21 Facts About Marjorie Linklater

Marjorie Linklater was a Scottish campaigner for the arts and environment on the island of Orkney.

Marjorie Linklater gave up acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to get involved in conservation, education, and health matters as a county councillor for Ross and Cromarty County Council.

In 1975, Linklater was elected chairman of the Orkney Heritage Society, devoting herself to campaigning for the arts environment, local heritage, and politics.

Marjorie Linklater successfully opposed the mining of uranium and the dumping of nuclear waste off Orkney's west coast and was a founding member of the St Magnus Festival.

The Orkney Heritage Society named a senior school award in Marjorie Linklater's honour following her death.

Marjorie Linklater was born to Scottish international rugby player and future Unionist Party MP Ian MacIntyre and his first wife Ida Van der Gucht on 19 March 1909 at 19 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh.

Marjorie Linklater was one of six children in the family.

Marjorie Linklater was educated sparsely at St George's School, Edinburgh and Downe House School, Berkshire, before enrolling at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Marjorie Linklater played a number of minor roles in the West End theatre scene, but decided she was not suited to be an actress and went back to Edinburgh in 1930.

Back in Edinburgh, Marjorie Linklater successfully campaigned with the actor Michael MacOwan for the establishment of the National Theatre of Scotland, and had a role in the local community, producing winning plays in drama festivals and played the cello in an orchestra.

Marjorie Linklater helped to found a secondary school in the Gaelic-speaking fishing village of Plockton, meaning children did not need to travel long distances for their education.

Marjorie Linklater secured the post of headteacher at the school for the Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean, and was successful in having public lavatories built-in popular tourist locations, earning her the nickname "Ross-shire's lavatory queen".

Marjorie Linklater served as a member of the Scottish Arts Council from 1957 to 1963, the Inverness Hospital Board, the Advisory Council of the Highlands and Islands Development Board, and the Council of European Architectural Heritage Year.

Marjorie Linklater followed up by contesting plans to dump nuclear waste at sea, and later successfully convinced the oil industry to fund a qualified resident archaeologist who supervised Orkney's rich prehistoric heritage full-time.

At age 80, Marjorie Linklater confronted a farmer who took sand from a beach, causing him to drive his digger towards her and verbally abused her.

Marjorie Linklater worked with Laura Grimond to restore the 8th-century St Boniface Kirk, was a founding trustee and chairperson of the Pier Arts Centre and was a founder member of the Orkney Folk Festival.

Marjorie Linklater housed the local candidate for the Natural Law Party during the 1997 United Kingdom general election.

Marjorie Linklater was a Christian, went to church, and was a Scottish nationalist.

Marjorie Linklater was married to the writer Eric Marjorie Linklater from 1 June 1933 until his death on 7 November 1974.

Marjorie Linklater died of cancer and heart failure on the evening of 29 June 1997 at her home in Kirkwall, Orkney.

In 2000, the Orkney Heritage Society established The Marjorie Linklater Writing Award in her memory.