Clan Wallace Stories

We featured the Men in Kilts window cleaners on the blog in the past and this month we discovered Rob from Kilted Lawn! For the first time ever his family had haggis for Thanksgiving instead of turkey, so we asked what they thought of the Americanized haggis?

"They loved it and want it again for Christmas! Although, I did chicken out a bit with the recipe, because I was sure that my kids (8, 12 and 17) would not eat it. We did a mix of lamb and sirloin burger, oats, scotch, green onion, salt/pepper, thyme, parsley and sage. Made mashed potatoes, too. Normally, we eat a traditional meal (turkey, potatoes, stuffing) but occasionally do middle-eastern food (the kids call it Jesus' food) for spiritual holidays, including TG.

What inspired the "Kilted Lawn" name? Tell us a bit about the company, how it began and what you do.

I have been interested in our family culture and history since I watched BRAVEHEART in high school and my uncle John told me about author/Governor Lew Wallace, who was born (Crawfordsville, IN) near my great grandfather's birthplace (Paducah, KY). We almost bought a US-based kilt manufacturer a few years back, and when it fell through I started the lawn care service. Hoping that the business could be a long-term multigenerational venture, I wanted it to have some kind of representation of our family culture and heritage, so I named it Kilted Lawn & Services. 95% of what we do is lawn maintenance and snow removal. We do other clean ups and odd jobs, as well.

Do you really mow the lawns in your kilt?

Haha, no we tried early on mowing in kilts, but when you are string trimming and rocks and debris go flying, it is not fun! My son Stirling and daughters Emerson and Isla help a lot with the business.

You explained why you can't wear your kilt but is there ever an occasion where you do wear your kilt to work? Or other occasions when you show off the Wallace attire?

I have worn the kilt to do estimates and to run errands around town. Have also worn full formal dress to several banquets and industry dinners! I wear it when we attend Comicons, medieval fairs and Highland Games/Festivals. I even wore a kilt for 16 straight days at the world-famous Sturgis Rally one year. And, yes wearing a kilt while string trimming is tough with rocks and debris flying!

What is your favourite variation of the Wallace tartan? Or do you have other tartans you wear?

My favourite is the dress tartan, but the hunting tartan is close.

What is your connection to Clan Wallace and can you trace your roots back to Scotland?

I have done some research and it seems that most of the Wallace's came over in the decades just before the American Revolution and settled in nearly all of the south eastern states. I was born in Mississippi. I am a life member of the Wallace Clan. My DNA shows that I am a combined 86% Scottish/Irish/English/Welsh. I have not been to Scotland, but hope to in the near future.

Do the rest of your family celebrate the clan or attend Highland Games?

I have attended with my brother and sister, but I am not sure how often they go. We go whenever we can, even out of town.

Sophie Wallace

Sophie has been a Production Journalist with STV News for a year now, after graduating from Glasgow Caledonia University in 2019. We first heard about Sophie via her Instagram account, where she posts about the latest news updates, a fantastic way of bringing a traditional media outlet into the world of Social Media. Read on to find out more about Sophie's connection to Clan Wallace and and career within journalism.

When did you first become interested in Journalism?

I’ve wanted to be a journalist for as long as I can remember. When I was out and about as a wee girl, I’d always get a telling off for speaking to passers-by and blethering to anyone who would listen. I was interested in telling stories and as I grew older that became a love for writing and broadcasting. I secured my first job in journalism when I was 14 and I’ve been non-stop ever since!

What has been the highlight of your career in Journalism so far?

It’s been a busy few years for news and so I’ve worked on a range of stories in a very short space of time. I’ve interviewed the First Minister, spoken with senior government leaders, worked through two general elections, IndyRef and the Brexit vote and now a global pandemic. A real highlight was reporting the news of the first COVID vaccine to be approved in Scotland and its subsequent roll-out among our most vulnerable citizens. It’s a piece of history that I’m sure none of us will forget in a hurry.

What is the most rewarding part of your job as a production journalist for STV News?

For me, journalism is about telling stories that would otherwise go unheard. Finding the human element in a story is what gives it life and makes it relatable to those who are watching. If we can educate someone about an issue that they didn’t know about, or make someone smile, or laugh, or cry, all while reflecting back to them the Scotland we live in today, then that feels incredibly rewarding to me.

What has been the most challenging aspect of working as a journalist during the pandemic?

This year the news has been largely dominated by stories of hurt and loss and regularly reporting on that has been challenging at times. But that makes every good news story we tell even more valuable. It’s so important we continue to tell the tales of our community heroes and those going the extra mile on the front-line to help keep us all safe. That in itself gives us all the motivation to keep going.

What does it mean to you to be a member of Clan Wallace?

I’m very proud to be a Wallace and feel very honoured to carry a name with such historic value. When I was younger we traced our family tree right back to the early 1900s, and although I couldn’t say for sure if I’m related to the William Wallace, there are certainly plenty of people in my family which share the same name.

Did you celebrate your Scottish Heritage growing up? And if so, how?

I’m from a very patriotic family and so we try to celebrate our Scottish roots whenever we can. We’ve never been shy of a ceilidh and we can all recite the Address to a Haggis fairly coherently. As I’ve gotten older I’ve become more interested in exploring what it means to be Scottish and getting out and discovering our landscapes and surroundings. One thing I’ll never tire of is the gorgeous Scottish countryside.

What is your favourite variation of the Wallace Tartan?

It’s got to be the Wallace Modern tartan for me- it looks like it’s been plucked right off the front of a biscuit tin!

Leila Wallace

Leila Wallace has lived in Edinburgh for 6 years and is absolutely in love with the city and all it has to offer. She documents all her favourite spots within the city on her Instagram account - @edinburghwanders, where we first saw her gorgeous pictures! Although her favourite area of Edinburgh is Portobello beach that doesn't stop her taking pictures of absolutely everything she sees that catches her eye, just as if she was a tourist. Leila's family is one of the most important things to her, which is why it means so much to be a part of Clan Wallace. However, when we asked Leila what her favourite tartan was, we received quite the controversial response "I could be biased and say the Wallace tartan, however I love the Black Watch tartan. It's one of my favourites for fashion staples especially!" We can't wait to see what amazing pictures Leila posts in the new year.