Bill Scott's Blog - Posts Tagged "philanthropy"
Who is Andrew Ewing?
One of the main problems in writing a book called 'The Buttercup: The remarkable story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company' is that few, except some elderly Scottish pensioners have ever heard of either. But that is a sales issue and takes nothing away from what really is a remarkable story.
Born in the far south west of Scotland in 1869 – the son of a tenant farmer – Andrew Ewing went on to found a once famous Scottish grocery empire before quietly giving away his fortune in his final ambition to die a poor man. He was not interested in high profile projects that would establish his name in history and instead gave generously to the poor. All eggs laid at his farm on a Sunday were given to charity – over 100,000 a week - and during the Depression years he personally handed out food to those in need.
I wrote The Buttercup because I was one of the few who knew the story and believed that it needed to be told. However, even I didn't know the whole story and was amazed at some of the remarkable tales and information gleaned from interviews with former Buttercup staff and members of the Ewing family.
The Buttercup is catagorised as social history – and it is. However, I also wrote the book as a story, with the intention of bringing out the humanity of those involved and the wonderful atmosphere that pervaded within the company itself.
Born in the far south west of Scotland in 1869 – the son of a tenant farmer – Andrew Ewing went on to found a once famous Scottish grocery empire before quietly giving away his fortune in his final ambition to die a poor man. He was not interested in high profile projects that would establish his name in history and instead gave generously to the poor. All eggs laid at his farm on a Sunday were given to charity – over 100,000 a week - and during the Depression years he personally handed out food to those in need.
I wrote The Buttercup because I was one of the few who knew the story and believed that it needed to be told. However, even I didn't know the whole story and was amazed at some of the remarkable tales and information gleaned from interviews with former Buttercup staff and members of the Ewing family.
The Buttercup is catagorised as social history – and it is. However, I also wrote the book as a story, with the intention of bringing out the humanity of those involved and the wonderful atmosphere that pervaded within the company itself.
A Moving Story
Although 'The Buttercup' might be classified as social history, it is far more than that and tells the moving story of one man's enterprise and charity, as well as looking inside the lives of those who worked for him. The story greatly benefits from the many personal interviews with former Buttercup staff and members of the Ewing family – many well into their eighties and nineties – with anecdotes dating back to the 1920's.
The book rarely sells on name recognition – for the Buttercup and Andrew Ewing are not well known names. However, those who have read it invariably give it excellent reviews and many tell me that they "couldn't put it down"! That is hardly surprising, since the story is sometimes beyond belief and it must be very rare for a rich man to give all his wealth away in his final ambition to die a poor man.
One reader liked the book so much that she ordered a dozen more for her friends! Author Paul Stenning called it "a tremendous piece of storytelling". Another reader stated that she read it twice, and yet another declared it : "A cracking book, and story", adding; "entreprereneur who absolutely insists he wants to die poor? Gold dust".
It is not for me to rate my own book. That is a judgement for others, but based on the feedback I have received from, it appears to be well worth a read.
The book rarely sells on name recognition – for the Buttercup and Andrew Ewing are not well known names. However, those who have read it invariably give it excellent reviews and many tell me that they "couldn't put it down"! That is hardly surprising, since the story is sometimes beyond belief and it must be very rare for a rich man to give all his wealth away in his final ambition to die a poor man.
One reader liked the book so much that she ordered a dozen more for her friends! Author Paul Stenning called it "a tremendous piece of storytelling". Another reader stated that she read it twice, and yet another declared it : "A cracking book, and story", adding; "entreprereneur who absolutely insists he wants to die poor? Gold dust".
It is not for me to rate my own book. That is a judgement for others, but based on the feedback I have received from, it appears to be well worth a read.
Buttercup Article
I wrote this article for the Edinburgh Reporter in August 2013. For those who are undecided about buying the book, this is an excellent taster!
http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk...
http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk...
