Abstract
A native of the Isle of Berneray, Ian Paterson (1916-1990) was among Scotland’s most prolific voluntary fieldworkers in the latter half of the 20th century, undertaking nearly two decades’ worth of folklore collection amounting to several thousand recordings. In addition to important recording work for the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh, nearly half of his total output was gathered in his home community of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides. Due to his skill, erudition, community connections, and enduring passion for the Gaelic oral tradition, Berneray enjoys one of the most complete folklore collections in the islands during this period, between 1960 and 1990. The article explores Ian Paterson’s life, work, connections, interests, and methodology, making extensive use of his fieldwork recordings from the Isle of Berneray. It will show how he made use of his own family in his collection work and undertook repetitive fieldwork with the same informants to produce a valuable thick corpus from a single geographic community over a generation. It will also consider his legacy within the context of the School of Scottish Studies and shine a fresh light on a productive, if lesser known, folklore collector.
Published Version
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