Chris Pearce's Blog, page 23

The relative status of men and women in Scotland

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Women have long had inferior status in Scotland, just as they did in practically all societies until quite recently. Factors such as Scottish machismo, Calvinism, militarism, and laborism meant that women were largely confined to domestic duties and reproduction. Men, on the other hand, dominated public life and paid employment. But women are now making rapid inroads in the workforce, income levels, elected political offices, and other areas.

In politics, after the 2011 election, 34% of the members of the Scottish Parliament were women, about the same as 2007 although down from 39% in 2003. These percentages are much higher than in the UK Parliament where 14% of members for Scottish constituencies are women and 86% are men. In the European Parliament, 29% of members from Scotland were women and 71% were men after the 2006 election. At local government level in Scotland, 22% of councilors were women in 2003, as were 19% of local council leaders and 13% of local authority chief executives in 2007. A third of people appointed in 2006 to non-departmental public bodies in Scotland and 17% of their chairpersons were women.

Traditionally, men have far outnumbered women in the Scottish workforce, but this gap has steadily narrowed in recent decades. The difference in employment rates between men and women has decreased from 20% in 1984 to just 5% in 2006. Far more women than men work part-time, accounting for 41% of employed women and 10% of employed men in 2006. Unemployment is higher for men. Over the year to December 2009, the male unemployment rate rose from 5.2% to 7.0%, while the female rate increased from 1.8% to 2.5%, on the basis of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants.

Men still dominate industries in Scotland such as construction (where 89% of the 2004 workforce were male), energy and water supply (82%), agriculture (75%), manufacturing (73%), and transport (72%). However, women are more numerous in public administration, education and health (72%), distribution and hotels (56%), and banking (51%). In 2006, occupations where women comprised the majority of workers included personal services (85%), administrative and secretarial positions (81%), and sales and customer service jobs (71%). By contrast, skilled trades were overwhelmingly male (92%), as were process workers (86%), while 64% of managers and senior officials were men.

Women still earn less income than men but the gender pay gap is narrowing. In 2007, women received 85% of male earnings based on average hourly pay of full-time workers. In 1970, this figure was only 54%, rising to 72% by 1998, 77% by 2003 and 81% by 2005. The gender earnings ratio differs between industries and occupations. In education, women on average got 91% of what men earned in 2005. In manufacturing, it was just 68%. For professional occupations, women received 86% of male earnings, while for process workers, the figure was 70%.

Despite imbalances in favor of men in the workforce and in income, women in Scotland are more educated than their male counterparts. Girls stay at school longer than boys and gain better qualifications. Women outnumber men at higher education and further education institutions. In 2004-05, 57% of further education students were women and 43% were men. Women made up 93% of primary school teachers and 59% of secondary school teachers in 2005, although only 81% of head teachers at primary schools were women and 21% at secondary schools.

Life expectancy for women in Scotland was 79.5 years in 2005, higher than the 74.5 years for men, although the gender longevity gap has narrowed slightly. Cancer is the major cause of death for both sexes. Men are more likely to succumb to coronary heart disease and women to stroke. Women suffer more from anxiety and depression, although men are more likely to take their own lives. More men are overweight or obese, increasing from 56% of the male population in 1995 to 65% in 2003. For women, the figure has risen from 47% to 60% over the same period.

Women were more likely than men to be the victims of crime, while men were more likely to be the offenders. Almost 20% of women and 8% of men have had threats of force by a current or previous partner, according to the 2000 Scottish Crime Survey. In 2005, about 85% of domestic abuse victims were women and 15% were men. Some 44% of women felt unsafe walking alone at night in 2003, compared with just 18% of men. In 2004-05, 6% of males and just 1% of females had a charge proved against them.

Men and women are now treated equally in divorce. Until 1964, income, savings, properties and other assets of the partners were regarded as separate, which greatly advantaged men. Assets accumulated during marriage are now considered to be equally shared for divorce and inheritance purposes. On the death of a family member or friend, women have only recently attended the gravesite. In certain remote areas, post-burial gatherings can still be a male-dominated, extended alcoholic ritual.

In general, there remains room for improvement in the status of women compared with men in Scotland. Men still dominate public life as well as professional and managerial positions in the workforce. Areas such as engineering, construction, manufacturing, and transport have far more men, while those such as office work, personal care, and social work are largely female. On average, women earn about 85% of what men earn. In education and health, the status of women is better than that of men, while women are catching up in most other areas.

Scottish country dancing

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Scottish country dancing is a social dance by groups of several couples usually facing each other in two lines. It developed from the reel dance of the Scottish Highlands and some 17th century dances from Europe, and was popular by the 18th century. Three types of dances or moves come under the umbrella of Scottish country dancing: reels, jigs and strathspeys. The first two feature fast tempos, while the latter is much slower and more formal. A Scottish country dance will usually include all three types in equal numbers.

The dancing is performed in organised formations or ‘sets’. A set can comprise three to six or more couples, depending on the dance. The usual formation is two adjacent lines, one of males and one of females, with partners facing each other. The front couple is nearest the band or CD player. There are several less commonly used sets. A triangular set is where three couples stand on each side of a triangle. For a square set, couples start on each side of a square. At large gatherings, variations of a circular set might be used where many couples form in a circle around the room.

Figures or moves vary in length depending on the tune played, but are generally two, four or eight bars long. The figures range from simple through to quite intricate. One of the simplest is where partners swap places across the set. A complex move might involve a number of couples weaving in and out of one another at the same time. There are several figures to a sequence, which is usually 32 bars in length but can be 16 bars or 64 bars. A complete dance comprises a number of sequences, often eight. Dances are categorised by their type, length, and number of repetitions. For example, a slow tempo dance of 16 bars repeated eight times is called an eight by 16 strathspey, which might be abbreviated to 8×16 S on a dance program leaflet.

