Small wooden bowl possibly for soup of porridge. It was found in the Governor's House at Fort William when the fort was demolished in 1938.
When land around the old fort was excavated to make way for the first rail line into Fort William in the 1890s, knives, cannon, and bullet moulds were found in the old fort. This cannon ball was found in the old Fort and is marked with a Government arrow.
Blog by Madga Salvesen, Curator Jon Schueler Estate
This fragment of plaid was gifted to the Museum in 1973 as part of a Bequest from Dr Charles Hepburn, a collector of Jacobite memorabilia. The sett matches the pattern of a section of plaid from a tartan at Moy Hall. The Moy Hall plaid was given to Lady MacKintosh by Prince Charles Edward Stuart when he stayed there in February 1746, the occasion of the famous Rout of Moy. It was common practice for the Prince to give sections of tartan as gifts to his supporters that he stayed with. This is an interesting example of Jacobite material culture as supporters collected and cherished relics associated with the Prince. This tartan was deemed so important that it was copied by later generations. This fragment could be an 18th century original, but is more likely to be a later 19th century version. An image of the original Moy Hall plaid is pictured in this gallery.
West Highland Museum Blog - THE HEPBURN BEQUEST
West Highland Museum Blog - WORN AT CULLODEN
These postcards are part of a much larger collection sent by John McCallum to his wife Mary from France during the Great War. They married in Ballachulish in April 1916, but six months later John was shipped off to fight on the Western Front. He served as a Sergeant in the 13th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Between October 1916 and February 1919 John sent Mary numerous postcards detailing his life in France. Embroidered cards like these were popular with the troops. They were made by local French women as a way of supplementing their income and sold to soldiers as gifts to send home. The postcards were gifted to the West Highland Museum in 2019 by John and Mary’s granddaughter.
This painting of skies near Mallaig was gifted to the West Highland Museum by the artist’s widow Magda Salvesen in1994. Jon Schueler (1916–1992) was regarded as a member of the New York Abstract Expressionist school of art. He first visited Scotland in 1957 where he travelled to Lochaber. He felt inspired by the turbulent skies and set up a studio near Mallaig on the Sound of Sleat, a stretch of water that runs between the Scottish mainland and the Isle of Skye. Schueler lived at Romasaig for five years in the 1970s and returned most years until his death. Dramatic changes in weather conditions are common in the area and Schueler dramatically captures these in his paintings
Stretcher invented by Donald Duff (1893-1968) and used by Lochaber Mountain Rescue team (LMRT) whose patch includes Ben Nevis. Duff was a doctor, pioneer of Scottish mountain rescue, inventor, author, and the leader of LMRT in the late 1940s and 1950s. As chief surgeon at the Belford Hospital in Fort William he would often treat the casualties he had just rescued in the hospital still dressed in his mountain attire. Donald Duff invented this stretcher in 1944. It was in common use until it was replaced by the MacInnes Stretcher. The MacInnes stretcher was invented by local mountaineering legend Hamish MacInnes (1930 – 2020) who used some of the features of the Duff stretcher in his design. The MacInnes MK1 came into use in the early 1960s and later versions of it is still used by Scottish mountain rescue teams today.
This is a MacInnes Massey all metal ice axe. The Massey was one of the first metal-shafted ice axes manufactured in Britain. These ice axes revolutionised the sport of mountaineering. It was invented by Glencoe resident Hamish MacInnes (1930 – 2020). His decision to manufacture this design was taken in the early 1960s after he found two broken wooden axes on Ben Nevis, where two mountaineers were killed in a fall. MacInnes was an icon of mountaineering and is also known around the world as the father of mountain rescue. This axe along with a selection of mountaineering objects are on long term loan to the museum from the Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection.
This is a series of four panoramic photographs documenting Princess Margaret's visit to Fort William in 1965. They are important to our photographic collection, not only because they recorded a royal visit, but because they were taken by pioneering Fort William photographer Andy Paton. Paton invented his own camera with a special rotating lens that enabled him to take wide-screen images in an era before they were common place. Paton is usually remembered for his panoramic landscape photography and was famous in the 1970s for his photographic tour titled “Highland Panorama”. These images are outside his usual focus. The Paton Photographic Collection is a very large collection in the care of the West Highland Museum. This is an extensive collection of slides focusing on Highland life is still in the process of being catalogued.
