Marjorie Linklater

Marjorie Linklater ( MacIntyre; 19 March 1909 – 29 June 1997) was a Scottish campaigner for the arts and environment on the island of Orkney. She gave up acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to get involved in conservation, education, and health matters as a county councillor for Ross and Cromarty County Council. In 1975, Linklater was elected chairman of the Orkney Heritage Society, devoting herself to campaigning for the arts environment, local heritage, and politics. She successfully opposed the mining of uranium and the dumping of nuclear waste off Orkney's west coast and was a founding member of the St Magnus Festival. The Orkney Heritage Society named a senior school award in Linklater's honour following her death.

Biography Early life Linklater was born to Scottish international rugby player and future Unionist Party MP Ian MacIntyre and his first wife Ida Van der Gucht on 19 March 1909 at 19 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh. She was one of six children in the family. Linklater was educated sparsely at St George's School, Edinburgh and Downe House School, Berkshire, before enrolling at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She played a number of minor roles in the West End theatre scene,

Career

Back in Edinburgh, Linklater successfully campaigned with the actor Michael MacOwan for the establishment of the National Theatre of Scotland, and had a role in the local community, producing winning plays in drama festivals and played the cello in an orchestra. The award is presented to senior school pupils in the fifth or sixth year of education and to similarly aged students at Orkney College "for a short piece of creative writing" with judges including members of the Linklater family.