Laurence I. Graham
Encyclopedia
Laurence I. Graham better known as Lollie Graham, is a well known Shetland poet and author, born in Stromfirth in 1924. The family moved to one of the new croft holdings at Veensgarth
, Tingwall
and he has lived there ever since. He has been a part time crofter most of his life, and active in local politics.
After World War II
, Lollie studied at the University of Edinburgh
and Moray House College, Edinburgh
, during which time he was active in literary circles and co-edited a volume of Scottish student verse. He returned to Shetland to take up a teaching post and taught at the Anderson Educational Institute and the Scalloway
Junior High School. He was also headmaster at Urafirth Primary School and latterly the long-term and much loved headmaster of Gott Primary School. He contributed the biographical sketches to the important textbook The Shetland Book (1967), edited by Andrew T. Cluness.
Lollie provided an introduction and a commentary to Shetland Poetry - a recital in 1950, arranged by himself, his brother John J. Graham
, and T. A. Robertson (Vagaland
), with assistance from A. T. Cluness in selecting the poems; this volume included a translation into Danish by Martin Melsted of an article by William J. Tait on Shetland language and literature.
He was Joint Editor of The New Shetlander
1956 till 1988 along with his brother, the novelist John J. Graham
. He was editor of Shetland Crofters (1986), co-editor with Brian Smith of MacDiarmid in Shetland, a fine collection of essays on Hugh MacDiarmid
published to coincide with the centenary of the birth of this eminent Whalsay
resident in 1992, Hjaltland (1993), and A Shetland Anthology (1998).
In 2000, the Shetland Library published his selected poems in Love's Laebrack Sang, a volume which demonstrates Graham as both a committed political poet, engaged in making response to the public events of the day via satire, and a Shetland poet with a deep love of his community and its history.
Laurence Graham's oldest daughter is the artist Ruth Graham
.
Veensgarth
Veensgarth , is a village in the Tingwall valley west of Lerwick in Shetland. It includes the Vallafield housing estate....
, Tingwall
Tingwall, Shetland
Tingwall, is a hamlet and parish in Shetland, mostly on Mainland.The hamlet lies about 4 miles north west of Lerwick. It is at the head of a long narrow bay. Tingwall Airport is here.-Parish:...
and he has lived there ever since. He has been a part time crofter most of his life, and active in local politics.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lollie studied at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and Moray House College, 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...
, during which time he was active in literary circles and co-edited a volume of Scottish student verse. He returned to Shetland to take up a teaching post and taught at the Anderson Educational Institute and the Scalloway
Scalloway
Scalloway is the largest settlement on the North Atlantic coast of Mainland, Shetland with a population of approximately 812, at the 2001 census...
Junior High School. He was also headmaster at Urafirth Primary School and latterly the long-term and much loved headmaster of Gott Primary School. He contributed the biographical sketches to the important textbook The Shetland Book (1967), edited by Andrew T. Cluness.
Lollie provided an introduction and a commentary to Shetland Poetry - a recital in 1950, arranged by himself, his brother John J. Graham
John J. Graham
John J. Graham was an American graphic artist who designed and created both the NBC peacock logo and the NBC "snake" logo ....
, and T. A. Robertson (Vagaland
Vagaland
Vagaland , is arguably the greatest Shetland poet of the 20th century, was born Thomas Alexander Robertson at Westerwick at the southern tip of the parish of Sandsting, his mother’s home. He was the second son of Thomas Robertson of Skeld and his wife Andrina Johnston...
), with assistance from A. T. Cluness in selecting the poems; this volume included a translation into Danish by Martin Melsted of an article by William J. Tait on Shetland language and literature.
He was Joint Editor of The New Shetlander
The New Shetlander
The New Shetlander is Scotland's longest running literary magazine, founded in 1947, and edited originally by Peter Jamieson. Priced at £1.90, it has had a central role in Shetland's Literature since it was founded. For the greater part of its existence thus far, 1956 till 1988, the NS benefited...
1956 till 1988 along with his brother, the novelist John J. Graham
John J. Graham
John J. Graham was an American graphic artist who designed and created both the NBC peacock logo and the NBC "snake" logo ....
. He was editor of Shetland Crofters (1986), co-editor with Brian Smith of MacDiarmid in Shetland, a fine collection of essays on Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid is the pen name of Christopher Murray Grieve , a significant Scottish poet of the 20th century. He was instrumental in creating a Scottish version of modernism and was a leading light in the Scottish Renaissance of the 20th century...
published to coincide with the centenary of the birth of this eminent Whalsay
Whalsay
-Geography:Whalsay, also known as "The Bonnie Isle", is a peat-covered island in the Shetland Islands. It is situated east of the Shetland Mainland and has an area of . The main settlement is Symbister, where the fishing fleet is based. The fleet is composed of both pelagic and demersal vessels...
resident in 1992, Hjaltland (1993), and A Shetland Anthology (1998).
In 2000, the Shetland Library published his selected poems in Love's Laebrack Sang, a volume which demonstrates Graham as both a committed political poet, engaged in making response to the public events of the day via satire, and a Shetland poet with a deep love of his community and its history.
Laurence Graham's oldest daughter is the artist Ruth Graham
Ruth Graham
Ruth Bell Graham , wife of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, was born at Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China as Ruth McCue Bell, the second of five children. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. L. Nelson Bell, were medical missionaries at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai...
.