| Biography | Daughter of song collector and singer Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser (1857-1930) and grand-daughter of singer David Kennedy (1825-1886), Patiffa was a major influence on the revival of the clarsach through her performances of the Gaelic music and song collected and arranged by herself and her mother. She took up the harp in 1914 to acompany her mother's songs and made her own arrangements of them. She travelled widely throughout Scotland, Europe and The United States Her harp was a gut strung model by Morley of London developed originally for the Irish market. In 1920 she married Canon John Charles Fulton Hood (1885-1964 ) who, from 1921, was chaplain to the Territorial Army and in 1935 became chaplain to the High Sheriff. In 1940 he was the Chief Chaplain to British Forces in Norway 1940 and Iceland 1940-41. These recordings are thought to be the earliest of Scottish or Irish harp playing.
About 100 modern books on Scottish topics, especially Highland music and dance, history and literature were presented to Edinburgh University Library in the 1950s by Patuffa Kennedy-Fraser Hood and Mr David Kennedy-Fraser. The books complement Mrs M. Kennedy-Frasers papers and her collection of 280 wax cylinder recordings of Hebridean songs previously given in 1930. |