Douglas Young (classicist)
Encyclopedia
Professor Douglas Young; June 5, 1913 – October 23, 1973) was a Scottish
poet
, scholar, and translator
. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party
(SNP) from 1942 to 1945.
Young was born in Tayport
, Fife
. His father was employed in India
by a Dundee
jute
firm, but insisted that his pregnant wife return home to give birth to their son in Scotland
. However, shortly after his birth in Fife, the infant Douglas Young was taken to India with his mother, where he spent the early part of his childhood, before the family returned to Scotland.
From the age of eight Young attended Merchiston Castle School
in Edinburgh
, where he developed a deep interest in history and the classics
. He later studied at the University of St Andrews
and New College, Oxford
, before being appointed as Lecturer in Greek at the University of Aberdeen
in 1938. He later taught at the universities of Dundee
and St Andrews
. Douglas Young possessed a range of talents over a wide array of subjects and was recognized as a Polymath *http://etudesecossaises.revues.org/index161.html
In 1938 Douglas Young joined the Scottish National Party (SNP) and served as leader 1942 to 1945. Christian Kopff wrote an article called "A Free-Minded Scot" which is a biography of Douglas Young focussing on his efforts to test whether the Act of Union could force Scots to serve in the British Military outside the British Isles
. Young's activities were popularly vilified as undermining the British war effort against the Nazis. Kopff portrays Young as a hero for his attempts (Kopff, 1995).
Young was first imprisoned for refusing to be conscripted
during the Second World War. Of his first prison term, served in Saughton
, Douglas Young wrote:
Dr. Robert McIntyre, secretary of the SNP, organised a procession complete with bagpipes to serenade Young on Sundays at the prison-gates.
Shortly after his release from prison, Young stood as the SNP candidate in the Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election in February 1944. His election agent was Arthur Donaldson
and the campaign owed much to the input of Dr. Robert McIntyre
. In a three-way contest, Douglas Young polled 6,621 votes 42% of the poll, securing a strong second place to the successful Coalition Labour candidate Thomas Hubbard
. Dr. McIntyre was to be more successful in the next Scottish by-election contested by the National Party when he became the first ever SNP Westminster MP in the April 1945 by-election in Motherwell and Wishaw.
Later in life, Young moved to the United States
, becoming Professor of Greek at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He died there in 1973.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, scholar, and translator
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) from 1942 to 1945.
Young was born in Tayport
Tayport
Tayport is located in Fife, Scotland.Te oportet alte ferri - "It is encumbent on you to carry yourself high." This actually a rather terrible pun on:"Tayport at auld Tay Ferry"....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. His father was employed in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by a Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
firm, but insisted that his pregnant wife return home to give birth to their son in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. However, shortly after his birth in Fife, the infant Douglas Young was taken to India with his mother, where he spent the early part of his childhood, before the family returned to Scotland.
From the age of eight Young attended Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, where he developed a deep interest in history and the classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
. He later studied at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
and New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, before being appointed as Lecturer in Greek at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
in 1938. He later taught at the universities of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
and St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
. Douglas Young possessed a range of talents over a wide array of subjects and was recognized as a Polymath *http://etudesecossaises.revues.org/index161.html
In 1938 Douglas Young joined the Scottish National Party (SNP) and served as leader 1942 to 1945. Christian Kopff wrote an article called "A Free-Minded Scot" which is a biography of Douglas Young focussing on his efforts to test whether the Act of Union could force Scots to serve in the British Military outside the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. Young's activities were popularly vilified as undermining the British war effort against the Nazis. Kopff portrays Young as a hero for his attempts (Kopff, 1995).
Young was first imprisoned for refusing to be conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
during the Second World War. Of his first prison term, served in Saughton
Saughton
Saughton is a suburb of the west of Edinburgh, Scotland, bordering on Sighthill, Longstone, and Stenhouse. In Scots, a "sauch" is a willow...
, Douglas Young wrote:
"On weekdays I used to work about the grounds in what was called 'the garden party' and on Sundays I played a wheezy old harmonium for the Presbyterian services in the chapel".
Dr. Robert McIntyre, secretary of the SNP, organised a procession complete with bagpipes to serenade Young on Sundays at the prison-gates.
Shortly after his release from prison, Young stood as the SNP candidate in the Kirkcaldy Burghs by-election in February 1944. His election agent was Arthur Donaldson
Arthur Donaldson
Arthur Donaldson was a Scottish politician, and leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969.-Early years:...
and the campaign owed much to the input of Dr. Robert McIntyre
Robert McIntyre
Dr Robert Douglas McIntyre was the Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1947–1956 and a doctor by profession...
. In a three-way contest, Douglas Young polled 6,621 votes 42% of the poll, securing a strong second place to the successful Coalition Labour candidate Thomas Hubbard
Thomas Hubbard
Thomas Frederick Hubbard was a British coal miner and politician. He represented Kirkcaldy Burghs in Parliament for fifteen years, being a somewhat low-profile Member but often speaking in support of better conditions for pensioners.-Origins:A native of Kirkcaldy, Hubbard attended only the local...
. Dr. McIntyre was to be more successful in the next Scottish by-election contested by the National Party when he became the first ever SNP Westminster MP in the April 1945 by-election in Motherwell and Wishaw.
Later in life, Young moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, becoming Professor of Greek at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He died there in 1973.
Sources
- http://www.theflaginthewind.com/features/scots/douglas_young.htm "A Ballad for Douglas Young"
- http://etudesecossaises.revues.org/index161.html "Towards a Reassessment of Douglas Young"