Frances Tolmie

Frances Tolmie (13 October 1840 – 31 December 1926) was a Scottish folklorist. She was born and died on the Isle of Skye. She collected Gaelic songs and published them in 1911.

Life Tolmie was born on a farm on Duirinish, at Uiginish House, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland in 1840. Her mother was Margaret MacAskill and was born on the Isle of Eigg. Her father was John Tolmie whose family had been associated with the MacLeod clan at the nearby town of Dunvegan. Her father died when Frances was four years old and the family was then looked after by her uncle Hugh Macaskill of Talisker and his wife, where she saw a large circle of literary and cultivated friends from across the country. This was one of the first colleges for women. She was remembered for being an exceptionally tall highlander, red haired and she would entertain her fellow students by telling their fortunes by gazing at a mixture of egg white and water.

Tolmie returned to Skye and died in Dunvegan on 31 December 1926. One hundred and five songs from the Western Isles collected by her can be found in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society published in 1911. Tolmie's collection was the first of non-English songs to be published in the Journal.

Around twenty four songs were reprinted in The Old Songs of Skye: Frances Tolmie and Her Circle by Ethel Bassin, some of which were praised by Vaughan Williams as faithfully reproducing the idiosyncratic rhythms of Gaelic music.

Publications

Books One hundred and five songs of occupation from the western isles of Scotland (1997) Llanerch Publishers reprint

Songs collected by Frances Tolmie - Journal of the Folk-Song Society

1911 v.4 no.16, 'Preface', pp.iii. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Notes and Reminiscences', pp. 143–146. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'A Singer's Memories of Life in Skye', pp. 147–149. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Songs of Rest and Recreation', pp. 157–195. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Songs of Labour', pp. 196–244. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Ancient Heroic Lays', pp. 245–254. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Songs to Chiefs and Others', pp. 255–265. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Laments, Love Lyrics, Etc.', pp. 266–270. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Index to Gaelic Titles', pp. 273–274. 1911 v.4 no.16, 'Index to English Titles', pp. 275–276.