David Rorie, DSO, MDCM, DPH (1867 – 18 February 1946) was a doctor,

folklorist Folklore studies, less often known as folkloristics, and occasionally tradition studies or folk life studies in the United Kingdom, is the branch of anthropology devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currenc ...

and poet writing in his native language, Scots. As a poet he is known chiefly for his authorship of the well-known song, ' The Lum Hat wantin' the Croon', (sung in Ladysmith during the

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

, and widely amongst Scots troops in the

Great War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

) and a volume of collected poems which appeared under that title in 1935. Educated at

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Universities, where he gained an MD in 1908, he was for some years joint Editor of the ''Caledonian Medical Journal'', contributing numerous articles to that journal as well as to the ''Edinburgh Medical Journal'' and the ''British Medical Journal'', and becoming a well-known authority on matters of

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

in Scotland. As an enthusiastic collector and editor of Scottish

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

he is known for his interest in folk-medicine and his authorship of ''Folklore of the Mining Folk of Fife'' (Folklore Society, 1912) - this last stemming no doubt from his period as a busy doctor in Bowhill (Cardenden),

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

Dr Rorie served in the

RAMC The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

during the 1914-18 War, attained the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

, and was awarded the DSO and

Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

.L. F. Newman, 'David Rorie, MD, CM, DPH' in ''Folklore'' Vol. 57, Issue 2, 1946 p. 96

References

External links

* * 1867 births 1946 deaths Scottish poets Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Alumni of the University of Edinburgh {{Scotland-writer-stub