This portrait titled “Mrs Ryan” has been selected because the sitter and artist have close links to Lochaber. Keith Henderson (1883–1982) was a Scottish painter who worked in both oils and watercolours. He had a long professional career and served as a war artist in both the First and Second world wars. Henderson lived near Spean Bridge for a time. The sitter, Elizabeth Ryan, nee MacDonald (1863 - 1954) was a founder member of the West Highland Museum and our Chairman from 1938 until 1950. She was an inspirational lady. She married a tea planter and lived in Ceylon until 1920. When her husband died, she returned to Lochaber and moved to Roy Bridge where she was very active in the community. She founded the SWRI in Spean Bridge and was the Inverness-Shire President for 27 years. She was on the Board at the Belford Hospital and a Manager for St Andrew’s Ambulance. She was also actively involved in the Catholic Church, playing organ at Roy Bridge Church. She is pictured taking tea on a MacDonald tartan tablecloth.
In 1929 the Lochaber aluminium smelter opened in Fort William. The British Aluminium Company had developed an area of 303 square miles around Ben Nevis where there is an average rainfall of 406 cm per year. This was ideal for the hydro-electric scheme that would be needed to manufacture the aluminium. This small block of aluminium was made from the first cast produced on 30 December 1929. The ingot was given to one of the senior members of the construction staff. The smelter has been an important employer in Fort William for more than 90 years. It is still operational and the last remaining aluminium smelter in the United Kingdom.
Musettes are small, elegant bagpipes that were fashionable in French court circles in the 17th and 18th centuries. This set of French bellows-type bagpipes known as a musette are extraordinary as they may once have belonged to Prince Charles Edward (1720 - 1788). They are made from wood, with leather bellows, a velvet bag, and are covered with silver lace trimming. The fittings and silver keys are made from ivory. A small oval silver plaque reads "bequeathed by the late Prince to --Steuart, wife of his Valet-de-Chambre, and purchased by I Skene of Rubislaw, Rome, 1802".
This beautifully decorated clarsach, or Scottish harp is in the style of the Queen Mary harp, the original design of which dates from the reign of Mary Queen of Scots. This grand instrument is part of our Highland Life collection and the carved wood embellishment is typical of West Highland art. It is known at the Poltalloch harp because it originated from Poltalloch House.
This leather-bound stalker’s telescope has been selected because of its association with the Highlands. It is a typical example of equipment ghillies would use when deer stalking in the hills around the area. This telescope is particularly special as it was presented to Duncan McColl, head gamekeeper on the Mamore estate by King Edward VII in September 1909.
This fine taxidermy specimen of a golden eagle came to the museum in 1940. There is no record as to when it was prepared, but our records show that the eagle was captured in a trap in Glencoe. By today’s standards this specimen was obtained unethically and the form of preservation seems old fashioned. However, the art of taxidermy is still practised today and according to the Natural History Museum “taxidermy is still bringing nature to life”.
This glass bottle contains a fine whisky said to be almost 200 years old. The faded label reads "from Jas. Young, Family Grocer, Wine & Spirit Merchant, High St. Fort William". James Young died in 1894. The whisky was gifted to the museum by Young’s successor, Walter Cameron. The second object is a copper smuggler's measure. The measure has been holed by the dastardly Excise men so that it could not be used again. It was found under the old hotel at Invergarry and gifted to the museum in 1926.
This pot still has a mysterious history. It was found abandoned anonymously on the steps of the museum in the 1920s. The damage was caused by some over-zealous excisemen determined that the still would not be used again. There was a long tradition of illicit distilling in the Highlands. The government tried to control whisky production, and the 1788 Excise Act banned the use of stills making less than 100 gallons (450 litres) at a time. Legal whisky was poor quality, due to the high taxes imposed on the malted grain used to make it. Since the illicit stills paid no tax, and could use good malted grain, their whisky could be smuggled to markets where it would fetch a higher price than that made by the licensed distilleries.
This iconic 1st pattern F-S Fighting Knife was designed by William Fairbairn and Eric Sykes in 1940. The duo trained special forces including the SOE and commandos here in Lochaber during the Second World War. Wilkinson Sword manufactured the fighting knives that were used for close combat by the British Commandos and Allied special forces. The techniques of effective use for this weapon were taught to various special forces at Highland training centres such as Lochailort Special Training Centre and Achnacarry, which was the Commando Basic Training Centre from 1942-1945. This dagger had been handed in to a police station in the south of Scotland as part of a knife amnesty and was scheduled for destruction. By chance a serving police officer, with an interest in Commando history, spotted the knife, recognised its historic importance and gifted to the museum.
