PerthshireCrieffStrathearn Local History

Alexander “ Snacks ” Taylor (1862 –1954) Alexander “ Snacks “ Taylor was often referred to as “The Grand Old man of The Black Watch” This obituary to him appeared in the Perthshire Advertiser on the 31 July 1954 . Mr Alexander Taylor who was the oldest veteran of 2 nd Battalion, The Black Watch and the oldest man in the 1939 – 1945 war to wear the King’s uniform, has died in Perth Royal Infirmary at the age of 92. He was a native of Auchterarder and until recently ran a one-man tobacconist’s business in Crieff. He served on Crieff Town Council for seventeen years including a spell as bailie. Mr Taylor who was in the Home Guard in the last war was at he age of 83 was thirty-three years with the Black Watch and attained the rank of Colour Sergeant. He wore ten medals ranging from the Egyptian Campaign Medal of 1885 to the Defence Medal of World War ll and including the M.S.M. Recently he was presented to the Queen Mother at Dundee as a Black Watch veteran. Last year Mr Tay

"Oor Davie" General Sir David Baird (1757 –1829)   David Baird was born at Newbythe in East Lothian , the fifth son of David Baird an Edinburgh merchant on the 26 th December 1757 . Technically he is not a Strathearn man but such was the impact he made on our community, that it is incumbent on the author to include “ Oor Davie “ in this "Blog". The family were descended from the Bairds of Auchmeddan in Aberdeenshire and moved a few years later to a large house at the top of Castle Hill in Edinburgh .His father died when he was only eight and his mother found herself having to bring up seven boys and seven girls. He purchased a commission in the 2nd Foot (the Queens Regiment) that had been intended for one of his older brothers who had died unexpectedly. He was an ensign and not yet fifteen. After a year at a Military Academy , Baird joined his Regiment at Gibraltar and so began his illustrious m

There has been considerable   discussion   recently regarding the    state of decrepitude of   many of the older   and better   known   buildings   in Crieff . The Drummond Arms , the old Parish Church in Church Street ( aka the Community Hall ) , the George or Strathearn Hotel and the old Crown Hotel in East High Street . One   does   not   to travel too far back in time   to recall   the   fate of   many other fine buildings in Crieff and indeed in Strathearn on a wider basis . Although I devoted   a small space   some   months   back to Ferntower House   I find   it   so fascinating that I have   decided   I am going to elaborate further   and   include   more information   about it and   its most   celebrated occupant General Sir   David Baird   whose monument dominates so much of the Strath . It was a building not renowned   for   any great architectural merit   but rather for its part in the overall   tapestry of   life in the Strath over two centuries . Once the home

" Bobbing John " - the incredibly two faced  and incompetent Earl of Mar , Jacobite leader at Sheriffmuir PART TWO The Chief official in Scotland was the King’s brother   James , Duke of York   and Albany . He was not an Episcopalian but something even worse in the eyes of many Presbyterians , a convert to Catholicism ! In 1685 he succeeded to the throne on Charles’s death . In England opposition was strong and William of Orange , ruler of Holland was invited take over the throne . His wife , Mary was James elder daughter. James went into exile and William became King . Scotland followed suit and when William guaranteed a Presbyterian ascendancy in Church matters he became King of Scotland . The struggles continued . Claverhouse whom James had created Viscount Dundee moved north and raised an army of James supporters or Jacobites . He moved south and defeated General MacKay at Killiecrankie but was himself shot . The next battle   was at Dunkeld wh