Sma' Shot Day in Paisley

**Downunder Kilt** · 3rd July 10, 03:34 PM

Alex, thanks again for a great pictorial. It seems every week I can log onto the XMTS site and there you are providing 1 or two travelogues. Thankyou for all your efforts, they are very much appreciated.

**MacBean** · 3rd July 10, 03:57 PM

Paisley patterns always seemed Indian to me, and so they were. Their connection with the town of Paisley in Scotland and the history of the weaving can be found in this interesting article for those like me who aren't sure what this was all about.

http://singingweaver.blogspot.com/20...2-paisely.html

thanks for the fun Alex!

**MacBean** · 13th July 10, 11:55 PM

OK, Alex's interesting travels aren't today's news, but they stick in one's head. Last night I finished George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman for Freedom, and in the last postscript there is a mention of Lord Paisley. I connected with this story here. In the book, Flashman is billeted with a wealthy Scottish scrooge who runs a mill but is afraid of the workers. Flashman helps him, marries his daughter, but is later forced into shipping with a slave ship. The scrooge father-in-law becomes Lord Paisley, an allusion that might have been lost on me were it not for the wonderful pictures here.

I can't say whether I recommend the Flashman series or not, they are distinctly odd. I mean, how can you make a mean-spirited coward and cheat your hero, and have your reader's love him? Fraser's writing style tended to be terse to a fault in his first book, but loosens up a bit in later books. His historical and foreign backdrops and story lines are well noted for being realistic even if his character is absurd. Someday I'll start a thread on Scottish fiction, as I have been meambling my way through whatever I find.

Anyway, thanks Alex. Keep them coming!

**Jimmy** · 14th July 10, 01:31 AM

Not being a 'buddy', I thank you for the photos and and the explanation of why it is called 'Sma Shot Day'

**GMan** · 14th July 10, 10:59 AM

Looks like fun.

**Tony** · 14th July 10, 11:41 AM

Great pics.

I was born in Paisley too.

But these pictures are the most I've ever seen of the town

**Bob C** · 19th July 10, 11:22 AM

Thanks, Alex. Great pics. You can learn a lot around here!

**Darkislander** · 19th July 10, 02:26 PM

Jolly good. How do you get to know when these things are on?

**cessna152towser** · 20th July 10, 11:07 AM

How do you get to know when these things are on?

A photographer friend contacted me and arranged to meet up at this event.
www.karenbrodiephotography.co.uk

**Mike_Oettle** · 20th July 10, 02:23 PM

Hi, Alex – thanks so much for posting these pictures. I knew about Paisley and even about Lord Paisley (having read Flashman!), but I had not heard of Sma’ Shot, let alone the day that celebrates it.
A fascinating glimpse into the past.
Regards,
Mike