The steps in Scottish country dancing are quicker than those in English country dancing or Gaelic ceilidh dancing, which are generally walking steps. The two main types of steps in Scottish country dancing are ‘travelling steps’ and ‘setting steps’. Travelling steps are called ‘skip change of steps’ for the faster reel or jig dances and ‘strathspey travelling steps’ for the slower dance. Setting steps are known as ‘pas de basques’ for the quick dances and ‘common schottisches’ or ‘strathspey setting steps’ for the slow tempo dance. Other steps include ‘rocking steps’, ‘high cuts’, and ‘highland schottisches’, borrowed from Scottish highland dancing. Another one is the ‘slip step’, a quick sideways movement sometimes used in circular sets.

Good technique is an important aspect of Scottish country dancing. In this regard, good timing and keeping an appropriate distance from other dancers are more important than actual footwork and location of a dancer’s feet at the various stages of a sequence. If a dancer gets in another’s way or collides with them, the whole dance may be interrupted and have to start again. However, footwork and where a dancer puts their feet are important too, and take time and patience to master. More significant though is the fact that Scottish country dancing is a social dance with emphasis on aspects such as smiling and giving hands.

Progression in Scottish country dancing is where couples change places in their lines or other types of sets. This usually occurs after each sequence and means that every couple will get a turn at the head of the lines. The couple who starts off at the front will drop to the back after the first sequence, and the couple who were second in the lines moves to the front. Thus in a set with four couples in lines, they will start off in a 1234 formation. For the second sequence, the formation will be 2341. This will be followed by 3412 and 4123, before finally returning to 1234. There are many variations, including some where couples take turns to drop out for a sequence and then rejoin.

Reels are the most common form of Scottish country dancing. These are performed in 2/2 time and involve several dancers following an interweaving path around one another. A reel of three is the most usual set, where three dancers complete a figure 8 pattern by weaving in and out of each other. They all follow the same track, but start at different points, with one at the middle, front and back. The dancers begin their series of figure 8s at the same time, all moving either clockwise or anticlockwise, and finish each figure 8 simultaneously. This dance is done to a quick tempo and participants complete a figure 8 in six or eight bars.

There are many variations of reels. ‘Parallel reels’ are danced by two groups, usually a line of males and a line of females. The two dancers at the front will take the same path in their respective reel, staying the same distance from each other throughout, thus the term ‘parallel’. Likewise, the middle dancers will stay level and parallel with each other, as will the two people at the back. A similar variation is ‘mirror reels’, except the dancers mirror each other’s moves rather than staying parallel. Here, one group needs to move clockwise and the other anticlockwise. In crossover mirror reels, a dancer from each reel crosses to the opposite line. Other variations include Inveran or sausage reels, tandem reels, reels of four and closing reels.

Jigs are less common than reels, though still popular. The light jig is the fastest, performed in 6/8 time. The main step is known as the ‘rising step’. A dancer does this by lifting their right foot off the ground and hopping twice on the left foot, before bringing the right foot behind the left foot. This move is then repeated, hopping on the right foot. Other jigs include slip jigs, hop jigs and treble jigs. The strathspey is done in 4/4 time and is more leisurely than reels and jigs. Its steps are slower and more stately than the skip-change steps of the other dances.

By the early 20th century, Scottish country dancing appeared to be heading for oblivion, until the Scottish Country Dance Society was formed in Glasgow in 1923. Its aim is to preserve the various forms of country dancing performed in Scotland. The society researched old manuscripts and published several books. It now has 20,000 members from all over the world and conducts teacher training and a yearly summer school at Scottish town St Andrews.

The clans of Scotland

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Clans in Scotland are traditional groupings of tribes or extended families. The Scottish Gaelic word ‘clann’ can mean tribe, descendants, stock, offspring or children. The clan was a symbol of strength and unity. It gave people a sense of belonging, and the security that came with it. Hundreds of clans were formed over the centuries.

The members of each clan are supposedly descended from a single patriarchal figure. Some of the largest and oldest clans, such as the Campbells and the MacDonalds, claim progenitors from ancient Celtic mythology. Other clans trace their ancestry to legendary Scottish kings such as Niall of the Nine Hostages and Kenneth MacAlpin. Others list their original leader as a ruler of a petty kingdom, a military leader, or a wealthy land owner. An heir was chosen by the chief from a group of male family members and would be second in command during the leader’s lifetime.

The clans were often at war with various invaders from Europe and England and with each other. There was a need to recognize members of each side in a battle when their faces were largely hidden by iron or steel helmets, and the clans did this through heraldry. They painted elaborate and colourful designs on their shields and headwear. A coat of arms would belong to the chief rather than the clan or a family and is an indication of nobility. Stewart coats of arms are the earliest ones known to still exist, dating to the late 12th century. A clan would also have a distinctive badge, war cry, and pipe tunes.

If a group had a clan chief, it was recognized by Scottish law and the Sovereign. Historically, everyone living on the chief’s property or territory, or on land owned by someone owing allegiance to the chief, was automatically a member of his clan. Over time, migration, regime changes and shifts in clan boundaries meant that many people weren’t related to the chief and had different surnames. Sometimes these people adopted the clan name. Smaller clans would often band together and form a confederation, for example, the Chattan clan.

Members with blood ties were known as the ‘Native Men’, while those without were called the ‘Broken Men’, as they were no longer with their original clan. But it was an egalitarian society and everyone in the clan was treated well. Women assisted on councils. The clan’s chief would arrange marriages. In a practice called ‘handfasting’, a couple would enter a trial marriage for one year and one day. During this time, they lived with each other as husband and wife. After this period, the marriage would either go ahead or not. Unfaithful or cruel husbands were not well regarded by the clan.

The famous Campbell clan are thought to be of Flemish descent, entering Britain in 1066 with William the Conqueror, according to some historians; a number of clans claim Viking origins. Other historians believe the Campbell line can be traced to the Britons at Strathclyde, Scotland. Gillespie Campbell is the first member named in written records, in 1263 at Argyll. Archibald Campbell became a lord on marrying the King’s Treasurer. In a skirmish with the MacDonalds, Sir Colin Campbell was killed, and a cairn marks the spot. The clan fought alongside kings and queens in various battles. They killed 38 MacDonald members at Glencoe in 1692. They married wisely and extended their power and lands. By the 19th century, the clan owned 40 properties totalling 1.2 million acres, mostly belonging to the Duke of Argyll.