Some Terrific Reviews
Following the publication of the Buttercup, many readers were kind enough to express their views about the book, either by letter or email to me or posts on the Internet. One lady liked it so much that she ordered a dozen more for her friends, adding - "just like the eggs"!
These are some more reader comments:
"A cracking book, and story...entrepreneur who absolutely insists he wants to die poor? Gold dust."
"A tremendous piece of storytelling"
"I love this book, I've read it twice. This is social history with a difference, written in a more personal way, allowing you more than a glimpse into the life of an extraordinary man, Andrew Ewing ... The book includes many lovely stories from the memories of customers and employees.
"A truly wonderful story of a man whose generosity to people less fortunate than himself was incredible"
"Beautifully written with superb pictures. A wonderful insight into a man whose generosity of spirit helped so many less fortunate people."
"I loved this book... I found in places I could not put it down and that I was on a journey into the past with a very remarkable man"
" By the time I had finished reading your book I felt the same warmth for the very human Andrew Ewing that all that knew him seemed to feel."
"For a man to have done so much is inspiring".
"'Your book is a work of art - beautiful paper, font, layout and reproductions."
" It's excellent. I'm really enjoying the stories and the photographs.. A great tribute to an amazing man".
"The quality and attractiveness of the book is quite stunning"
" It's a fantastic story"
These are some more reader comments:
"A cracking book, and story...entrepreneur who absolutely insists he wants to die poor? Gold dust."
"A tremendous piece of storytelling"
"I love this book, I've read it twice. This is social history with a difference, written in a more personal way, allowing you more than a glimpse into the life of an extraordinary man, Andrew Ewing ... The book includes many lovely stories from the memories of customers and employees.
"A truly wonderful story of a man whose generosity to people less fortunate than himself was incredible"
"Beautifully written with superb pictures. A wonderful insight into a man whose generosity of spirit helped so many less fortunate people."
"I loved this book... I found in places I could not put it down and that I was on a journey into the past with a very remarkable man"
" By the time I had finished reading your book I felt the same warmth for the very human Andrew Ewing that all that knew him seemed to feel."
"For a man to have done so much is inspiring".
"'Your book is a work of art - beautiful paper, font, layout and reproductions."
" It's excellent. I'm really enjoying the stories and the photographs.. A great tribute to an amazing man".
"The quality and attractiveness of the book is quite stunning"
" It's a fantastic story"
Never knew I was writing Creative Non-Fiction
I have never been a fan of dry historic facts so, when I wrote 'The Buttercup', I was determined to write it as a story that brought out the spirit of the company and its employees, as well as the compassion and generosity of Andrew Ewing – the man I so fondly remembered from my childhood. The book is, of course, factually accurate, but I also wrote it 'from the heart' and in a style similar to that used by a writer of fiction.
I knew I was writing something a little different but I had no idea that it had a name, until I recently came across the term 'creative non –fiction' - where the goal is to make nonfiction stories read like fiction, "so that your readers are as enthralled by fact as they are by fantasy". That was certainly my aim but it is up to readers to decide whether I succeeded.
I knew I was writing something a little different but I had no idea that it had a name, until I recently came across the term 'creative non –fiction' - where the goal is to make nonfiction stories read like fiction, "so that your readers are as enthralled by fact as they are by fantasy". That was certainly my aim but it is up to readers to decide whether I succeeded.
A bit of a challenge? You bet!
What do you do if you want to write a true story that is fifty to a hundred years old, with few written references or published photographs? That was the problem that faced me when I decided to write the story of The Buttercup and it's remarkable founder, Andrew Ewing, who gave away a fortune in his wish to die a poor man.
I knew the basic story, since I was born and brought up on Andrew Ewing's farm and my grandparents had told me the tale - but there was barely enough for an article, never mind a book, and all I had to illustrate it, were a few family photographs. The only answer was to track down down and interview those who worked for the company and the nieces and nephews of Andrew Ewing - for he had no children. But how, and also, many would be well into old age, since Andrew Ewing died in 1956?
I must have been mad to take on the challenge but I then commenced a three year period of research, which involved appealing for information in every local newspaper in Scotland and going through the birth death and marriage records of the Ewing family.I was lucky, since enough former employees responded to my appeal - some well into their nineties - and amazingly I eventually found most of Andrew Ewing's nieces and nephews. However,for a long time, key pieces of the story were missing and it took me ages to find Andrew Ewing's family photos.
To make my task even harder, I had decided to write the book as a story - which is a bit of a problem when there are key pieces missing and you can't just make it up!
Eventually and amazingly it all came together, but then came the next problem - I had to publish quickly since so many of the people who had contributed were very old and I wanted them to see it. But that's another story and subject for a later blog!The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
I knew the basic story, since I was born and brought up on Andrew Ewing's farm and my grandparents had told me the tale - but there was barely enough for an article, never mind a book, and all I had to illustrate it, were a few family photographs. The only answer was to track down down and interview those who worked for the company and the nieces and nephews of Andrew Ewing - for he had no children. But how, and also, many would be well into old age, since Andrew Ewing died in 1956?
I must have been mad to take on the challenge but I then commenced a three year period of research, which involved appealing for information in every local newspaper in Scotland and going through the birth death and marriage records of the Ewing family.I was lucky, since enough former employees responded to my appeal - some well into their nineties - and amazingly I eventually found most of Andrew Ewing's nieces and nephews. However,for a long time, key pieces of the story were missing and it took me ages to find Andrew Ewing's family photos.
To make my task even harder, I had decided to write the book as a story - which is a bit of a problem when there are key pieces missing and you can't just make it up!
Eventually and amazingly it all came together, but then came the next problem - I had to publish quickly since so many of the people who had contributed were very old and I wanted them to see it. But that's another story and subject for a later blog!The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
5 million eggs given away every year
Five million eggs given away every year by Andrew Ewing's Buttercup Dairy during the 1930s - and that is only the headline in the life of a man who gave everything away in his desire to die penniless!
You would think that such a man would be well known - but Andrew Ewing didn't want any credit and avoided all publicity. I only know the story because I was born and brought up on his farm in the 1950s and have been able to track down many former employees and members of the Ewing family.
The result is my book - The Buttercup: The remarkable story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company, which tells the tale from his lowly birth in south west Scotland through the building of a business empire and finally the giving of it all away.
The 17th century English churchman once wrote "The great and the good are seldom the same man". He obviously didn't know Andrew Ewing.The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
You would think that such a man would be well known - but Andrew Ewing didn't want any credit and avoided all publicity. I only know the story because I was born and brought up on his farm in the 1950s and have been able to track down many former employees and members of the Ewing family.
The result is my book - The Buttercup: The remarkable story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company, which tells the tale from his lowly birth in south west Scotland through the building of a business empire and finally the giving of it all away.
The 17th century English churchman once wrote "The great and the good are seldom the same man". He obviously didn't know Andrew Ewing.The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
Euphemia and me
One of the joys of writing 'The Buttercup' was meeting some wonderful old ladies who worked for the company as far back as the 1920s. The oldest was Euphemia Murray, who was 96 when I interviewed her in 2009.Unfortunately,I broke my ankle a couple of weeks before our meeting, so I arrived at her home on crutches sporting a big blue plaster cast. Euphemia, by contrast, was the picture of health!
Although I had never met Euphemia before, it felt like going home and there was an immediate affinity between us. The forty years age difference made no difference - we had both grown up at the Buttercup and understood the 'magic' that was hard to share with others.
Euphemia enthusiastically related many tales of her time as a Buttercup message girl, where she started work in 1926, as a fourteen year old. Although it was hard work, she was happy there - she also instantly recognised the picture of Andrew Ewing I had brought with me.
