Nancy Apgar interview with Ian Howard and Clarence F. Ford (part one)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is the first of a two-part interview. In this interview, Ian Howard discusses historical legends and folk tales, mostly pertaining to the Scottish Highlands. He starts by telling stories about the Loch Ness monster and theories about its origins and whether or not its real. He says the Brahan Seer prophesied about the monster 250 years prior. He continues on the topic of the Brahan Seer at 6:30, particularly his predictions about the Western Isles and fairies. Claiming that locals in the Scottish Western Highlands believe in fairies, he states that there is a fairy relic in Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, and details Scottish customs around greeting fairies for good luck. Next at 9:30, Howard tells a ghost story about his grandmother seeing ghosts from the Massacre of Glencoe, a family feud between the MacDonald and the Campbell families At 11:07, he lists other haunted places in Scotland, such as the Black Isle or the Moray Firth, Ballachulish, the British Isles, Fordyce, and the River Deveron. At 15:30, he continues to tell stories about Scottish folklore and historical stories integral to Scottish culture. Topics include Robert the Bruce, the Prince of Wales, the story of Bannockburn, and the Stone of Destiny. He also tells some stories from childhood, such as the story of the Owl, the Lord, and the Glescea Glutton. Next at 23:20, Howard tells stories about Queen Victoria visiting Scotland and mingling with the locals. Then at 29:40, he describes Scottish islands each with its own unique folktales and stories. At the end of the recording at 37:57, he tells additional popular tales from Northern Scotland. These include stories about Bonnie Prince Charlie, folk tales about funeral customs, and a final story about a tramcar going through Footdee. Ian Howard (1929- ) was born in Glasgow, Scotland. During his childhood, he spent time in the Scottish Highlands in western Inverness-shire by Loch Ailort. He later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked for the Research Bureau of Georgia State College. Clarence F. Ford (Pappy) (1880-?) was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He worked briefly in New York City as a shoe salesman, then shortly lived in Atlanta before returning to Knoxville. Additional biographical information has not been determined. Ian Howard (1929- ) was born in Glasgow, Scotland. During his childhood, he spent time in the Scottish Highlands in western Inverness-shire by Loch Ailort. He later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked for the Research Bureau of Georgia State College. Clarence F. Ford (Pappy) (1880-?) was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He worked briefly in New York City as a shoe salesman, then shortly lived in Atlanta before returning to Knoxville. Additional biographical information has not been determined. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.