Mary-Elaine Robertson

This is a story of working-class women trying to get by. This is survival.

This is a story of working-class women trying to get by. This is survival.

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to learn.

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to learn.

Yes. Well, and no, I have some beef with history. I studied archaeology. So I'm like, well, we have evidence you have written lies.

Yes. Well, and no, I have some beef with history. I studied archaeology. So I'm like, well, we have evidence you have written lies.

Yes, I'm a Shetlander, so Shetland was very, very busy at this point in time fighting with Norway, and we really weren't so clued up with what you were doing down in Scotland and England. So I know you were having a lot of trouble between the two of you, but we were already very busy up north. LAUGHTER

Yes, I'm a Shetlander, so Shetland was very, very busy at this point in time fighting with Norway, and we really weren't so clued up with what you were doing down in Scotland and England. So I know you were having a lot of trouble between the two of you, but we were already very busy up north. LAUGHTER

Yes, so we became part of Scotland in 1469, officially signed over in 1471 in lieu of a payment of a dowry. We're quite bitter about it because the dowry was meant to be 30,000 florins worth. So Denmark and Norway suggested the dowry would be...

Yes, so we became part of Scotland in 1469, officially signed over in 1471 in lieu of a payment of a dowry. We're quite bitter about it because the dowry was meant to be 30,000 florins worth. So Denmark and Norway suggested the dowry would be...

Orkney and Scotland reckoned that Orkney was worth 22,000 florins so they're like can you bump it up by 8,000 florins and they threw in the whole of Shetland like we're a third of their cost so what do you know

Orkney and Scotland reckoned that Orkney was worth 22,000 florins so they're like can you bump it up by 8,000 florins and they threw in the whole of Shetland like we're a third of their cost so what do you know

Back in the late 1200s, early 1300s? Just avoiding plagues and poxies. I don't know. I'm just trying really hard to stay alive.

Back in the late 1200s, early 1300s? Just avoiding plagues and poxies. I don't know. I'm just trying really hard to stay alive.

I don't know what it's like doing it in Scotland, but in Shetland, if you get too big for your boots, you soon get ripped to pieces. And modesty reigns supreme. Like, if you were a prince, you wouldn't really speak about it, you know? People call you prince, like, shut up, no, I'm no.

I don't know what it's like doing it in Scotland, but in Shetland, if you get too big for your boots, you soon get ripped to pieces. And modesty reigns supreme. Like, if you were a prince, you wouldn't really speak about it, you know? People call you prince, like, shut up, no, I'm no.

Right now, Robert the Bruce isn't winning any favour from me. He sounds like they're just a family who are like, we will be friends with whoever in power will let us keep our land. When's he going to redeem himself?

Right now, Robert the Bruce isn't winning any favour from me. He sounds like they're just a family who are like, we will be friends with whoever in power will let us keep our land. When's he going to redeem himself?

The Bruces were fighting on Edward's side.

The Bruces were fighting on Edward's side.