David R Glen, known as Davie lived for thirty years in a converted railway carriage, named ‘Bachnagairn’ near Tealing, Dundee.Davie was the youngest of six – his father was killed with the Black Watch in 1917, his mother worked as a farm worker. Davie’s first job was at the age of 14 on a dairy farm.He started cycle racing in 1927, turning semi-professional during the 1930’s to ease the financial situation caused by the Depression.He climbed his first mountain, Beinn a’ Beithir (South of Fort William) in 1931 whilst working on a road building project. He signed up in 1940 to join the Royal Air Force, and in 1949, in remembrance of a friend lost at sea, started the annual Lochnager Sunrise Expedition. He had an attack of spinal meningitis and suffered with an ulcer for many years. He was renowned for his waist length beard and worked on tunnelling projects, with the Forestry commission and as a warden at Langhaugh Youth Hostel, he also worked as a dry stane dyker. He was a founding member of the Carn Dearg Mountaineering Club, as well as forming other outdoor interests groups such as the ‘Good Companions’ and always assisted on Mountain Rescue call outs. He was an all round entertainer being proficient in the traditional musical arts of diddling and whistling. He performed the former on the Wilfred Pickles show, ‘Ask Pickles’ in London in 1955. He was also well practiced in story-telling and entered competitions for the telling of lies,the most convincing being the winner. Davie Glen died after a short illness in 1978.
Paintings, poems, sketches, photographs, certificates, newspaper cuttings, printed material.
Catalogue
DGL/1 Sketch Books and Paintings 1932 – ?
DGL/1/1 No 1: Book of Paintings 1932-1933
24 paintings and 2 sketches of Scottish scenery by Davie Glen, some loose sheets.
DGL/1/2 Book of paintings n.d
20 paintings and 5 sketches of Scottish scenery by Davie Glen, some loose sheets.
DGL/1/3 Paintings n.d
13 paintings of Scottish scenery by Davie Glen, loose sheets.
DGL/1/4 Sketch Book n.d
16 sketches of Scottish scenery by Davie Glen.
DGL/1/5 Sketch Book n.d
Designs for souvenir badges which were later painted as requested and sold to tourists, other sketches also included, some loose sheets.
DGL/1/6 Paintings n.d
18 sketches of mainly Scottish scenery by Davie Glen, loose sheets.
DGL/2 Poems and Jottings n.d
DGL/2/1 Exercise Book ‘David R Glen – Poems’
DGL/2/2 Exercise Book ‘Daibhaidh Gliann – Poems’
DGL/2/3 Cash Book containing poems and jottings
DGL/2/4 Loose sheets of poems, jottings, songs and stories
DGL/3 Photographs n.d
DGL/3/1 Photograph Album, inc loose sheets at rear
DGL/3/2 �Snapshots” Album
DGL/3/3 Loose photographs, 6 separate packets
DGL/3/4 9 slides featuring Davie Glen
DGL/4 Certificates 1929 -1977
DGL/4/1 1929 Certificate re participation in Forfarshire Roads Club Open Twelve Hours’ Road Ride.
DGL/4/2 1969-1977 Certificates re participation in the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland’s regional Festivals. Competition winner in Diddling, Whistling, playing the Jew’s Harp and Storytelling.
DGL/5 Hut Book 1950-1954
DGL/5/1 Log book from the bothy at Glen Clova.
DGL/6 Newspaper Cuttings 1950-1978
DGL/6/1 Including coverage of the Glen Doll Disaster (1959), Lochnager Sunrise Expeditions, features about Davie Glen
DGL/7 Printed materials 1945-1976
DGL/7/1 Glossary of Gaelic and Norse words n.d
DGL/7/2 Brithers A’ A Minute a Day with Burns 1945
DGL/7/3 Selected songs of Robert Burns 1947
DGL/7/4 Scottish Youth Hostels Association News Letter – 2 copies 1955
DGL/7/5 Mountain Bothies Association Journal 1976
DGL/8 Letters Received – 2003 Predominantly letters received following a display of the above items at Dundee Mountain Festival and a subsequent article in The Courier Newspaper.
DGL/9 Newspaper articles, photos, negatives,letters donated by Tony Viveash
DGL/10 Miniatures, wall plaques and pendants handpainted by Davie and donated by his niece, Mina
DGL/11
4 Paintings of Loch Broom, River Lochay, River Carron, Glencoe Hills.
Featured list of items in the collection: https://smhc.co.uk/feature/davie-glen/
