Time for a THREAD of brave YOUNG sheroes from Scottish history. 1st, Lady Grisell Baillie who smuggled messages to her father's friend, religious free thinker, Robert Baillie, when he was in prison. She was 11 & already a freedom fighter. How amazing. Go Grisell. /2

Are you with me for this? Next, 19 year old Catherine Watson, who tried to save 2 kids who had been swept out by the tide and were drowning at North Berwick in 1889. She died - this cross on the beach memorialises her. So. Brave. /2

Let's hear it for Janet Cumming & Agnes Moffat, child miners, who gave evidence to the gvmt commission looking into conditions. At 10 Janet hauled coal up ladders the height of St Paul's cathedral. Agnes filled coal baskets to a weight of 22cwt. In 1842 this was banned. Phew. /3

'Pet Marjory' was a child writer who died of meningitis. She befriended Sir Walter Scott & wrote 3 journals, letters poems & her thoughts on Scottish history. These were published in 1858 after her death. We know a lot about Georgian, Scottish middle-class childhood cos of her./4

I know Mary Somerville went on to do amazing things (basically invent modern maths - the term 'scientist' was coined for her) but I love her because she refused to take sugar in her tea as a child to protest slavery. Legend. /5

Suffragette's secret weapon - Bessie Watson piped for the women incarcerated (& being force fed) in Calton Jail in Edinburgh. Also for suffragettes who left by train to go to Holloway Prison. The FM unveiled this plaque on the close where Bessie was born last year. Indomitable /6

Let's hear it too for black kids like Frances McLeod, slaves who were freed after the 1833 Act of parliament who came to Scotland. Her master was probably also her father. Schools records show several kids who were in this situation. Can you even imagine? /7

The tumbling lassie was a nameless girl who went to Court in Edinburgh in 1687. She had been sold by her mother as an acrobat to a travelling show. She ran away. The court ruled 'but we have no slaves in Scotland, and mothers cannot sell their bairns.' Quite. Right. Law maker. /8

You know I could go on all day, right? Next: child talent. Helen Adam, Glaswegian prodigy 1st published fairytale poetry at 4 years old. She befriended the Beat Poets & ended up in the US where she won the 1981 American Book Award. WHAT? Why have we not heard of these women? /9

Thank you for following my thread of Scottish kids we can be proud of... I haven't done one of these for a while. It's great to be back, shouting about our bestie foremothers! Such. Quines. Yep, I wrote a book. Walk this way ... https://shop.historicenvironment.scot/where-are-the-women /9

BONUS cos I cannot resist. This talented pianist, Robina Laidlaw, toured Europe as a child and performed at Paganini's farewell concert in London in 1832. Later, Schubert dedicated his Fantasistücke Opus 19 to her. Gorgeous one to end on... Go Robina!