To be published this year (2011) - Perth: Street by Street. A journey around Perth's six hundered streets, roads, lanes and vennels. Told through the disciplines of history, geography, architecture, news media and observation. Written by Paul Philippou (author Battleground Perthshire and Spanish Thermopylae) with photographs by Roben Antoniewicz (winner National Portrait Gallery Schweppes Photographic Portrait Prize 2003).

BATTLEGROUND PERTHSHIRE is a concise account of the battles and minor military events that have taken place within the county of Perthshire. Comprising two thousand years of battles, raids, rebellions, sieges, riots, feuds, ambushes and skirmishes, Battleground Perthshire shines the spotlight on the military history of Scotland’s big county. Drawn from extensive primary and secondary sources: archives, eyewitness accounts and official records, it tells the fascinating stories of struggles for wealth, power, freedom and the right to self-determination. This chronicle of Perthshire’s military history stands as an important reminder of some of the events that have marked the development of the Scottish people. It will appeal both to the reader interested in the history of Scotland and to those interested in military history.

Battleground Perthshire can be bought from most bookshops in the Perthshire area: The Watermill at Aberfeldy; Sweet Words at Dunkeld; Waterstones - various stores including Perth; WHSmith - Perth and Pitlochry. And, in Perth Museum, the AK Bell Library, Gloagburn Farm Shop, the Brig Farm Shop by Bridge of Earn. Alternatively, it may be purchased for £7.00 with FREE postage and packing to any UK address {Please email for postage costs for locations outside UK}. Send cheque or postal order (payable to Tippermuir Books) to Tippermuir Books, c/o 3 Graham's Place, King Street, Perth, Perth, PH2 8HZ. It can also be bought through most of the UK online (internet) booksellers.

Spanish Thermopylae: Cypriot Volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39 SPANISH THERMOPYLÆ is the story of the fifty-seven Cypriots who served in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39. It is also the story of a war that defined the lives of a generation and whose outcome decided the fate of hundreds of millions of people across the world. Drawing on recently released records from the Comintern Archive in Moscow, Spanish Thermopylae will appeal both to the reader interested in the experiences of the Cypriot volunteers, and to anyone looking for a concise history of the Spanish Civil War. 'This is the first book devoted solely to the contribution made by Cypriots to the cause of democracy and progress in the Spanish Civil War. It bears witness to the injustice committed against humanity by fascism in Spain and the inspirational sacrifices made by a small band of Cypriot volunteers. Spanish Thermopylae is a fitting tribute to them, and the International Brigades.' Demetris Christofias, President of the Republic of Cyprus 'True to the best traditions of their Greek forefathers, the heroes of the Greek War of Independence, the Cypriots rallied to the support of Spanish democracy and independence, realising that a defeat for the Spanish people would have meant world war. On the Spanish battlefields was being decided the fate of Europe and with it that of Cyprus. They recognised fascism as the greatest enemy of humanity and volunteered to help crush it... Many Cypriots lie buried in the Spanish soil fighting fascism. Cyprus is proud of her heroic sons who fell in the anti-fascist cause, but the fight is not over. We fight on until fascism is destroyed from the face of the earth.' Ezekias Papaioannou, Cypriot International Brigades volunteer and General Secretary of AKEL (1949-88) "Before many years have passed, their own countries will feel equally proud of the volunteers. That will be their best and highest reward." Juan Negrín, Prime Minister of the Spanish Republic (1937-39). It is available from www.amazon.co.uk

