Midlothian archives

Andrew Dodds

Name of subject

Andrew Dodds, Midlothian poet (1872–1959).

Biographical history

Andrew Dodds (1872-959) was a popular poet of the Lothians. The son of a miner, his poems, which are written in Scots and English, capture the beauty of the local landscape and the changing fortunes of its people. He published five collections of poetry and his work appeared in newspapers and magazines. Dodds worked as draper and lived much of his life in the village of Pathhead in Midlothian. He was a great humanitarian and served in the YMCA in France during the First World War. He was an active socialist and trade union organiser, in particular with the Farm Servants’ Union. Dodds married Annie Dempster in September 1903. He died in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on 19 March 1959 and was buried in Crichton Churchyard.

Scope and content

22 items: 1 original letter by Andrew Dodds, 4 June 1954; postcard of Andrew Dodds and his wife Annie Dempster, Apr. 1929; undated photograph of Newtongrange; 3 books by Andrew Dodds, including a presentation copy and a copy with annotations by Andrew Dodds; Dalkeith Advertiser, 8 Dec. 1921; The Scottish Farm Servant, June 1922; 1 printed poem by Andrew Dodds; Poems by Sarah Ormiston (Mrs Dickson) [n.d.]; and 12 newspaper cuttings of poems, biographies and obituaries.

Archival history

This collection was gathered by a relative of Andrew Dodds. It was donated to Midlothian Local and Family History Library in November 2006 by Ian J. Samuel, 5 Grove End, Lasswade, who was a great-nephew of Andrew Dodds.

System of arrangement

Section	Description
/1	Original letter.
/2-3	Images.
/4-9	Books and printed materials.
/10-21	Newspaper cuttings.

Access

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Conditions governing use

None.

Related materials

Kenneth R. Bogle Andrew Dodds: the Midlothian Poet (Loanhead, 2009).