Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter
Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter by James Hunter, published by Birlinn, Limited in 2019, offers a detailed account of the devastating famine winter of 1847 in Scotland. This edition spans 287 pages and is written in English. The book chronicles the impact of the potato blight that struck in 1846, leading to widespread starvation and unrest as communities struggled to cope with rising food prices and inadequate relief efforts.
Readers will find a thorough exploration of the protests that erupted across Scotland, particularly in the Hebrides and the West Highlands, as towns and villages reacted to the soaring cost of oatmeal, which had become a staple food. Hunter details the confrontations between civilians and military forces, the seizure of grain carts, and the eventual concessions won by the protestors. The narrative sheds light on a significant yet often overlooked chapter in Scottish history, connecting past struggles with contemporary issues of food security and social justice.
Official synopsis Publisher
A gripping, heart-breaking account of the famine winter of 1847′ – Rosemary Goring, The Herald
Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize
When Scotland’s 1846 potato crop was wiped out by blight, the country was plunged into crisis. In the Hebrides and the West Highlands a huge relief effort came too late to prevent starvation and death. Further east, meanwhile, towns and villages from Aberdeen to Wick and Thurso, rose up in protest at the cost of the oatmeal that replaced potatoes as people’s basic foodstuff.
Oatmeal’s soaring price was blamed on the export of grain by farmers and landlords cashing in on even higher prices elsewhere. As a bitter winter gripped and families feared a repeat of the calamitous famine then ravaging Ireland, grain carts were seized, ships boarded, harbours blockaded, a jail forced open, the military confronted. The army fired on one set of rioters. Savage sentences were imposed on others. But thousands-strong crowds also gained key concessions. Above all they won cheaper food.
Those dramatic events have long been ignored or forgotten. Now, in James Hunter, they have their historian. The story he tells is, by turns, moving, anger-making and inspiring. In an era of food banks and growing poverty, it is also very timely.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter” about?
Who is the author of “Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter”?
When was “Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter” published?
What is the ISBN for “Insurrection Scotland’s Famine Winter”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