Two years after I met Euphemia I paid a surprise visit to her nursing home, with her family, to give her a signed copy of my newly published book. The staff gathered round to watch the presentation and treated her like a celebrity. She was so pleased to receive the book that it brought tears to my eyes.
Up to that point I had mainly been thinking of book sales, but that experience made me realise that there was more to life than commercial success - something that was well understood by Andrew Ewing! The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
Although I had never met Euphemia before, it felt like going home and there was an immediate affinity between us. The forty years age difference made no difference - we had both grown up at the Buttercup and understood the 'magic' that was hard to share with others.
Euphemia enthusiastically related many tales of her time as a Buttercup message girl, where she started work in 1926, as a fourteen year old. Although it was hard work, she was happy there - she also instantly recognised the picture of Andrew Ewing I had brought with me.
Two years after I met Euphemia I paid a surprise visit to her nursing home, with her family, to give her a signed copy of my newly published book. The staff gathered round to watch the presentation and treated her like a celebrity. She was so pleased to receive the book that it brought tears to my eyes.
Up to that point I had mainly been thinking of book sales, but that experience made me realise that there was more to life than commercial success - something that was well understood by Andrew Ewing! The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company
Publishing - A nightmare for new authors
A significant part of researching the story of the Buttercup involved the tracking down and interviewing of former employees of the company and relatives of Andrew Ewing, most of whom were well into their 80s and 90s, with the oldest being ninety-six. They were all wonderful people and I felt an obligation to finish the book and publish it as quickly as possible, so that they would still be alive to see it.
I carried out most of the interviews in 2009 and by the middle of 2010 had a working draft, which I thought was good enough to send off to potential publishers. Little did I know, at this stage, how difficult this would be and the length of time it can take to have a book accepted and published. I was also pretty peeved at the standard response which was along the line that if you haven't heard from us in six months you can assume that we don't want it! I rang a few firms to explain that I didn't have time for this but it mostly got nowhere, although one manager did give me a positive answer, saying that nobody had heard of Andrew Ewing. He didn't seem to understand that this was the whole point of the book – rescuing a great man from obscurity! It was also a great story.
I put up with this for a few months and then thought "to hell with it, I haven't got time for this". So I decided to form my own publishing company and Leghorn Books Ltd was born – the name being my grandmother's maiden name and also the breed of hen used at the Buttercup Poultry Farm!
Thereafter it was full speed ahead with editing and then design – both a lot more involved than I had thought, with the pursuit of perfection being particularly time consuming. However, I was glad to be in control of the process since this was my 'baby' and I wanted it to be right – a fact confirmed by both my editor and designer who both thought I was a pain in the ass!"
The book was finally ready for printing in mid 2011, which posed yet another dilemma. The cheapest option was for black and white with pictures inserted in sections, but I wanted it to have colour pictures running through the text, which was much more expensive and required a higher quality paper. Initially, the sums just didn't add up but after a bit of shopping around and negotiation I finally got a price that worked and 'The Buttercup' was published in July 2011.
Getting it reviewed was a bit of a problem, with one sniffy individual saying that he didn't review self published books! I was pleased to respond that I didn't really care since the Scotsman newspaper (The national newspaper of Scotland) was going to run a two page feature article in full colour!
As for the old ladies and gentlemen - they all survived to read the book and I had great pleasure in hand delivering their copies.The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company http://www.buttercupdairycompany.co.uk/
I carried out most of the interviews in 2009 and by the middle of 2010 had a working draft, which I thought was good enough to send off to potential publishers. Little did I know, at this stage, how difficult this would be and the length of time it can take to have a book accepted and published. I was also pretty peeved at the standard response which was along the line that if you haven't heard from us in six months you can assume that we don't want it! I rang a few firms to explain that I didn't have time for this but it mostly got nowhere, although one manager did give me a positive answer, saying that nobody had heard of Andrew Ewing. He didn't seem to understand that this was the whole point of the book – rescuing a great man from obscurity! It was also a great story.
