Page 22 - What's In A Name - The Barry Pipes Canon

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Barry Pipes Canon • 2005 - 2018 Maxwell’s Rant 043-2011-May-Set&Link
Here’s an old favourite! For many of us, Maxwell’s Rant was probably one of the first ten dances with which we felt comfortable as beginners. Sixteen bars of cross-over reels (however you like to call them), twos out, threes in, smooth flowing and great music to match.
Maxwell’s Rant surfaced in RSCDS Book 18 around 1955 when SCD in Canada was still in its infancy. I don’t know about then, but it later became very popular. So, who devised this tasty reel? Well, his name was David Rutherford! Never heard of him? The same guy who also devised Machine Without Horses, Balquidder Strathspey, Lassies of Dunse, and many more dances you may be familiar with to a greater or lesser degree?
And how about Clan Maxwell? Banffshire too? No, the Maxwells are a lowland clan from the area now known as the Scottish Borders. The name is derived from the name Maccus, who was a Norman baron going back to 1066 (and all that!). He gave his name to a pool (Maccuswell) close to the town of Kelso on the river Tweed. This area used to be called Roxburghshire.
Now here’s an etymological obscurity for you. Clan Maxwell is considered armigerous, which means that they currently do not have a chief recognized by Scotland’s heraldic authority, the Court of the Lord Lyon. This is not to say that Clan Maxwell is in itself an obscurity. They have a large Society in Canada, formed in 1993 using the Latin motto Reviresco. It means “I flourish again” which, interestingly enough, is also used by the highland Clan McEwen.
Maxwell’s Rant ~ A Postscript [Published in the June, 2011, issue of Set&Link]
From Set&Link, newsletter of RSCDS Toronto
Clan Maxwell has quite a number of septs, one of which is called Pollok. This could be of interest to some of our Glaswegian members, who may likely know about Pollok House. It has been owned by the Maxwells for a few centuries, and sits in Pollock Country Park (the “c” is apparently optional!). This park, which also contains the Burrell Collection, a wonderful art gallery, is adjacent to Pollokshaw Road, which circum- navigates it, just off the M77.
Designed by Wm. Adam in 1752, Pollok House, and the estate owned the Maxwell family for almost 700 years, was gifted to the City of Glasgow in 1966.
All that said, don’t forget to go to
our AGM at the end of April. You’ll
be able to hustle your way through
Maxwell’s Rant, which is on the dance program...and don’t forget to watch your timing! ◼︎
Barry Pipes
My column (WHAT’S IN A NAME?) in last month’s Set & Link provided a little background about Clan Maxwell. I referred to a holding of the Maxwells in Glasgow called Pollok House, which was included in a lovely park.
This park was part of the Pollok Estate (Pollok being a sept of Clan Maxwell), and in 1966, it was donated to the City of Glasgow. The donation included Pollok House, an art collection, a library, and 361 acres of surrounding land. Acting for the Estate was Dame Anne Maxwell Macdonald, the 11th Baronetess of Pollok. The Maxwells of Pollok had owned this property for over seven centuries since the year 1270.
Why is this worth mentioning at this point? Because shortly after I had written the Maxwell article, Dame Anne Maxwell Macdonald died in her 105th year. Talk about lifetime achievements!
A small point of interest! I was not too familiar with the word “baronetess” and thought it was the same as “baroness” (like Maggie Thatcher!). Here’s the difference for those interested in the British aristocracy. A baron(ess) is the lowest form of nobility among the “peers of the realm” (the highest being a duke), whereas a baronet(ess) is a commoner, albeit one of the higher ranks of the non-royals within the class system in Britain. Well, how about that! ◼︎
. . .Barry Pipes
Dame Anne Maxwell Macdonald Born 8 Sep 1906 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland Died 21 Apr 2011 in Tayinloan, Argyll, Scotland