Kitty Atholl (Katherine Murray) - Politician & Scotland's First Woman MP

John Buchan - Author & Statesman

Patrick Geddes - Town Planner, Scientist & Reformer

Hamish Henderson - Songwriter & Historian

David Morrison - Chartist Leader & Trade Unionist and Chartism in Perth

Eliza Ogilvy - Poet and Letter Writer

Pontius Pilate - Roman Procurator of Judaea

William Soutar - Poet & Diarist

James Peeble Ewing Kennaway - Novelist & Screenwriter

Caroline Oliphant, Lady Nairne - Poet

General James Wolfe - Soldier & Conqueror of Quebec

William Archer - Dramatic Critic, Playwright and Translator of Ibsen

Naomi Mitchison - Author and Poet

Patrick Ruthven - Soldier

Adam Anderson - Schoolmaster, Engineer and Professor of Natural Philosophy

James Maxton - Orator & Politician

John Maclean - Revolutionary & Educator

Oswald Mosely - Leader of British Union of Fascists

Martin Niemoller - Pastor & Defier of Adolf Hitler

Lord George Murray - Jacobite General

Thomas Small - Covenanter

Thomas Maclagan - Medical Pioneer

Adam Abel - Chronicler

Alexander Stewart - Shoemaker and Gaelic Scholar

Robert Campbell

Robert Campbell of the Yukon - Explorer

Patrick Blair - Botanist, Surgeon, and Anatomist

John James Richard Macleod - Nobel Prize Winner and Developer of Insulin

James Croll - Physicist

Andrew Brodie - Covenanter

Henry Home - Lord of Session

Paul Cameron - Pitlochry's Photographer

James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie - Politician

Lieutenant-General Robert Stuart of Annat and Rait

John Mylne - Master Mason

Daniel Stewart - Benefactor

Thomas Ross - Architect

William Henderson - Medical Doctor

Robert Southey - Poet and Writer

William Macdonald Mackenzie - Architect

The Ruthven Family and the Gowrie Conspiracy

Thomas Hay Marshall - Magistrate and Baillie

Malcolm Bruce - Poet

Anna Buchan - O. Douglas - Writer

Anabella Drummond - Wife of 1st Earl of Montrose

James (Gillespie) Graham-Architect

J.D. Fergusson - Painter

Jane Findlater & Mary Findlater - Writers

Hugh Haliburton - Poet

David Octavius Hill - Painter and Photographer

David Mallet (Malloch ) - Poet and Songwriter

John MacDiarmid - Writer

Robert Gillespie Reid - Bridge Builder

John Tulloch - Theologian

John Monteath Robertson - Crystallographer

Thomas Semton - Religious Figure

Arthur Keith - Curator, Anatomist and Anthropologist

Robert Stuart - Historian and Writer

Thomas Young - Clergyman

William Simpson - Watercolourist and Journalist

Robert Stirling - Clergyman and Inventor

Thomas Thomson - Chemist

James Young - Inventor and Engineer

Thomas Young - Theologian

Donald Maxwell - Opera Singer

Belle Stewart (Stewarts of Blair) - Folksinger, Poet and Songwriter

Arthur Dewar - Cricket Player

Dick Gaughan - Folk Singer

places in perthshire

Caledonian Road Primary School

North Church

The Fair Maid's House

Abernethy Museum

The Soutar House

The Sheriff Court

Errol Brickworks

Abbey Church

Newton Castle

Moulin Brewary

North Church

The Watermill

St. Mary's Chapel

St. Cuthbert's Old Kirk

The Burgh Chambers

Perth Bridge 1621 and 1766

The Mercat Cross

Drummond Gardens

Innerpeffray Library and St Mary's Chapel

The Keep, Drummond Castle

Murthly Castle

Tullibardine Chapel

Tullibole Castle

St. Paul's Church

Balvaird Castle

Skinnergate; Kirkgate; High Street

House of Menzies

Kinross Parish Church

Michael Bruce Museum

Burleigh Castle

George Street and Perth Bridge

Scottish Crannog Centre

Baxters Vennel

Riverside Methodist Church

Blair Atholl Distillery

Kinross House Gardens

Tolbooth Steeple

Innerpeffray Library and Chapel

Moulin Kirk

Morrison's Academy

Blair Adam House

Greyfriars Burial Ground

Cleaven Dyke

Melville Garage

Stanley Mills

Stanley Parish Church

Stanley House and Inchbervis Castle

South Street

Tay Street

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Fortingall Kirk

Atholl Palace Hotel and Museum

Abernethy Museum

The Fair Maid's House

The Watergate

The Town Lade

Perth Libraries

Queen’s Bridge

Fergusson Gallery

Branklyn Gardens

Old Bank of Scotland Building

Other Places in Perthshire of Interest

Perth Congregational Church

St John 's Kirk

Chapels and Monasteries of Perth

Friarton Bridge

Castle Menzies

The Charterhouse

St. John's Kirk

St. Ninian's Cathedral

King James VI Hospital

Kinnoull Aisle and Monument

Bowerswell House

Tibbermore Parish Church

Dalcrue Farm

St. Serf's Church

Strathallan School

Kinnoull Parish Church

St. Mary's Monastery

Coupar Angus and District Heritage Association

Hill Church

Atholl Palace Hotel and Museum

David Douglas Pavilion and Explorers Garden

St. Magdalene's Gunpowder Store

Methven and Logiealmond Parish Church

Glenalmond College

Aberdalgie Church and Oliphant Slab

Craighall Castle

Abernethy Round Tower

All Saints Episcopal Church

Castle Huntly

Crieff Parish Church and St. Andrew's Hall

North and South Inch

Tibbermore Church

North Church

Hal o' the Wynd House

Perth City Hall

Marshall Place

James VI Golf Course

Perth Sculpture Trail

Bell’s Cherrybank Gardens

St. Matthew’s Church

Riverside Methodist Church

Short stories

 

 

 

It is not my intention for this website to be a history of Perth and its surrounding area. This task has been accomplished sufficiently in many other texts, and summaries are to be found in numerous tourist guides. However, it is worth noting that Perth's position as a bridging point over the Tay is the factor that gives rise to its existence and defines it. An important commercial centre (although never a rival to Edinburgh or Glasgow) Perth was for a time the capital of Scotland: Kings were crowned at Scone; Parliaments were held in the Perth; and, several monastic and religious orders founded places of worship just outside the city. Perth appears in literature and is famously the scene for Walter Scott's Fair Maid of Perth. The purpose of www.alternative-perth.co.uk has been to discover some human lives and events that have been involved with Perthshire in some way. Those individuals and groups that appear in this collection of profiles either have been born within the county borders or have come to Perthshire for some significant purpose. Some have interacted in both ways, whilst others have visited but fleetingly. The overriding factor is that if we consider history as archaeology then all the lives covered in this book are monuments of Perth’s past. Some such as Katherine Murray and John MacLean could be described as political figures; those like Patrick Geddes defy compartmentalisation, whilst others including William Soutar have occupied the literary world or are known to us through their art. All were a function of their age and provide a source of critical engagement with our present. The website is and will always be work in progress - as more profiles are completed so others will begin. I am acutely aware that the histories of the different peoples that have lived in Perthshire have an equal if not superior validity. A history that needs to be written, for the working classes, the Travellers, the Highlanders, the Irish immigrants and other meta-cultures of Perthshire. Many of the lives profiled are intertwined through geography or because of their involvement in the dominant aspects of their day. Mistakes are entirely my own and there was no intention to cast judgement or be analytical in this piece of historical research. Such a thin narrative could only touch briefly on the context and reason for why events occurred or unfolded so. It is hoped that the profiles will act as positive catalysts for seeking out more knowledge and critical understanding. A secondary aspect of this project has been to offer some notes on places of historical interest in and around Perth.