The Connection

A Scottish-themed “Robbie Burns” dinner is planned to raise funds for the historical documentary film, “Why They Left: A Scottish Migration,” written by Alexandria-based graphic designer Ellen Hamilton. Hamilton hopes to finish the film and have a screening in Alexandria this time next year. She has help with equipment and advice from veteran filmmaker and reporter Margaret Kennedy of Old Town Productions.

Hamilton travels to the area near Glasgow, Scotland's largest and most industrial city, with her husband who is from that region. Being urban and busy, this Lowland area tends to be overlooked by American tourists. She was given a book on the history of the area written by Scottish archaeologist Derek Alexander. Hamilton became interested in her own ancestor's roots and decided to tell the story of the place that most Scots emigrated from. She found that most people are not aware of their own family's stories and how they came to leave Scotland and take the trip of seven or more weeks on a sailing vessel. Many people died on that journey. People were quarantined once they got to Alexandria, because of the threat of disease outbreaks. Hamilton features William Gregory, who bought and expanded the building at 329 North Washington St. in Alexandria. Gregory came from Kilmarnock, Scotland where his family ran a rug weaving factory.

Hamilton has interviewed local historians Lance Mallamo and Michael Lee Pope for the project.

In Scotland, arranged for an on-camera interview of Alexander in a 700 year old, castle on the banks of the Clyde river. The land that the castle sits on and the neighboring town, Port Glasgow, are part of the story in the film. It was the place where many Scots climbed aboard a ship, and embarked on that long journey. The time frame that Hamilton writes about, late 1700s, was also a time of major transitions for Scotland. The cotton revolution was restructuring the landscape with new towns, the use of money by many for the first time, and the loss of most people's rural homesteads. Roads were being built between towns for the first time, and Scotland's inclusion in the country of Great Britain meant new wealth and new problems for its people.

To get the word out about the film and raise some money for promotion, production and permissions, she and her team of helpers are hosting a Scottish themed “Robbie Burns” dinner where Hamilton will speak about the story told in the film. She designed t-shirts for the event and will have Steven Halperson of Tisara Photography on hand for professional portraits. Guests are encouraged to wear their best tartan outfits for their portrait. The dinner will take place at the Sheraton Suites Old Town. Dinner will include haggis and roast chicken, and the classic British dessert, trifle, which is berries, cake, cream and custard in layers. The dinner will be held Friday, Jan. 26, 6-9 p.m., at Sheraton Suites Old Town, 801 N. Saint Asaph St.

Hamilton's website for the film is scottishmigration-film.com. She has opened her first online store called Yellow Dot Shop, where she is selling tickets to the dinner and other items; see yellow-dot-shop.myshopify.com. To contribute to the film, people can visit at gofundme.com/Scots-Doc.