Largest of the Highland clans was the MacDonalds. Their line goes back to King Somerled who drove the Vikings out in the 12th century. The clan was founded on the Isle of Islay and soon acquired additional territory on the mainland. They were defeated by King James IV in 1493 and each branch evolved under its chieftain, or subchief, for example, the Donalds, Clanranalds, and MacDonnells. The MacDonalds and others were part of the Jacobite uprisings in 1715 and 1745, fighting against government troops and the Campbell clan, in their ongoing struggle to reinstate Stuart kings after the last Catholic king James VII of Scotland was overthrown by Parliament in 1688. Many MacDonalds migrated to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Another famous clan was the Buchanans, said to be descended from the king of Ulster, whose son came to Argyll in about 1016 and was given land to the east of Loch Lamond by Malcolm II for fighting off Nordic invaders. The clan prospered after supporting Scottish king Robert the Bruce in the First War of Scottish Independence against England in the early 14th century. Andrew Buchanan, Glasgow’s Lord Provost during the 1745 Jacobite Uprising, refused to assist the troops of Bonnie Prince Charles, grandson of James VII.

The Scottish government increasingly saw clans as bandits. During Jacobitism, the government stepped up measures to control the clans, culminating in the Battle of Culloden in 1746 where the British Government defeated the Jacobites. There followed a period of repression of the Highland clans. The Act of Proscription in 1746 aimed to crush the clan system, imposing severe penalties on members for being armed, wearing traditional dress, practicing their culture and playing their music.

Another reason for the decline in the clan system was the higher rents landlords could impose due to increased demand for cattle and sheep in Britain and the development of new breeds that could be reared in mountainous areas. This meant that many tenant farmers who lived at subsistence levels were displaced. From around 1725, many clan members moved to the lowlands, England or the Americas, in a mass emigration that came to be known as the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries.

A revival in Scottish culture and the clans has steadily gained pace since the late 18th century. The Dress Act of 1746, which had restricted the wearing of kilts, was repealed in 1782. Highland Societies were set up in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and London. King George IV’s visit to Scotland in 1822 rekindled interest in clans and Scottish culture. Today, tartan, Scottish clothing, clan paraphernalia and maps showing where clans lived are very popular. Descendants are now spread all over the world but many still identify with and have a keen interest in their clan.

Traditional Scottish foods

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Traditional Scottish food is based on what has been readily available over the millennia and consists of a variety of meat, dairy, fish, vegetables and fruit provided by the temperate climate. The abundance of seafood and game supplied much of the food in the early days. Oats became a staple after the introduction of agriculture.



In Medieval times, the rich ate venison, boar, fowl and other birds, often with pepper, cloves or cinnamon. Meat and spices were too expensive for most of the population, who ate dairy products rather than the animals themselves. A typical meal probably consisted of a thick soup with roots and herbs, and maybe some bread and cheese. Scots today consume a lot of dairy.

Bread made of oats or barley was the main carbohydrate source until Sir Walter Raleigh introduced the potato to Britain from North America in the late 16th century. Around the same time, Mary, Queen of Scots returned from France with a team of chefs who brought their own ingredients and cooking styles, creating a lasting connection between Scottish and French foods.



Oatmeal was also popular as it did not spoil quickly and was often carried in bags made of sheep or pig’s stomach by soldiers and others in a transient society. The oatmeal was made into porridge or oatcakes. Offal or cheap meat was similarly transported, and made into haggis.

Today, haggis is regarded as Scotland’s national dish. It is made of sheep’s offal combined with suet, oatmeal and onion, with salt and spices, and cooked in stock. Traditionally, it was let to simmer in the sheep’s stomach for several hours. More recently, it is like a sausage, or a savoury pudding, cooked in a sheep’s intestine, and eaten with potato and turnips, and a whisky based sauce. The first known recipe for haggis is found in the ‘Liber Cure Cocorum’ cookbook from about 1430 in northern England. The dish was immortalised in Scottish poet Robert Burns’ 1787 poem ‘Address to a Haggis’.



Another favourite main meal often regarded as a traditional Scottish dish is kedgeree. It is made of smoked haddock fish, eggs, butter and boiled rice. The recipe can be traced back to books by the Malcolms as early as 1790. It is said to have been taken by Scottish troops to India in the British Raj period. The dish was then brought back to the United Kingdom by British soldiers where it became a popular breakfast in Victorian times. Other sources claim it is an Indian dish.



Often eaten as a main meal as it is quite filling, Scotch broth would warm the insides on a cold day. This is a soup with various ingredients, usually lamb or mutton, barley, and vegetables such as carrots and turnips. Eighteenth century English author Samuel Johnson would eat several platefuls of it, according to Scottish lawyer and author James Boswell. Scotch broth was a traditional meal on New Year’s Day, although it is now eaten all year round.

The traditional breakfast food in Scotland is porridge. The basis of this meal is boiled oats, with milk or water added, and is consumed out of a bowl. It was customary to add salt, although sugar is more popular nowadays. Oats have been grown in Scotland for thousands of years and porridge probably goes back that far. In Europe, it has been found in bodies 5,000 years old. The annual World Porridge Making Championships are held at Carrbridge, near Inverness.



Scottish oatmeal cakes also use oats as the basic ingredient. These are made by baking oatmeal on an oven tray. Scottish soldiers as early as the 14th century would carry a sack of oatmeal and a metal plate. The plate was heated over a fire, and oatmeal and water were added to make a thin, brittle oatcake. Over the centuries, oatcakes became popular away from the battlefield and at home, with butter, syrup and other ingredients added.

Scones are another popular traditional Scottish food. The original scone was round and flat, like a pancake. It was made of unleavened oats and then baked, before being cut into triangular portions for serving. Varieties include soda scones or farls, which are a flat bread or cake, and potato scones or tattie scones, which are like a savoury pancake. A ‘full Scottish breakfast’ might include tattie scones, along with haggis, black pudding and fried tomato.

One of the many traditional dairy foods in Scotland is crowdie. This is a creamy cheese made from skimmed milk and is thought to have been introduced into Scotland by eighth century Vikings. It is crumbly and slightly sour, and is often served with oatmeal. Caboc is very similar and was first produced in the Scottish Highlands in the 15th century by the MacDonalds.