The birching table is from the old court house in Fort William where the birchings were carried out. It was last used in 1948, when a 15-year-old boy was birched for shoplifting". It is easy to forget in the present day how recent it was that corporal punishment was thought fitting and useful both as a punishment and deterrent. Right up until the mid-twentieth century it was a common punishment administered to the perpetrators of petty crimes. The birching involved having to lie face down on a table with arms tied together underneath, and legs held still by strong straps. A bundle of stripped rods of birch was then used to whip the recipient's bare buttocks. Occasionally the back and/or shoulders were whipped, and the type, number and weight of branches used (as well as the number of strokes) varied with the severity of the crime. It was legally required to have a doctor on hand when these punishments were being administered, although this may have been of little comfort to the recipient.
“October in Knoydart”, is an oil on canvas signed by the artist. It depicts Lochaber’s wild mountainous scenery and was selected for the gallery because of the artist’s special relationship with the West Highland Museum. It was painted by Sir David Young Cameron (1865 – 1945) one of the foremost painters and printers of his day. Cameron had close links with the West Highlands and our museum. He was one of our earliest museum members and in 1928 printed proofs from the Strange Plate, an 18th century copper printing plate to raise funds for the museum. “October in Knoydart” hangs in our Jacobite gallery next to the printing plate and one of Cameron’s 1928 prints. It will tell the story not only of Cameron’s connection with the museum, but also the story of the aftermath of the 1745 Rising when Prince Charles Edward Stuart was on the run in the Highlands hiding in this landscape from the Hanoverian army. This painting was acquired with the assistance of Art Fund and National Fund for Acquisitions in 2020. It was purchased in memory of former Trustee John Gooch (1929 – 2019).
These decorated silver ceremonial spades were used to cut the first sods of local railway lines in the late 19th century. The first spade was used to cut the first sod of the West Highland Line, the 160-mile track from Glasgow to Mallaig. The turf was cut by Lord Abinger, Chairman of the Railway Company, on the 23 October 1889. At the time, the West Highland area was suffering through a lack of transport. In October 1887 the provost of Fort William N. B. MacKenzie mobilised local support for a new railway connection with Glasgow. The British Northern Railway agreed to offer part of the funds, with the British government providing the rest. The second spade is from the cutting of the turf of the Fort Augustus railway by Mrs Edward Ellice on 2 March 1897. This was the route from Spean Bridge via Invergarry to Fort Augustus. This line closed permanently in 1946. The Glasgow to Mallaig route is still operational today and is often heralded as one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world.
This is a coffin guard or mort safe and is designed to prevent body snatchers stealing the corpse of someone who has recently died. In the early 18th century medical schools in Scotland started to use dissection methods to teach the medical sciences. They general used executed criminals, but found demand out stripped supply. This gave rise to a trade in body snatching, stealing bodies from fresh graves and selling them to anatomists. The practice shocked society, but no effective deterrent was found until around 1816 when the iron coffin guard was invented. It was placed around and over the coffin. This one is missing its lid. It would protect the body until it had decayed suitably to make body snatching undesirable to the thieves. These were expensive to make, so only the rich could afford them. Sometimes churches would buy them and hire them out. This guard was from the old Glen Nevis cemetery in Fort William. It is one of the museum’s most sinister objects.
The iconic Lochaber axe has been included in the gallery because it is still an important symbol of the area today, even appearing on the West Highland Museum’s logo. The Lochaber axe is a long-handled battle-axe used by the Highland foot soldier. The design is a form of halberd. The first record of its use is around 1570 when Clan Cameron carried it during the Battle of Bun Garbhain between Clan Cameron and Clan Mackintosh. This pair of Lochaber axes originate from Taymouth Castle and were made for the visit of Queen Victoria to the castle in 1842. The Queen stayed at Taymouth for three days where she was treated to a lavish display of Highland culture.
This is a beautiful example of a 19th century child’s tartan dress. The full skirt with flared sleeves is hand stitched. The tartan sett is Murray Mansfield (a variation of the Murray of Atholl) tartan with trimming of red Murray of Tullibardine tartan. The family who donated this piece tell the story that the piece of material used for the dress came from a soldier family member who took part in the Jacobite risings of 1745. While retreating from Derby, the soldier started to fear that he may be killed in battle. He took a piece of his Highland outfit, had it blessed, and handed it to a courier, who was given instructions to deliver it to the family. "The soldier told the courier that if all future children of the family were swathed in this material, it would keep them safe and bring them long and successful lives." It is not known exactly when the decision was made to make the material into a dress, but it is recorded that a young male member of the family was the first to wear it.
