Recordings of Charlie Douglas

YHS has a growing collection of audio recordings of people from Yetholm and the surrounding area. We have recently digitized a recording of Wull Eliot, born 1908, who was a shepherd from the age of twenty, at Hindhope, for over 50 years. The recording was made in Romany House, during the period in which it was an old folks home.
    In 1956 Calum Iain Maclean visited Yetholm and recorded several hours of conversation with Charlie Douglas. Charlie (Skaffy) and his brother Robert (Croxy), of gipsy heritage, were well-known characters in Kirk Yetholm. Charlie was born in 1893 and could just remember the last gipsy coronation. The recordings are accesible on the Tobar an Dualchais website - HERE - enter 'Yetholm' into the search bar and all of the recordings with Charlie will be listed. A typical conversation can he found HERE - in this case Charlie describes how whisky was smuggled over the border using pig's bladders. Charlie was a truely dreadful singer - as you will discover if you listen to his rendering of The Scottish Emigrants Farewell - HERE.
   

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