March
VisitScotland / Kenny Lam
March
March is a rich month for events in Scotland’s history and members of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association can now tell you some of the amazing stories behind them.
Keep coming back to this page as we will be adding new stories regularly and we don’t want you to miss out.
The Forth Bridge - A World Heritage
The Forth Bridge is one of Scotland’s most iconic sites and its construction changed bridge building for ever. It was opened on 4 March 1890 by Queen Victoria and described by Gustav Eiffel as the greatest engineering marvel of the century.
Jim Leslie talks about this World Heritage Site in this video.
The National Covenant
On this day in 1638 the National Covenant was signed in Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh. This was arguably the most important event in our history. It triggered a series of events which included civil war, the execution of a king, and persecution of hundreds of Scots.
STGA guide, Jim Leslie, known as The Kilted Guide, has created a video of the events surrounding this momentous event.
The Trial of Madeleine Smith
In 1857 Madeleine Smith was charged with having killed her lover Emile L’Angelier by poisoning him with arsenic. Her trial remains one of the most sensational ever to have been held in Glasgow. Blue Badge guide Stewart Noble tells the story.
The Story of Sophia Jex-Blake
For Women’s History Month and Scotland’s Year of Storytelling, STGA guides celebrate the life of a woman who advanced women’s rights: Sophia Jex-Blake. Learn how she convinced the powers-that-be at the famous University of Edinburgh to admit women as students, allowing them to become doctors.
How the Eurovision Song Contest came to Edinburgh
Blue Badge guide Ross Tilbrook tells the story of how the Eurovision Song Contest came to Edinburgh in March 1972.
Live Virtual Tours
Every Monday Blue Badge guides Joe Harrower and Mike Turpie are out telling stories on a live Facebook broadcast. To find out more visit their Facebook Page below, Piping Scot Tours.
Scottish Blethers Podcast
Blue Badge Guides Helen Houston, Liz Lister and Susan Brown also tell stories in their weekly Scottish Blethers podcast which can be found on all major podcast platforms:
