Blog
Thank You NHS
NHS cake boxes
In April 2020, I made my first cake donation to Gartnavel Royal Hospital. Dropped off 32 portions of Victoria Sponge every Tuesday as a small token of my appreciation. That was until it today, when it came to a natural end and I was given these lovely flowers and card.
An email from the Bahamas...
In November 2019, I received an email enquiry through the website from Dugie McNab who lives in the Bahamas. Not for Clootie Dumpling but to check if I was the right person. I'm glad I was. Dugie lived next door to Granny Beaton in Tullochgorm, Argyll in the 1930's/40's. My dad, who you can see here pictured with the cat on his knee, often spoke fondly of his childhood days at Tullochgorm, or Tulloch as many call it, so much so that his ashes are scattered round an old oak tree there. Dugie and I exchanged photos and stories over the months ahead. Dugie had some of his memoirs published some time ago in the Argyll press. This week was delighted to receive my own copy from him.
Dugie describes how close people became during the war years and in particular my grandparents, Donald and Kate - ' Donald was in the Argylls too and was taken prisoner in 1943. We had a great celebration with bunting (I don’t know where we got it) and bonfires when he and Peter came home again after the War. Sons Duncan and Robert. Wife Kate from Muasdale, sister of Madge #1. Kate was a great neighbor to have and she and my mother were very close – always helping each other on wash days, sharing meals, and getting firewood. Donald moved to Asknish Farm round about 1950, and then went shepherding at Butterbridge – on the A83 in Glen Kinglas.
Dugie is keen to share his memories from 1930's to 1950's of a crofting life in Argyll. If you would like to read his full story, email me.
Home Delivery Service
A home delivery service for the West End of Glasgow.
I hope you are all keeping safe and well during these difficult times. For now, Clootie Dumplings are no longer for sale on the website. Instead, I am offering a home delivery service of baked goods and soups for those living in G12 and adjacent postcodes.
If you know me from Partick Farmers' market, there will be a smaller range of goods for sale. I already work from home. All I need to do is brush up on the road layout of the West End and improve my parking skills!
The range of goods on offer may vary from week to week and reduce to a range of core items. Please sign up for the newsletter if you would like to receive a weekly list.
ORDERS - place your order by email to kirsteen@grannybeatons.co.uk, by phone/text to 07977900967 or via Facebook message. Orders must be placed by midday on Wednesday and are subject to availability.
PAYMENT - secure online payment can be made by registering your name, address and contact telephone number on the website – www.grannybeatons.co.uk. Once your registration is complete, your order will be confirmed and an online invoice generated for you. To allow me to plan production, prompt payment is essential. Many thanks.
DELIVERY- free Friday delivery within G12 and adjacent postcodes. Approximate delivery times to be advised.
Want to see a Clootie Dumpling display?
Then head along the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. The Mitchell Library is not just any old library, but one of Europe's largest public libraries with over
one million items of stock and is the hub of a city-wide information
service. Today I set up a wonderful display of Clootie Dumpling in their Business and Intellectual Property Centre(BIPC) along with Margaret Ozur of Cubby's Salve. I used the BIPC extensively when setting up this website and was delighted be used as a case study. The centre offers a fantastic workspace, is packed full of business information with helpful and informative staff to guide you around the resources. Read about our journey here or pay a visit in person.
The Mitchell Library in Glasgow and Clootie Dumpling
Trademarking Granny Beaton's - Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC)
I visited to the Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) at the Mitchell Library 3 years
ago to find out what was involved in trademarking the name 'Granny Beaton's'. I wanted ensure I had the legal right to use the name before embarking on a website. My main concern was Mrs Beeton's Cookery Book, first published in 1861, with variations being published up to 2016. Although a different spelling, it is a well known name connected to food. The BIPC were able to provide lots of information relating to intellectual property, not just trademarks, but also patents, designs and copyright information. The trademark application was successful.
History of Scottish Food - General Services
Other than my Granny used to make it, I knew little about the history of Clootie Dumpling. The General Services department in the Mitchell Library provided a range of books on the history and traditions associated with Scottish food.
Newspaper article - The Glasgow Room
I wanted to find a copy of an article about my Granny entitled 'The Angel of the Rest and be Thankful'. The title was the only information I had. In the Glasgow Room, I was able to access all the national sunday newspapers from the 1970's. Some were the original newspapers and some were stored on microfiche. I spent a lot of time reading the headlines of the day, but did not find the article.
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