Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist

The American author Margaret Fay Shaw in her own words in her introduction:

"This book contains folklore & folksongs taken down in a small community on the south side of Lochboisdale on the Island of South Uist in the Scottish Hebrides, where I lived during the years between 1929 & 1935 and near where I lived ever since. It is an attempt to give a true record of a splendid people who are crofter-fishermen, of their occupations, interests and pleasures."

This book remains well bound and in good condition internally . The blue cover boards have faded to light grey at spine and at top part of boards and at the sides near spine. There is a small tear of the cloth binding at top back board where it joins the spine.

The inside pages have age-related tanning throughout but remain clean and bright.

Overall this is an attractive as well as being an important book.

Please check the images associated with this Book to gain a clear insight into the book's condition and if you require further details please send an email enquiry.

This is an extremely rare signed 1st Edition with a written dedication to "James Gentleman" and dated 1968 and Isle of Canna.

Margaret Fay Shaw (1903–2004) was an American-born folklorist, photographer, and writer who became renowned for her work preserving the Gaelic culture of Scotland's Hebrides islands. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she developed an early interest in music and photography, which would shape her life's work. After the death of her parents, she moved to Europe and attended finishing school in Glasgow. Her love for Scottish culture blossomed during a holiday on the island of South Uist, where she became captivated by the traditional songs, language, and way of life.

Shaw spent six years living among the crofting communities of South Uist, immersing herself in the Gaelic-speaking world. She documented their songs, stories, and customs, and took striking photographs that vividly captured daily life. Her pioneering work culminated in Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist (1955), a landmark publication that preserved and celebrated a vanishing culture.

Marrying fellow folklorist John Lorne Campbell in 1935, the couple settled on the Isle of Canna, where they continued their research and conservation efforts. Shaw's photographic archives remain a vital record of Hebridean life, blending artistry and ethnography. Her legacy endures as a testament to her passion for preserving Scotland’s cultural heritage.