Writer Elizabeth Sutherland to receive Saltire Society honour
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THE distinguished writer Elizabeth Sutherland is to be honoured by the Saltire Society for her contribution to the cultural life of the Highlands.
The society's Highland branch will present its award to Elizabeth at its St Andrew’s Lunch in the Craigmonie Hotel, Inverness, on Saturday, November 30.
The eldest daughter of an Episcopalian priest, Elizabeth Sutherland was born in Fife. She began to write at the age of four and continued developing her literary skills through university, marriage to an Episcopalian priest, and several moves around the country from parish to parish.
She spent 10 years as a scriptwriter for the Judy comic and became a regular contributor to the Scots Magazine.
She published her first book, The Black Isle: A Portrait of the Past, in 1973.
Elizabeth’s second novel, The Seer of Kintail, was her first work about the Brahan Seer, a theme she continued in several later publications, including the exploration of second sight in Ravens and Black Rain.
When her husband retired, the family moved to the Black Isle. Elizabeth was asked to become the first curator of Groam House, a museum devoted to Pictish art, and thus began a long and fruitful interest in the Picts.
She also brought out several more books, including Lydia, her biography of Hugh Miller’s wife, in 2002. She has more than 30 publications to her name, as well as drama scripts, booklets and local guides.
Previous winners of the award are Mary Ann Kennedy (1999), Bridget Mackenzie (2000), Eric Allan (2002), Katherine Stewart (2005), Professor Norman N Gillies OBE (2007), Blair Douglas (2009), Roddy MacLean (2013), Margaret Bennett (2017) and Ross Noble (2018).