Two pairs of pistols that belonged to Lochaber man Major James MacFarlane (1774 - 1849) who worked in India with the Honourable East India Company. The first pair are percussion pistols with octagonal barrels, a ramrod, and a belt hook, and were made by gunsmith W. Powell. They date from the 1830s or early 1840s. There is a pistol and a spare. They would probably have been sold together in a presentation box, usually with gunpowder and a bullet making kit. The second pair are percussion mechanism pistols made by Hewson of London, a fairly big gun manufacturer of the era. These pistols have been dated to the first decade of the 19th century. They are a last defence weapon and a person would conceal the weapon on their person and use it to either end their own life, or the life of their attacker.
This local Lochaber scene depicts women waulking cloth on the shores of Loch Nan Uamh. Six women are seated in a rough circle wielding short mallets and evidently singing, while another group observe them. People waulked the cloth they had woven. This meant that they pulled or stretched the tartan into shape. During the waulking process, they sang Gaelic songs and recited poetry to keep themselves amused. The painting was created by Jemima Wedderburn Blackburn (1823 – 1909) a renowned Scottish artist who lived at Roshven. Although she received no formal training in art, she was a watercolourist of outstanding ability. She had connections with many of the Victorian artistic and intellectual élite and formed life-long friendships with Landseer, Millais and Ruskin, who described her as 'the best artist he knew'. This painting was purchased with the support of The National Fund for Acquisitions to commemorate the 80th anniversary of founding of the West Highland Museum.
This rare and exquisite memorial tie pin was commissioned by Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) on the death of John Brown (1826 – 1883). The Queen gifted it to Brown’s relations. The Queen had a close relationship with Brown, her favourite servant. After the death of her husband in 1861, the monarch turned to Brown, her trusted Highland ghillie, and it was even rumoured that they were romantically involved, although there is no evidence to support this. The statues and private memorials that Victoria had created for Brown during her life time were destroyed in the early 20th century at the order of her son, Edward VII (1841 – 1910), with whom Brown had often clashed because he resented Brown’s influence.
This is the Highland outfit Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) presented to her trusted Scottish servant, John Brown (1826 - 1883), on the occasion of her daughter, Princess Louise’s marriage. John Brown was the Queen’s personal servant at Balmoral and their special relationship is well documented. He once saved her life by stopping a runaway pony and cart. The pieces are all traditional dress accoutrements, but show the influence of Victorian taste in their elaborate design. They are inscribed “V.R. to J.B. 21st March 1871”. On that date the Princess Louise was married at Windsor to the Marquis of Lorne, later the 9th Duke of Argyll. The outfit includes a silver mounted sporran, dirk in a scabbard, sword in a scabbard, Sgian/Sgean dubh in sheath, two black leather belts (one with silver buckle), a powder horn, plaid brooch. Images in the gallery show Brown possibly wearing this Highland outfit.
This Victorian post horn is made from a cow horn and has a metal mouthpiece decorated with a caberfeidh (stag's head) and shield. It is on a shoulder string. It is said to have been used on the Fort William mail coach. The powerful noise of a horn was the best way to get messages across, usually some form of ‘Get out of the way!’
This hard-tartan box pleated Stuart kilt in the Duke of Rothesay tartan and is said to have been worn by the Sobieski brothers. The tartan is their own design. It is unusual as it is a very early example of a sewn box pleated kilt and it is the earlies example of this pattern which first made its appearance in 1842. The Sobieski brothers modelled themselves as scholars of Highland dress, weaponry and Gaelic culture. They claimed to be the grandchildren of Prince Charles Edward Stuart. From the 1820s the Sobieski - Stuart brothers were responsible for many of the tartans now accepted as being the “old and true tartans” of many clans. John Sobieski Stolberg Stuart and his brother Charles Edward Stuart claimed to be the legitimate grandsons of King Charles III. They claimed that Queen Louise and King Charles III had a son who was handed over to the captain of an English warship to protect him from assassination attempts. The Sobieski brothers claimed to be sons of this child. They fooled many in society. In reality, the Sobieski – Stuarts were born in Wales to English parents as John Carter Allen (1795–1872) and Charles Manning Allen (1802–1880). From 1847 they lost favour after their reputations were damaged by the press.
