Diary of a Flying Scotsman

Week ending December 7, 2024

I have only intermittently kept a diary, though this week I am beginning in earnest. And I have never before gone on a road trip with a kilt. The reason was an invitation to be recognized as a Distinguished Citizen by the Chicago Scots, a venerable St. Andrew’s Society that traces its roots back to 1845.

I had not previously been aware of the important role played by Scottish immigrants in the building of Chicago—as well as its rebuilding after the Great Fire of 1871. At that time, my native Glasgow was approaching its apogee as the Second City if the British Empire. In the wake of the Chicago conflagration, the mayor of Glasgow wrote to his counterpart in Illinois to offer assistance with reconstruction.

The principal function of the St. Andrew’s Society was to ensure that no member of the Scottish community ended their lives in abject poverty. Throughout its history, the society has therefore maintained a well-funded old folks’ home. The tradition is in good hands. Gus Noble and Charlie Gonzalez welcomed me to the Windy City with properly Caledonian warmth and I had the added pleasure of being interviewed by my old friend, the distinctly Irish Niamh King, once the driving force at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

It must be admitted that both Chicago and Glasgow have seen better days. Yet the Scottish bourgeoisie in both cities do their best to maintain the spirit of the old voluntary associations that were once the bedrock of civic life.