Traditional Scottish dishes were plain and simple meals using available ingredients. However, much of the food is high in fat, leading to obesity and heart disease. Scots are now encouraged to include more fresh vegetables and fruit in their diets, but many low income people continue to eat poorly. This has not been helped by the trend of frying traditional foods such as haggis and fish, and potato in the form of fried chips.

A Weaver’s Web novel excerpt: Sarah encounters Brody at market

Next day, Sarah and one of Mr Halliwell’s workers took shoes and boots, a trestle and a box, and found a spot at the market. They set up a stall. She lined up the assortment of footwear on the trestle and sat on the box and waited for customers. Several people had a look, some picked up boots or shoes and put them against their feet or tried them on. Later that morning, she sold her first pair, to an elderly man with bare feet. They weren’t a perfect fit but he was happy with them and she watched as he shuffled off in them. She had made a sale. She was in business. It was nothing to rival Henry’s, but it was hers and she was proud of it.

Sales were slow though and by the third day she brought some sewing with her. But by the end of the first week, she had sold ten pairs and made five shillings for herself.

The weeks and months passed. Occasionally Emily was at the market and came and sat with her. She would see Alice too, and of course Albert. One day Sarah was sewing when a towering dark shadow appeared right in front of her. She looked up far enough to see it was a large person in grey. Her eyes went higher. By the time she got to the waist and the chest, she knew who it was. There was no escaping. This would be the end of her. She forced herself to look at the shoulders and the head. As soon as she saw the face, she closed her eyes tightly, hoping the figure was just a brief hallucination from her past. She opened them again but it was still there.

(cover showing Peterloo Massacre)

‘Miss Brody,’ she said in a barely audible voice.

‘Sarah.’ Brody seemed equally surprised.

‘I can explain.’ Sarah tried to push herself back, but she was already against the wall.

Brody leant over the front of the trestle. ‘My pay was docked because of you. I got half pay for two months.’

‘It wasn’t my doing. I had no idea my son …’

‘So it was your son. I made the women tell me what happened, but they didn’t know who the young man was, or so they said.’

‘Are you going to make me go back?’

‘No. The beds are full and there are worse cases in this town than you.’

Sarah felt a little less tense.

‘But I’ll tell you what.’ Brody leant further over the trestle and right over Sarah.

She slumped on her box.

Brody checked nobody was listening. ‘I want half your takings for two months.’

‘But most of the money goes to the bootmaker.’

‘Then half what you get. And tell me where I can find that son of yours, so I can get half his pay too.’

‘No, I won’t.’

‘Yes, you will.’ Brody hung over her like a huge storm cloud getting closer and more menacing.

Sarah fell off her box and onto the pavement where she lay on her side and brought her legs up towards her chest and trembled.

‘Where is he?’

‘I don’t know.’

For a few harrowing moments, she feared for her life. At last Brody stood upright again. Sarah stayed on the ground, but partly sat up. She didn’t want to sell shoes or anything else if someone was going to take half her profits. She was sure Brody would somehow find Albert and harm him if he didn’t agree to pay her half his wage. And Brody might keep coming back to her for more money. This would be her last day at the market, she decided. In future she would stay home and help Martha and Alice, when they wanted her to, and only go out to pick flowers and plants and visit the little church. She would find things to do. Perhaps the children could help her with her reading, or even Henry, if he ever had time. She wished he would come past right now and scare this woman away.

Then she recalled Henry telling her how Brody had taken money from him every time he visited. She stood up and smoothed her dress.

‘Come on, where can I find him?’ Brody said.

Sarah looked her in the eye. ‘If you take any money from me or my son, my husband will tell the asylum governors how much money you took from him.’

At first Brody appeared worried, but she soon sniggered at her. ‘They know anyway. I have to pay them part of anything I get.’ She came closer. ‘Where is he?’

(end of excerpt)

My historical novel, A Weaver’s Web, can be obtained from the following sites:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00H52SEEK

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Chris_Pearce_A_Weaver_s_Web?id=-hlJAgAAQBAJ

Kobo Books: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ww/books/A-Weavers-Web/jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw?MixID=jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw&PageNumber=1

Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/a-weavers-web/id775610928?mt=11

A Weaver’s Web novel excerpt: Sarah in solitary confinement

In the morning, Sarah got up as usual when the bell rang and headed for the privies with the other residents, each carrying their chamber-pot. The woman who had the visitor in the night was just in front of her in the queue.

‘You should be ashamed of yourself,’ Sarah said.

The woman looked at her, eyebrows raised and mouth open. ‘What’ve I done?’

‘You know what, you whore.’

Without a further word, the woman tipped her pot over Sarah.

For several seconds, Sarah stood like a statue, shocked that this brazen hussy would do such a thing. Then she held her arms out and shook them. ‘Ugh!’ she uttered, and tried to pull her gown away from her body. A feeling of rage came over her, the like of which had never happened before. She could feel her hair stand on end. Her blood boiled. The assailant had retreated, but Sarah chased her and hit her on the back of the neck. The woman fell to the ground and Sarah jumped on her.

‘Get off her,’ someone said.

Sarah looked up and saw Miss Brody standing over her. She let go of the woman and got up, hair everywhere, wild. ‘She tipped her potty over me.’

‘That doesn’t mean you can beat her up. It must’ve been an accident.’

‘No, it wasn’t.’

‘You, on the ground, was it an accident?’

The woman nodded.

‘See.’

Sarah was upset with herself for forgetting Brody would side with the woman, after what took place last night. She knew she should have kept quiet. Why she had become violent she had no idea. She could only put it down to the frustrations of asylum life and to living with Henry and his ways for so long.

(cover showing Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, UK, 1819)

‘Come with me,’ Brody said and led her down a corridor she hadn’t been in.

It was darker and mustier than the rest of the building. They stopped at an iron door with a large latch. Brody raised it and opened the door.

‘Inside!’

Sarah peered into the room. It was pitch dark. Brody pushed her and she stumbled in.

‘Don’t bother screaming or calling out. The walls are an arm’s length thick.’ Brody smiled and shut the door and locked it.

