A Traveller in Two Worlds

Duncan Williamson came from a large Scottish Traveller family. Born in a tent by Loch Fyne in 1928, with his Grandmother as the midwife, Williamson grew up surrounded by storytellers, ballad singers and musicians. He attended Furnace Public School, although the Travellers were often subject to prejudice in the local area. He left home at 13 working at everything from farm work to coaching boxing. He eloped and married his cousin Jeannie Townsley with whom he had seven children. Following her death he met and later married Linda Headlee who instigated the publication of his stories and encouraged him to take his reputed repertoire of three thousand tales from the tent to the world. David Campbell's desire to broadcast one of Duncan's stories on BBC Radio Scotland brought about their eventful meeting. Williamson died in 2007 aged 79. This first volume of A Traveller in Two Worlds follows Duncan Williamson's life until 1971. His story will be continued in Volume Two.

David Campbell David Campbell was born in Edinburgh and spent his childhood in the story, and song, rich North-East of Scotland where he gained a lifelong passion for the poetry and power of the word. He graduated with honours in English from the University of Edinburgh. He worked in BBC Scotland for many years devising, scripting and directing a wide variety of radio programmes. He has also reviewed books and drama extensively in the Scottish press and published poems and short stories in Scottish literary magazines such as Chapman, Words and Textualities. He co-wrote a children's book The Three Donalds (Scottish Children's Press), wrote two collections of stories (St. Andrews Press) and is at present working on a literary ceilidh of the great traveller Duncan Williamson. As a popular ambassador of Scottish lore and literature, he has toured extensively with his repertoire of talks and stories. He currently lives in Edinburgh.