Wick artist playing a part in commemoration of Prince Edward Island settlers
A Wick artist can be contributing to celebrations this weekend marking 250 years since one of many earliest Scottish migrations to what would grow to be Canada.
Jenny Bruce developed shut hyperlinks with a historic society in Prince Edward Island (PEI) and a video she made can be proven in Tracadie, close to the island’s capital Charlottetown, as a part of occasions commemorating the Glenaladale settlers.
In 2016, Jenny – curator of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry – met members of the PEI Scottish Settlers Historic Society who have been internet hosting the tapestry as a part of its international tour. The tapestry, consisting of greater than 300 embroidered panels, pays homage to Scottish migrants and their descendants and the constructive affect they made in lots of elements of the world.
Jenny stayed for a month in Charlottetown and had the chance to journey across the island. Throughout this time she visited the historic home and property of Glenaladale and heard how the group hoped to revive it as a part of the island’s Scottish heritage.
In 1772, greater than 200 Glenaladale settlers from Scotland arrived in PEI to start out a brand new life. Various households, together with that of Captain John MacDonald, the eighth laird of Glenaladale on Scotland’s west coast, made the hazardous voyage.
Sad on the persecution confronted by Catholics on the time, John MacDonald mortgaged his lands in Scotland to his cousin to fund his journey after which bought a plot of land at Tracadie on which he constructed a mansion and developed the property.
After MacDonald’s dying, the property got here into the arms of the MacKinnon household who ran a silver fox firm and have been concerned in rum-running. Ultimately the property grew to become vacant.
Whereas based mostly in Tracadie in 2016, Jenny supported her new mates who have been within the early phases of establishing the Glenaladale Heritage Belief and have been decided to revive the 580-acre property and home. Drawings Jenny made whereas there have been later made into prints and playing cards and offered to boost cash in direction of the venture.
With federal and provincial funding, the belief has been capable of buy and restore the property.
From June 25 to July 3 the belief will have a good time the 250th anniversary of the Glenaladale settlers with a programme of cultural occasions together with enter from musicians and artists.
Jenny had been invited to be current for all of the celebrations however she is unable to attend – therefore the video which can be proven at an exhibition of the 37 Canadian embroidered panels from the tapestry, depicting tales referring to Scottish migrants from the 1500s onwards. 5 of the panels have been made by PEI embroiderers.