Sarah held her hand out in front of her and brought it towards her face, right up close, but she couldn’t see any part of it. This was worse than a Manchester cellar. She wondered how long she would have to stay there, hoping it was no more than a few hours. Arms outstretched, she could touch both side walls at the same time. In a corner, she found a chamber-pot. What felt like a blanket was in another corner. There was nothing she could do but lie on the floor and wait. She wasn’t that frightened, knowing no one could get her while she was in this room – not the young woman, or the other inmates, or the people outside. And there would be no rats or mice either. The walls would keep everything out, she was sure. She drifted off to sleep, almost happy to be where she was and knowing no harm would come to her.

But later she woke to see shadows dancing around the walls and cried with fright. She banged on the door but no one came. Finally she collapsed on the floor and pressed her hands against her face. She stayed like this a long time. Just when she felt she could take it no longer, the door opened. The dwarf from the dining room had brought her a bowl of food and a little candle.

‘Your supper,’ the dwarf said.

‘Supper? I haven’t had dinner yet. When are they going to let me out of here?’

‘I don’t know, Ma’am. I just work here and do as I’m told and stay out of trouble, Ma’am. Goodnight.’ With all her strength, the woman closed the door behind her.

Sarah’s meal was broth, probably the water potatoes had been cooked in. She stood up to stretch her legs, before lying down again. Her mind wandered from life at Middleton, to Albert and if he was still alive, to how her children were coping, to whether Henry would eventually visit her and maybe somehow get her out of this place.

Next day, the same woman came with a breakfast of watery corn meal. Again she didn’t get any dinner. Supper was more broth, and a small piece of bread. And so it went on, day after day. She got very hungry, and her persecutors kept at her despite the thick walls.

One night she heard two voices talking about her. Neither seemed to belong to anyone in the asylum. She blew out her candle and pushed herself as far into the corner as possible, not making a sound, hoping the owners of the voices would think she wasn’t there and go away. She knew the door was shut and bolted, but somehow her tormenters had found her and got inside the room. She lay in a cold sweat as she tried to make out what they were saying. Much of it was garbled, but she was sure one of them said they would see she never left this room for the rest of her life. Later in the night, she saw strange forms leaping from wall to wall, near the ceiling. She put her head under the blanket. She didn’t know if she got any sleep.

When she heard the door open in the morning, she was surprised to see Brody instead of the dwarf.

(end of excerpt)

My historical novel, A Weaver’s Web, can be obtained from the following:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H52SEEK

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00H52SEEK

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Chris_Pearce_A_Weaver_s_Web?id=-hlJAgAAQBAJ

Kobo Books: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ww/books/A-Weavers-Web/jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw?MixID=jHgKZNwqjkybm8qWDO3mcw&PageNumber=1

Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/a-weavers-web/id775610928?mt=11

How to hook the ball in ten pin bowling

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Most novice bowlers will naturally bowl the ball fairly straight and down the center of the lane. The ball will skid and then travel end over end the rest of the way down the lane. This isn’t the most effective way to score as the ball will deflect more and be likely to leave pins standing.

By turning the ball during delivery, the ball will roll in such a way that it follows a curved path and will result in better pinfall. Basically, the way to do this is to twist the hand and arm slightly just before release. The thumb will move from a 12 o’clock position to about a 10 o’clock position, while the fingers will move from a 6 o’clock position to about a 4 o’clock position at release.

It is important to get the hand underneath the ball at the start of the approach and maintain this position throughout the swing. Many bowlers trying a hook shot for the first time will bend their wrist too far back and will come over the top of the ball, with the fingers coming out at the same time as the thumb or even before the thumb.

They will also rotate their hand around in a fairly rapid, even violent movement. This will probably result in a ball that spins all the way down the lane like a top, gaining little or no turn. This delivery is popular in some Asian countries where lane conditions are poor and such a shot can be used to counteract them with good results. It is often called a helicopter shot and is aimed straight down the middle of the lane. However, on lanes with an even and generous coating of oil, the delivery is ineffective, and is likely to leave corner pins and pocket splits such as the 5-7 or 8-10, even if angled in from the first or second arrow.

By keeping a straight wrist throughout, the hand will remain under the ball as it comes to the bottom of the downswing. At this point let the thumb go loose and it should come out of the ball smoothly and easily. The ball is then left on the two bowling fingers (the middle and ring fingers) momentarily. This is where lift is generated.

Try and flick the fingers outwards and upwards as the ball is about to come off the fingers. The action is rather similar to bringing your fingers up the side of a tennis ball when thrown underarm, or an American football for that matter, with your fingers at about 4 o’clock. You will see the ball spin sideways as it goes through the air. Your bowling ball should spin in a similar manner as it travels down the lane, the spinning motion being in an anticlockwise direction for right-handers.

A proper follow through is essential too. The instant after release, the hand and arm should keep following the same line, that is, they should extend out in front of you and upwards in one fluent movement. Your hand should finish in the handshake position, like you’re reaching up to shake the hand of a giant. Your arm will finish about 45 degrees past the horizontal position, although this will vary from bowler to bowler and on how quickly you come out of the ball.

Some bowlers will bend their arm after the release as a natural part of their follow through. Generally a straight arm is recommended. Other bowlers will bend their arm before release, giving the ball extra lift, or have their arm bent throughout the swing. For novice and intermediate bowlers, it’s best to keep the arm straight as much as possible, to get better accuracy.

Spin or turn can also be generated by not rotating the hand during release, but by holding the hand at the right side of the ball or between the back and right side of the ball (for a right hander). This will result in a curved ball which will travel down the lane in a fairly even curve, with the spin on the ball looking pretty much the same for the length of the lane. This shot could be quite effective in years gone by, when accuracy was more important than action. The problem with it is that it can fade over the last 10 or 20 feet and doesn’t quite come up into the pocket all that strongly.

On today’s oily conditions and with the urethane and reactive resin bowls, a hook ball will be more effective than the curve ball (and be far more effective than a straight ball or a spinner). A hook ball travels down the lane in a straight line or with a slight curve for the first 38 feet or so (the length of the oil), and will then grip the lane and ‘flip,’ before turning sharply into the pocket.

