John M Caie
Encyclopedia
John Morrison Caie was a Scottish civil servant and poet.
Caie was born and raised in Fochabers
. He was the son of the Rev W.S. Caie, minister of Enzie parish church, in Banffshire
. He was educated at Milne's Institute in Fochabers, and graduated from the University of Aberdeen
(MA, BL, BSc). A lawyer and agronomist
, he became a senior civil servant at the Board of Agriculture for Scotland and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
. However he also wrote poetry on subjects drawn from the rural culture of Northeast Scotland such as his 1939 collection, Hills and Sea. He is best known nowadays for his humorous poem, The Puddock, one of several that he wrote in his native Doric dialect
. The poem has become a favourite piece to teach to children in Scottish Primary schools.
Caie was born and raised in Fochabers
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
. He was the son of the Rev W.S. Caie, minister of Enzie parish church, in Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
. He was educated at Milne's Institute in Fochabers, and graduated from 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...
(MA, BL, BSc). A lawyer and agronomist
Agronomist
An agronomist is a scientist who specializes in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. An agronomist is an expert in agricultural and allied sciences, with the exception veterinary sciences.Agronomists deal with interactions between plants, soils, and...
, he became a senior civil servant at the Board of Agriculture for Scotland and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
. However he also wrote poetry on subjects drawn from the rural culture of Northeast Scotland such as his 1939 collection, Hills and Sea. He is best known nowadays for his humorous poem, The Puddock, one of several that he wrote in his native Doric dialect
Doric dialect (Scotland)
Doric, the popular name for Mid Northern Scots or Northeast Scots, refers to the dialects of Scots spoken in the northeast of Scotland.-Nomenclature:...
. The poem has become a favourite piece to teach to children in Scottish Primary schools.