It is ironically remarked by the editors of the present volume that its appearance coincided with the final abolition of the feudal system by the new Scottish Parliament. It represents not only the first edition of Burke’s Landed Gentry for 30 years, but also the first volume of the last complete printed edition: the other six, one for Ireland, one for Wales and four regions of England, should appear by 2003. From now on, though an occasional supplementary volume is not ruled out, genealogists will have to resort to a database, fully searchable but at a price, (www.burkes‐landed‐gentry.com).
This volume is a combination of the Scottish entries from both Burke’s Landed Gentry and Burke’s Peerage and Baronetage: there is a definition of what constitutes “Scottish”. It includes, in its traditional form, genealogies of 650 families, who comprise 15,000 living persons. The number of deceased persons is not stated, but I estimate it at about 50,000 ‐ including most of the leading figures of medieval or early modern Scottish history. The contents have been corrected as far as possible up to June 2001, and it appears that most families did provide up‐to‐date information. It would be an interesting exercise for a sociologist to compare people included here with those in Who’s Who in Scotland and thus ascertain how far the landed interest still held sway in this country. Some at least have had to resort to new professions. Among the massed ranks of landowners, company directors and military officers, I noted an actor, a freelance film director, a commercial diver and even a Librarian. Also listed are the feudal barons: not a peerage title in Scotland, but one attached (until 2000) to particular landed properties, a system which explains the presence of such dignitaries as Barons Wellowitz of Blackford and Ying of Balquhain.
In the knowledge that the days have gone when it could be supposed that everyone of influence in Scotland belonged to the gentry, the editors have included a supplement containing details (without genealogies) of 800 other prominent Scots. They comprise Life Peers, Lords of Sessions, MPs, MEPs and MSPs, clan chiefs, feudal barons (as above), bishops ‐ so that the Established Church is less well represented than its rivals ‐ and a miscellaneous group of others, who appear to be mostly knights or professors. Among them, journalists were quick to notice the incongruous figure of Tommy Sheridan, the sole Scottish Socialist MSP, who would rather read Trotsky than the Tatler. I am inclined to doubt the usefulness of this section, given that most interested libraries will already have Who’s Who in Scotland on their shelves.
The introductory essays include a particularly useful one on the history of feudalism and its recent abolition. At the end appears a supplement, with coloured illustrations, on the history of tartans. There is an index of families, but of course not one of individual people, which would require a book half as long again as this one (which is already the largest and most costly I have ever reviewed). The coming database will repair that omission. The utility of Burke’s Landed Gentry will be well known to reference libraries, and many of them, especially in Scotland, would find this volume essential unless they were deterred by its price.
