, Scotland, 8/4/1956
  12. Mrs Ronald MacDonald (South Uist), Glen Uig, Scotland, 8-9/4/1956
  13. Donald Kennedy, Eilean Shona, Scotland, 9/4/1956
  14. Mrs MacLellan, Eilean Shona, Scotland, 9/4/1956
  15. Father Campbell, Scotland, 9/4/1956
  16. Donald Cameron, Post Office, Acharacle, Scotland, 9/4/1956
  17. Sandy Allan MacDonald, Dalnabrech, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  18. Miss Jean MacPherson, Post Office, Salen, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  19. Mr and Mrs Gordon Menzies, Salen, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  20. John (Blain) MacDonald, Cliff, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  21. Mrs MacLean, Acharacle, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  22. Miss Jean MacInnes, Acharacle, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  23. Willie Harrison, Acharacle, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  24. Archie MacKellaig, Glenfinnan, Scotland, 10/4/1956
  25. Donald MacDonald, Fort William, Scotland 10-11/4/1956
  26. Mrs Angus MacIsaac (nee Annie MacDonald), Banavie, Fort William, Scotland 10/4/1956
  27. Mr MacIsaac (Fort William / Glen Uig), Scotland 10/4/1956
  28. Mr Hugh MacDonald, Banavie, Fort William, Scotland 10/4/1956
  29. Mrs Fergusson, Salen / For William, Scotland 10/4/1956

Frank Rhodes visit to South Uist and Benbecula, 7-11 July 1956

  1. Mrs Kate Morrison, Greybridge, Daliburgh, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  2. Archie Monrowe, Lochboisdale, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  3. Donald Steel, Stome Kilpheder, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  4. Donald Walker, Daliburgh, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  5. Mrs Annie MacDonald, Daliburgh, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  6. Mr Alex MacIntosh, Daliburgh, Scotland, 7/7/1956
  7. Mrs Margaret MacAskill, South Boisdale, Scotland, 8/7/1956
  8. Mrs Mary Smith, South Boisdale, Scotland, 8/7/1956
  9. Angus James MacIntyre, Loch Eynort, Scotland, 8/7/1956
  10. Miss Harriet MacDonald, Daliburgh, Scotland, 8/7/1956
  11. Angus John MacLellan, Benbecula, Scotland, 9/7/1956
  12. Angus O’Henley, Lochboisdale, Scotland, 11/7/1956
  13. Donald Allen Morrison, Kilpheder, Scotland, 10/7/1956
  14. Neil MacLellen, Lochboisdale, Scotland, 11/7/1956
  15. Dr MacLean, Daliburgh, Scotland, 11/7/1956
  16. Mgr MacKellaig, Daliburgh, Scotland, 11/7/1956