A hook ball can be achieved by turning the ball. This can be done in a number of ways. It can be achieved by keeping the thumb at 12 o’clock through the swing, including at release. The bowler then turns the ball with the fingers. This might be difficult for many bowlers as there is only a split second between the thumb release and when the ball leaves the fingers.

A better way for many bowlers will be to rotate the arm in order to move the thumb from 12 o’clock to about 10’clock and the fingers from 6 o’clock to 4 o’clock. It is best to do this mainly by turning the arm, rather than mainly the wrist. Turning with the wrist alone is likely to result in topping the ball, and a delivery that slides too far. Also, by turning the wrist alone, the risk is that the thumb will come out last. This will result in a ball that slides and spins all the way to the pins with hardly any turn. Such a shot will need to be just about millimeter perfect to get a strike.

Another way to bowl a hook is to move the arm and hand outwards in the upswing, so that the thumb is at about 1 or 2 o’clock at the top of the swing, and then rotate the arm the other way in the downswing, bringing the thumb to the 10 o’clock position at release. Some bowlers perform this whole action on the downswing, but it is difficult to master and may result in loss of accuracy and a weaker roll for the novice and intermediate bowler.

In the old days, many bowlers used to move the bowl the other way, that is, with the thumb going from 12 o’clock to 9 o’clock or even right round to 6 o’clock, and then back to about 10 o’clock at release. This results in a full roller, which is a curve ball rather than a hook ball and is less effective on today’s conditions and with the modern bowling balls.

Remember that in order to bowl an effective hook ball, both turn and lift are essential. Also important are a host of other factors. You will need the right equipment, which means balls with resin or particle cover. A plastic ball is good for spares as it will travel straighter. The balls need to be drilled properly, based on your hand and fingers and the way you bowl. A fingertip grip will greatly enhance your lifting power, compared with conventional grip where your fingers go into the finger holes up to the second knuckle. Good timing throughout the approach and swing are necessary, as is a strong and clean release, and proper follow through.

Get your local ball driller to watch you bowl a game and ask them to drill you an appropriate set of bowling balls in the way that is best suited to your game and the way you lift and turn the ball.

Rules of ten pin bowling

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

The rules of ten pin bowling are set down by the regulator in each country. In the US, this is the United States Bowling Congress, first established as the American Bowling Congress in 1895. All sanctioned leagues and tournaments must abide by these rules. The rules vary little between countries. Most of the rules are concerned with the playing area, the bowling balls used, and the pins, as well as rules relating to league and tournament play.

The playing area includes the lanes themselves plus the approaches. All lanes are 62 feet 10 3/16 inches in length. The distance from the foul line to the middle of the head pin, or 1-pin, is 60 feet, with a half inch tolerance, although the head pin must be 2 feet 10 3/16th inches from the end of the lane. The lanes can be between 41 and 42 inches wide and consist of 39 boards. These used to be made of maple and pine wood but are now synthetic.

There are small arrows about 15 feet down the lane, which are used as targets. The lanes are flat, to a tolerance of 40/1000th of an inch or one millimeter. Each lane has about 0.6 of an ounce of oil applied daily to protect it. For leagues and tournaments, this increases to around 0.8-1.0 ounce. The approach area must extend at least 15 feet back from the foul line. This area has two sets of dots about 12 and 15 feet from the line. These are used by bowlers to work out their starting spot.

Bowling balls must be between 26.7 and 27 inches in circumference and not exceed 16 pounds. There is no limit at the lighter end, although six pound balls are generally the lightest ball in most centers and used by young children. Balls must be free of marks and indentations, except for thumb and finger holes, manufacturer markings, and those through normal wear and tear.

The balls are made of a solid inner core and a non-metallic outer shell of rubber, polyester, or more recently, urethane, or reactive material. Modern bowling balls have a greater range of core densities and now have to be measured along three axes to ensure they comply with the rules and don’t give an unfair advantage: the x-axis which is a line through the ball parallel to the foul line, the y-axis which is a line parallel to the boards, and the z-axis which is the vertical line through the ball. Surface hardness must be at least 72 on the durometer scale.

Pins are made of maple wood coated with plastic 3/32nd of an inch thick. They are 15 inches tall and 4.766 inches in diameter at their widest point, which is 4.5 inches from the base, or where the ball makes contact. Diameter at the bottom is 2.031 inches. There are many additional measurements to make sure pins are a consistent shape. Pins must weigh between three pounds six ounces and three pounds ten ounces. The pins have one or two voids or cavities towards the bottom in order to balance the wider lower part with the narrower upper part; otherwise, the pins would be bottom heavy and wouldn’t fall properly.

The pins are configured in a triangle at the end of the lane. The headpin or 1-pin is in the middle and in front of the other pins. The second row has two pins, called the 2-pin and 3-pin (from left to right), the third row has three pins, or the 4-pin, 5-pin, and 6-pin, and the back row has four pins, or the 7-pin, 8-pin, 9-pin, and 10-pin.

A game of ten pin bowling is divided into ten parts or frames. A player has two opportunities to knock the pins down in each frame. If the bowler knocks all pins down with one ball, this is a strike (denoted by an X), and the bowler has completed this frame. If any pins are left standing after the first ball, the player has a second chance of knocking down the remaining pin or pins. If the remaining pins are knocked down with this second ball, the bowler is awarded a spare (denoted by a /). The next player or team member then has their turn, and so on, until everyone has bowled their first frame. The lead bowler then starts their second frame.

Each pin knocked over counts for one point. If a player bowls down six pins with the first ball and then another two with the second ball, they score eight for that frame. Where any pins are left standing after two deliveries, this is an open frame, and remaining pins are swept away by the sweep attached to the pinsetting machine. When a bowler gets a spare, the score for that frame equals the ten pins they knocked down plus the next shot. If the next bowl is a seven, the player achieves a score of 17 in the first frame, i.e. ten for the spare plus seven for the next ball.

When a bowler scores a strike, the number of pins they knock down with their next two deliveries is added to the value of the strike. Thus if the player follows a strike in the first frame with a six and a three in the second frame, their score in the first frame is 19, i.e. 10 + 6 + 3. The second frame score is 28, obtained by simply adding the six and the three to the first frame score. If the bowler strings strikes together, their score will go up by 30 a frame, i.e. the value of the strike plus the next two balls. A perfect score is thus 300.

