Poet tells tale of famous family
A Callander poet has just published two new books – one of which focuses on the 20th century ructions within one of Glasgow’s best-known families.
Sally Evans, who runs the broadsheet publication Poetry Scotland, has penned ‘A Burrell Tapestry,’ which follows the rise of the Burrell shipping empire in Glasgow and describes Sir William Burrell’s feud with his daughter Marion.
Sally has also produced Drip Road which details summer trips to the Highlands and takes its title from the road through Stirling which leads to the Trossachs and the West.
She said: “One is a conventional paperback and the other is an e-book.
“Both books are poetry, but both tell a story throughout the book; they are not just a collection of separate poems.”
Sally explained that the book about the Burrells is a tale of “feminism, with an element of myth”.
Sir William Burrell jun, born in 1861, expected his only daughter, Marion, to marry well but no suitor was good enough for him.
“Finally she was on course to marry Patrick Balfour, son of Lord Balfour. But before the wedding, William sent a private detective to check out the groom,” said Sally.
“The detective reported that Patrick was gay – although in 1931 this was phrased ‘his inclination for his own sex was well known’ – and Sir William cancelled the wedding.
“His daughter, then aged 29, fell out with her parents and eventually she left their roof penniless.
“After many adventures, working in hospitals during and after the war, and travelling the world, she ended up living alone in Edinburgh.”
Following the death of Sir William in 1958, she had to fight for a share of his fortune as he had left his wealth and vast collection of art treasures to Glasgow.
The latter now makes up the world famous Burrell Collection in the city’s Pollok Park.
Sally said: “In the end Marion won, but was by now very elderly, and on her death, gave a legacy to the RNLI for a lifeboat on the Clyde coast.”
Burrell Tapestry is published by Diehard of Callander, and Drip Road by Firewater Press in Bristol.
Sally, an editor and blogger of poetry, has produced six collections and several pamphlets of her own work and translations from the Gaelic.
She lives in Callander and hosts the annual Callander Poetry Weekend.