BBC Radio Scotland Highlands and Islands

The Scots in Russia

The Scots in Russia: Episode 2: The Caledonian Phalanx

Factual: History

Episode 2

Episode 2: The Caledonian Phalanx

The Caledonian Phalanx

BBC Radio Scotland - The Scots in Russia, The Caledonian Phalanx

Billy Kay celebrates the major Scottish contribution to the Russia of Catherine the Great.

Billy Kay celebrates the roles played by Scottish architects, industrialists, admirals and intellectuals in the Russian Empire of Catherine the Great.

Billy Kay explores the role of Scots architects, industrialists, admirals and intellectuals in 18th and 19th century Russia. This is from the Scots Magazine in 1739. "We may surely be indulged to take a little rational pride, in finding no action of consequence performed in which Gentlemen of this nation are not in particular manner distinguished for their bravery and resolution: At the head of the Russian fleet we find a Gordon; in the highest rank of the army a Keith, and Douglas, Lesley, and many more, send their names from the extremities of that vast empire"

The penetration of influential Scots into every aspect of Russian life actually increased during the reign of Catherine the Great 1762 - 1796. She employed an enigmatic Jacobite architect called Charles Cameron to realise her dreams in fabulous palaces such as Tsarskoe Selo. Cameron placed an ad in the Edinburgh Evening Courant in 1784 for masons, smiths, bricklayers and plasterers to serve Her Majesty the Empress of all the Russias. The 73 artisans and their families created a Scots colony of 140 people in Sofia. Two of them, William Hastie and Adam Menelaws became influential architects and planners in their own right. 

Admiral Samuel Greig headed the Russian navy and he forged links with the Carron works in Falkirk, and from there came the people who industrialised Russia. One of them was Charles Baird and in St Petersburg, there was a saying that people used when things were running smoothly "kak u Berda na zavode" - it was going like Baird's factory! An English engineer described him as coming "from the North side of the Tweed which is the best recommendation a man can bring to this city, the Caledonian Phalanx being the strongest and most numerous, and moving always in the closest union.".

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Scots in Russia

Episode 2: The Caledonian Phalanx

Genres

Series

BBC Radio Scotland Highlands and Islands

About BBC Radio Scotland