There are various other rules laid down by the United States Bowling Congress and the bowling associations of other countries. Crossing the foul line at the start of the lane results in no score for the delivery, except if you hang onto the bowl, in which case you can have your shot again.

Leagues and tournaments have various rules such as those for tardy bowlers, blind scores for absent players, bowling on the wrong lane (the ball must be rebowled on the correct lane), the system of handicapping (unless a scratch competition), how many points a team earns if they win a game, and so on. Finally, there are some basic etiquette rules such as giving way to the bowler on your right and participating in a sporting manner.

How to score in ten pin bowling

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Scoring in ten pin bowling isn’t quite as easy as counting the pins knocked over on each shot and adding them up. If all pins are knocked over with one ball (a strike), the pinfall for the next two deliveries is added to the strike as a bonus. Where all the pins are felled with two shots, the pins knocked over with the following ball count as the bonus. With automated scoring systems since the 1980s, social bowlers no longer have to know how to score, as it’s done for them. However, in league and tournament play, a bowler must know how many pins have to be knocked down to beat the opposition, and knowing how to score is essential.

A game of ten pin bowling consists of ten parts or frames. A player has two opportunities to knock the pins down in each frame. If the bowler knocks all pins down with one ball, this is a strike (denoted by an X), and the bowler has completed this frame. If any pins are left standing after the first ball, the player has a second chance of knocking down the remaining pin or pins. If the remaining spins are knocked down with this second ball, the bowler is awarded a spare (denoted by a /). The next player or team member then has their turn, and so on, until everyone has bowled their first frame. The lead bowler then starts their second frame.

Each pin knocked over counts for one point. If a player bowls down six pins with the first ball and then another two with the second ball, they score eight for that frame. Where any pins are left standing after two deliveries, this is an open frame, and remaining pins are swept away by the sweep attached to the pinsetting machine. Thus if no strikes or spares are scored in a game, quite common among social bowlers, then the final score for the game is simply the sum of the number of pins knocked over in each frame. The highest possible score without strikes or spares is 90.

As soon as the player bowls a strike or spare, scoring becomes a little more complex. If a bowler gets a strike, i.e. knocks over all pins in one ball, this counts initially as ten, but the player has to wait until they have bowled their next two balls before the score for the frame containing the strike can be tallied up and finalized. This is due to the bonus points awarded for the next two balls after a strike. Thus if a bowler gets a strike in the first frame and follows this up with eight pins and one pin in the second frame, these two scores are added to the value of the strike, i.e. ten pins, for a total of 19 pins in the first frame. In the second frame, this bowler has knocked over nine more pins, so their score in the second frame is 28 (19 from the first frame plus 9 from the second frame).

Remember that whenever a strike is scored, the pins knocked down with the next two bowls by that player are added to the ten pins for the strike. This means that if the bowler follows a strike with a spare (say seven and three, or any other combination for that matter), their score for the first frame is 20, i.e. 10 + 7 + 3. If the player bowls another strike in the second frame to follow their strike in the first frame, the score for the first frame cannot be finalized until this bowler plays their first ball of the third frame. If this is a six, then the player’s score in the first frame is 26, i.e. 10 + 10 + 6. They might score three with their second ball of the third frame. In this case, their score in the second frame is 45, i.e. adding 26 from the first frame to the 19 they earn in the second frame, which comes from their strike in the second frame plus their next two deliveries, being a six and three in the third frame. Their third frame score is 54, or 45 from the second frame plus their total of nine in the third frame itself.

Where a bowler keeps bowling strikes, their score will go up by 30 pins each frame, i.e. ten for the initial strike and another ten for each of their next two shots. Two strikes in a row is a double and three in a row is called a ‘turkey’. After that, a string of strikes is referred to as a four-bagger or five-bagger and so on, or simply four in a row, five in a row, etc. If a player starts a game with, say, five strikes, this is referred to as the ‘front five’ or ‘first five’. Similarly, at the end of a game, if a bowler finishes with, say, seven strikes, this is called the ‘back seven’ or ‘last seven’. Where a player finishes a game with, say, six strikes, and starts the next game with four strikes, this person is said to have the ‘back six and first four’ or ‘last six and first four’.

You will see plenty of strikes strung at Professional Bowlers Association events and on television tournaments. A perfect game of 300 is achieved when a bowler scores 12 strikes in a row. Because of the bonus scoring system, a strike in the tenth frame requires two more balls to be bowled. If these are strikes, and the bowler has struck in all other frames, a 300 is the result. Until around 1980, these used to be rarer than a hole in one at golf. With the modern reactive bowling balls, 300 games are now quite common. There are probably quite a few of them bowled on any day somewhere in the US. If you go to a PBA tournament, chances are you’ll see one or two or even more 300s.

While the next two shots count as bonuses after a strike, a bowler gets one bonus ball added to their score after a spare. Say if a player knocks down seven pins with their first delivery and then bowls over the remaining three pins with their second delivery in a frame, whatever the player knocks down with their next ball is added to the ten they knocked over in the preceding frame. Thus if the bowler gets a spare in the first frame and then eight with their first ball of the second frame, their score in the first frame is 18, i.e. 10 + 8. Should the player knock over only one of the two remaining pins in the second frame, their score for that frame will be 27, i.e. 18 from the first frame plus a total of nine in the second frame.

A game will usually include strikes, spares and misses. The important things to remember are to add the following two balls to the score after a strike and one ball after a spare, and that the bonus pins knocked down after a strike or spare also count towards the current frame or frames. Let’s imagine a game with the following frame by frame results: 6/, X, 8/, 7 2, 9/, X, X, 8 1, 7/, 8/X. By applying the bonus pins after a strike (the next two balls) and a spare (the next ball), you can compute the progressive scores as follows: 20, 40, 57, 66, 86, 114, 133, 142, 160, 180. The final game score is 180. Note that where a bowler alternates between strikes and spares throughout a game, they will go up by 20 pins each frame and score a 200. This is known as a ‘Dutch 200′. An all spare game is another coveted achievement in bowling. The highest score possible with an all spare game is 190.