"Letters and News at the Lochside"
This very large oil painting by Henry Tanworth Wells (1828–1903) hangs at Arisaig House. It was a wedding gift to Gertrude Astley from her sisters when she married in 1883. It was painted specifically for Arisaig House. The painting was bequested to the West Highland Museum, but is on long term loan to Arisaig House where it is still displayed in the space it was intended for. The painting can be viewed by the public by appointment. The painting is titled "Letters and News at the Lochside" and depicts the postman Donald MacDonald of Achraig, Duncan McCrae (the boy), F. D. P. Astley, Sir John Millais, John MacDonald, boat captain: Donald MacDonald, a MacRae, Sir Henry Halford, Angus MacDonald (the water bailiff of Arienskill, and father of the yacht captain), and Mr Henry Evans.
Silver quaichs are used by Scots to take a wee dram of whisky. This silver quaich has a fascinating story to tell and is said to have been drunk from by royalty on four occasions. Tradition says Prince Charles Edward Stuart drank from the quaich during the 1745 Rising. Prince Albert drank from it in 1847, followed by Queen Victoria in 1873 and the Prince of Wales in the 1930s. The quaich is mentioned in Queen Victoria's Highland Journals. Queen Victoria's Highland Journal for 13th September 1873 reads: "As we came through Ballachulish the post boy suddenly stopped, and a very respectable, stout looking old Highlander stepped up to the carriage with a silver quaich, out of which he said Prince Charles had drunk, and also my dearest Albert in 1847, and begged that I would do the same. A table, covered with a cloth and with a bottle on it, was on the other side of the road. I felt I could hardly refuse, and therefore tasted some whisky out of it, which delighted the people who were standing around."
Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) certainly had a love of horse riding and was an accomplished equestrienne. This gold mounted riding whip belonged to the Queen and was gifted to the museum through the Hepburn Bequest in 1973.
This hard-tartan dress was handmade on the Scottish island of Benbecula in the early half of 19th century. It shows signs of wear, tear and repair, indicating that it would have been worn by a working woman. It was collected by the pioneering Victorian collector and folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912). Part of the Carmichael Collection is now in the museum’s care, while his archive is in the care of Edinburgh University.
This object is a bit of a mystery. Known as the Clanranald Anvil, it probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century. It is a very heavy irregular lump of iron, and could also be called a swaging block, for the precise shaping of sheet metal by an armourer. There is some speculation it could be a meteorite, but this has yet to be proven. It was found in the 1920s by a man named John MacDonald among the remains of a deserted settlement at Upper or High Mingarry on the rugged and remote Moidart peninsula in the western Highlands. It was then given to the parish priest, one Father Campbell, who kept it on the outside windowsill of his house for many years. It was by tradition in the custodianship of the priest of Moidart. However, after it was twice stolen from the church it came into the care of the West Highland Museum in 1987.
This is the largest object in the West Highland Museum collection and maybe one of the most intriguing. It came from the old fort (An Gearasdan) at Fort William and dates back to 1690. This was a strategic strong hold at the southern end of the Great Glen. Built in 1654 it was named Fort William, after King William III. The fort gained notoriety for its role in the infamous Glen Coe Massacre of 1692. It was unsuccessfully besieged by the Jacobites during the uprising of 1745, and served as a disembarkation point for those leaving Scotland during the Highland Clearances. When the old fort at Fort William was demolished, the wooden panelling from the Governor's house dining room was dismantled and re-erected inside the museum in 1937. Money for restoration was raised by a public appeal. When the layers of paper and colour wash had been scraped off the original eau de nil colour was revealed. The panelling was then restored to this original 17th century colouring. This room is very popular with Outlander fans because it featured in the first novel. Inside the room is a round mahogany Cromwellian wine table. It is reputed to have belonged to Colonel Hill, who was Governor of Fort William during the Massacre of Glencoe. There are other objects on display in the room relating to the old fort including the iron door key to the Governor's house and the lock to the gate of the old fort.
This is a typical example of a 19th century Highland outfit made for a child. It comprises of a kilt, jacket, sash, sporran, and Glengarry. It belonged to Donald McNaughton (1854 - 1937) and he wore it when he was about 5 years old in living on the Isle of Skye.
