PerthshireCrieffStrathearn Local History

The defeat at Culloden however was a signal for the Hanoverian establishment led  by the odious Duke of Cumberland aka “ Stinking Willie “ to carry out a campaign of virtual genocide  to eradicate a  culture , a people and a proud society . Much has  been written  regarding support  for  the Jacobite cause in Scotland as a  whole. In Perthshire Strathearn we  find  much distortion of the truth mostly  spun  not by the English politicians  but mainly  by the fanatically zealous Calvanistic  Presbyterians who had never  hidden their hatred  of the mainly Episcopalian and Catholic Jacobites . The support within  Strathearn  for the Jacobites was  considerable mainly  attributable  to the fact that the Lairds of the land such as the Drummonds , Murrays and Grahams had raised  considerable  numbers  from their  territories to fight for the cause . Much of this  has  been air brushed from history and accordingly I list below  a synopsis  of  some of those from Strathearn and Souther

List of the Retail and Business Outlets in Crieff in 1913/1914 giving name of proprietor and address - Part Two One Hundred Years Ago ! This is Part Two of the Blog  published on the 29th August 2013 I have listed all the names  and addresses of the businesses and professions . Of the ten banks listed only two ( the Bank of Scotland and the Clydesdale ) remain . Campbell the Bakers is still in King Street albeit at a different address . Of the other names that still trade  we have solicitors  Graham & Finlayson in Comrie Street , Frank Thomson in East High Street and the Strathearn Herald is still around  but operating from Perth and not Crieff . Such is change ! Bakers (6) Hugh Campbell 2 King Street Crieff Cooperative Society East High Street David Ferguson 53 King Street Peter McCowan Comrie Street WH McKinlay   26 High Street Robert Taylor 50 High Street and 1 King Street Banks (10 ) Bank of Scotland Galvelmore Street British L

  St Serfs   We are fortunate   in having   numerous   small villages and places of historic interest   scattered   throughout the Strath . Undoubtedly one of the villages   which stands out amongst the best in terms of   both ancient and modern heritage   is Dunning . Located south of the River Earn at the   foot of   the Ochil Hills , it   has a unique   past well guarded and protected   by the Dunning Parish Historical Society . The Society has been active over the decades having undertaken   numerous schemes aimed at preserving a respect   and knowledge of life as it was in this   quiet part of Perthshire Founded in 1992 it currently has   over   300 members and apart from a   well designed and informative web site http://www.dunning.uk.net/ it holds   regular   meetings in the village addressed   by a variety of speakers on selected   topics   of interest . The Society has transcribed various census   returns   for the village and these are   available   to download

  Renovation nearly completed    Rannoch Lodge before the fire    I am conscious   of the need   to ensure that our   heritage is being   cared   for and   that   future   generations   can appreciate the wonderful fabric of life   here in Perthshire   - the “ big county “ ! Heritage   of   course comes   in a variety of   different forms be it   in the material fabric   of a building , a place or indeed a spoken   word . For some considerable time , I have   been involved   in advising   and assisting in the restoration of one of Perthshire’s oldest houses – Rannoch Lodge , located at the west end of Loch Rannoch . This is   a part of Scotland   that is often missed   by the   tourist due to its   comparative isolation . Loch Rannoch is some nine   miles in length with   roads on both sides . Referred   to by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor as the Loch of the Vanquished Clans in his book “ Wild Drumalbain ” it   is   better known perhaps as the Road to the Isle

The language of Crieff and Strathearn in the 1790s and how a concerted   effort was made in the 18 th Century to remove Gaelic as the spoken language of the people       Like   many Scots , I have a thoroughly mixed pedigree .I do believe that this factor , perhaps   more than any   other , allows   one to analyse and appreciate   one’s genetic heritage without the innate prejudice that all too frequently mars true objectivity in Scottish   discussions especially those   concerning politics and religion   ! My maternal great grand parents Archibald and Mary McFarlane   were   born and raised in the   delightful Kintyre village of Clachan some miles south of the fishing port of Tarbert on Loch Fyne in the County of Argyll – the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada   . They were first cousins – their   fathers Duncan and Archibald McFarlane   being brothers. Archibald   was   some eleven years older than   Mary and   was a widower at the time of their marriage in Campbeltown