I put up with this for a few months and then thought "to hell with it, I haven't got time for this". So I decided to form my own publishing company and Leghorn Books Ltd was born – the name being my grandmother's maiden name and also the breed of hen used at the Buttercup Poultry Farm!
Thereafter it was full speed ahead with editing and then design – both a lot more involved than I had thought, with the pursuit of perfection being particularly time consuming. However, I was glad to be in control of the process since this was my 'baby' and I wanted it to be right – a fact confirmed by both my editor and designer who both thought I was a pain in the ass!"
The book was finally ready for printing in mid 2011, which posed yet another dilemma. The cheapest option was for black and white with pictures inserted in sections, but I wanted it to have colour pictures running through the text, which was much more expensive and required a higher quality paper. Initially, the sums just didn't add up but after a bit of shopping around and negotiation I finally got a price that worked and 'The Buttercup' was published in July 2011.
Getting it reviewed was a bit of a problem, with one sniffy individual saying that he didn't review self published books! I was pleased to respond that I didn't really care since the Scotsman newspaper (The national newspaper of Scotland) was going to run a two page feature article in full colour!
As for the old ladies and gentlemen - they all survived to read the book and I had great pleasure in hand delivering their copies.The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company http://www.buttercupdairycompany.co.uk/
Can a good story change history?
Everybody likes a good story but how many story books change history?
When I wrote The Buttercup, I had two thoughts in mind. The first was to tell the story of the remarkable man I knew as a child - the second was to restore Andrew Ewing to his rightful place in history.
I had long thought that Andrew Ewing should be up there with fellow Scots, like Carnegie and Livingstone – since, for me, you don’t get much better than building a business empire then secretly giving it all away to a point where there was nothing left. It was the secrecy which got me, since he really didn't want any credit - and that must be very rare.
His success and generosity weren't entirely unknown, and the oldest generation of Scots were very familiar with the Buttercup Dairy shops. Many also knew the name Andrew Ewing. The story of giving away all of the eggs laid on a Sunday was also relatively well known at one time, although those who knew the story – and I have spoken to a few - never knew that it was over 100,000 a week!
There is no doubt that since I wrote and publicised The Buttercup, the story has spread, and Edinburgh Council recently announced plans to build a new city park - to be known as the Buttercup Farm Park. How much of that decision was due to my book – published the year before – is not clear, but it must have had an impact.
Some local history societies are now featuring the Buttercup and Andrew Ewing on their websites and the story is beginning to be associated with Buttercup antiques. It is not yet mainstream, but that will take time and at least the seed has been sown. The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company http://www.buttercupdairycompany.co.uk/
When I wrote The Buttercup, I had two thoughts in mind. The first was to tell the story of the remarkable man I knew as a child - the second was to restore Andrew Ewing to his rightful place in history.
I had long thought that Andrew Ewing should be up there with fellow Scots, like Carnegie and Livingstone – since, for me, you don’t get much better than building a business empire then secretly giving it all away to a point where there was nothing left. It was the secrecy which got me, since he really didn't want any credit - and that must be very rare.
His success and generosity weren't entirely unknown, and the oldest generation of Scots were very familiar with the Buttercup Dairy shops. Many also knew the name Andrew Ewing. The story of giving away all of the eggs laid on a Sunday was also relatively well known at one time, although those who knew the story – and I have spoken to a few - never knew that it was over 100,000 a week!
There is no doubt that since I wrote and publicised The Buttercup, the story has spread, and Edinburgh Council recently announced plans to build a new city park - to be known as the Buttercup Farm Park. How much of that decision was due to my book – published the year before – is not clear, but it must have had an impact.
Some local history societies are now featuring the Buttercup and Andrew Ewing on their websites and the story is beginning to be associated with Buttercup antiques. It is not yet mainstream, but that will take time and at least the seed has been sown. The Buttercup: The Remarkable Story of Andrew Ewing and the Buttercup Dairy Company http://www.buttercupdairycompany.co.uk/