There are really no alternative methods of scoring in ten pin bowling. The method sometimes touted as an alternative method simply puts the scores into the frames right up to the current frame rather than waiting for bonus ball scores. Automated scoring systems will often show the current score in this way. Thus if a strike or spare is bowled in the first frame, a 10 appears on the scoreboard straight away. This will change, depending on what the bowler scores for their next ball. If they bowl a six after a strike, this will change the score in the first frame to 16. If they bowl a spare, the first frame score becomes 20 and their second frame score is 30. But this will change after they bowl their first bowl of the third frame, and so on. At the end of the game, the scores in each frame and the game score will be the same as they would be if each frame is only scored after bonus pins have been finalized.

How technology has changed ten pin bowling

(originally published to Helium writing site, now gone)

Technology has had an enormous impact on ten pin bowling over the last 100 years. Major changes have included automatic pinspotters, automated scoring, different lane types and high-tech bowling balls. In the early 20th century, the sport used wooden balls and lanes, pins had to be set up manually, and someone had to keep score. All these features are now things of the past.

Before automatic pinspotters, bowling alleys employed pinsetters to manually stand up the pins after a bowler knocked them down, clear fallen pins, and roll the ball back along a track between the lanes. Pinsetting was low paid, part time and relatively dangerous, and was usually done by teenage boys who were often referred to as pinboys. A semi-automatic mechanical pinsetter was invented by Gottfried Schmidt in 1936. It was used in a limited number of alleys. A fully automatic pinspotter was first used in 1946 and became commercial in 1952. The machines made pinsetting and ball retrieval quicker, safer and more reliable. Over the next decade, they replaced pinboys in virtually all centers.

Another important technological change to ten pin bowling occurred in the 1980s with the introduction of automatic scoring. Until then, bowlers had to write down their scores using pencil and paper. In competition, scores were written on the monitor with special pencils and projected onto the overhang above the approaches. Automated computer scoring systems were developed that linked to the pinspotter machines and filled in the score sheet after each ball, although the early models needed someone to press the number of pins fallen or a spare or strike on the keyboard. This technology is credited as a major reason for the resurgence in bowling in the 1980s. Players could enter their names and the rest was done for them. They didn’t have to learn how to score, which can be complex for the general public and those lacking basic math skills.

Perhaps the biggest change in technology in ten pin bowling has been with the balls. The first bowling balls were roundish stones. These were replaced by manufactured wooden balls made of a hardwood such as oak or lignum vitae. Both were smaller than modern bowling balls and neither had finger holes. A hard rubber ball, the Evertrue, was first made in about 1906, followed by the rubber Mineralite ball in 1914. Rubber dominated until the 1970s when a softer plastic ball, usually polyester, was developed. These proved popular due to their higher scoring ability, but attracted the attention of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) who set the minimum hardness of a ball at 72 on the durometer scale. The USBC also set limits on top and side weight to prevent unfair hooking advantage.

Balls with a polyurethane cover were introduced in 1981 and with a reactive resin cover around 1990. These balls gripped the lane better and produced higher scores for many bowlers. Competition among bowling ball manufacturers to see who could produce the highest scoring balls intensified, resulting in major changes to the core of a ball. The core had always been a uniform sphere wrapped in the outer casing, but in the 1990s various innovations were introduced. Different materials and methods of manufacture resulted in cores with a greater range of densities that assisted various bowlers. The USBC was forced to move from static ball balance regulations to dynamic balance regulations. A bowling ball now has to be measured along three axes to ensure it complies with the rules and doesn’t give an unfair advantage: the x-axis which is a line through the ball parallel to the foul line, the y-axis which is a line parallel to the boards, and the z-axis which is the vertical line through the ball.

Another major technological change in ten pin bowling has been to the lanes themselves. All lanes were made of wood, consisting of maple and pine boards, until synthetic lanes were first introduced in 1977. Since that time, alleys have steadily converted to the new lane type. Synthetic lanes are the same in appearance to the old wooden lanes, but are cheaper and easier to maintain and, combined with advances in lane oiling products and patterns, give a truer ball roll and higher scores.

The changes in ball and lane technology forced many bowlers to change their shot or be less competitive. The full-roller, which used to be a popular choice for bowlers and was effective at all levels of competition on drier lanes and with the old rubber and plastic balls, has virtually become obsolete. The full-roller contacts the lane on the same circumferential circle on each rotation, gathering oil as it travels down the lane, resulting in too much skid and not enough hook. Similarly, those who angled a straight or almost straight ball into the pocket are also at a disadvantage with the modern technology for the same reasons. Accuracy is no longer enough to be competitive in scratch events; you need a ball with a decent curve as well.

Today, the semi-roller has become the dominant shot. With the rubber and plastic balls, a semi-roller would also roll over the same area of the ball each rotation. But with the reactive bowling balls, a semi-roller will roll over a different ring each time, with the rings becoming a bit larger with each rotation. Thus a dry part of the surface of the ball is always making contact with the lane, increasing traction, and giving the ball more forward and side roll, or more revolutions. This makes the ball curve or hook more and results in better pin action and higher scoring.

Ball technology has made it more difficult to prepare a lane condition that is fair to all bowlers. High average bowlers with high-tech equipment want oily conditions to make their high revving shots hold a reasonable line and score well. Other bowlers who don’t throw a ball that is as strong want less oil so that their ball comes up to the pocket. Certainly, technology has led to higher scores for certain types of bowlers as evidenced by the huge increase in the number of 300 games and 800 series over the last three decades.

The USBC has been concerned that ten pin bowling is becoming a sport where technology rather than skill increasingly determines success. In 2000, it introduced ‘sport bowling’ where lane conditions are highly regulated, with more even oiling patterns, making it harder to bring the ball into the pocket and make huge scores. This seems to be a more popular option to reduce scores, rather than to make the pins heavier. The USBC’s ongoing concern prompted it to set up a Bowling Ball Specifications Task Force which conducted a study in 2006 and 2007 into how ball motion and technology was effecting scoring. To date, no changes have been made to the rules for bowling balls as a result of the study.