This spinning wheel used for spinning thread or yarn from fibres was made in the French pattern, and was gifted to the West Highland Museum along with spindles, whorls, and a bobbin. The objects are exceptional because of they are said to have once belonged to Flora MacDonald (1722 – 1790), the heroine of the 1745 Rising and came from her home, Kingsburgh House, on Skye. This was the family home of Allan Macdonald, who married Flora Macdonald in 1750. After a brief emigration to America, the family returned to Kingsburgh House and Flora died there in March 1790. These are among the earliest objects to come into the museum’s collection in 1927.
Charms were an integral part of Highland culture for centuries. There are a good variety of charms in the museum, covering everything from preventing nightmares, encouraging rain, and warding away evil spirits. Many were collected by the Victorian folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912). Two charms have been selected for the gallery. The first is the charm of deliverance, a small round tan coloured nut, sea bean, or piece of polished wood that has been bound with metal bands. It is labelled "The Virgin's Charm of Deliverance" and was a charm a midwife placed in the hand of women in childbirth. The other charm stone is known as a witches' stone. It was deposited on the pivot stone of a gate and prevented witches from entering the croft or house.
A good luck charm made for Colonel John Cameron of Fassiefern (1771 – 1815). It is made from tartan silk and contains a pebble, pieces of stalk, speedwell seeds sewn in, with a tiny padlock and a letter. The letter reads "Col. Cameron, 92 Regt. Foot. Sir: I am all gratitude for your former kindness. When I heard the regt. was leaving town I was more troubled than I can express. I am ever bound to pray for your welfare, as a token of my gratitude I send a small bag, if you should chance to go to battle, or an (..) of honour, it will be no great trouble to put it round your neck. I trust it will save you from your enemy, which is the wish of - your humble servant, Unity Mathews". It was gifted by Unity Mathews to the Colonel. It didn't bring him much luck though. He was killed at Quatre Bras in June 1815 the day before the Battle of Waterloo.
This an early modern shoulder-belt plate that was found in 2015 by metal detectorists in the deserted township of Alisary. It is very rare because it is engraved "Moidart Volunteers" and little evidence remains of their existence. By 1800 Inverness-Shire had raised 42 companies of infantry soldiers for the Napoleonic Wars whose contract meant they could only serve as part of a home defence force. One of those companies was the Moidart Volunteers. Their commanding officer was noted in 1797 as one Captain Alexander MacDonald who was probably a local landowner. It seems that the Moidart Company were incorporated into a battalion of Inverness-Shire Volunteers. The shoulder belt plate was worn to carry the sword and bayonet in the British Army from 1780s onwards. Two rivets and clip on the reverse attached the plate to the belt. The plate insignia would have been positioned in the chest area.
By the late 1890s a unique system of mail dispatch had developed on the remote Scottish archipelago of St Kilda. Letters were enclosed in a waterproof receptacle, usually a sheep’s bladder, attached to a homemade buoy, and launched into the sea in the hope that they would wash ashore on the mainland and be forwarded on by whoever chanced upon them. They were aiming for them to find land in the Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis, but depending on the current, it could take weeks or months for letters to reach their destination. There are records of mailboats washing ashore as far afield as Norway. Life of these remote islands was harsh and in August 1930 the island was evacuated on the request of the islanders and the archipelago abandoned. This mailboat came into the museum’s care sometime before 1938.
This 18th century banner contains the Coat of Arms of MacDonald of Moidart. By tradition this is Clanranald’s Banner which was raised beside the Standard of Prince Charles Edward Stuart at Glenfinnan and was on the battlefield at Culloden. Although, its provenance has not been confirmed. Clan chief Donald MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart (born before 1705 – 1746) fought in the 1745 Rising and was executed at Carlisle in 1746. The banner was originally lodged in the church at Mingarrry in Moidart in the 1920s. It has been restored by the Scottish Conservation Studio and is on long term loan to the museum from the Diocese of Argyll & the Isles.
This is one of the oldest medals in competitive shinty. Shinty, or camanachd as it is traditionally known in the Gaelic-speaking West Highlands, is an ancient game. Introduced to Scotland along with Christianity and the Gaelic language nearly two thousand years ago by Irish missionaries (St Columba is said to have arrived on these shores as a result of some shenanigans at an Irish hurling match). It is a team game played with 12 players per team and the use of a curved stick called a caman, the idea is to hit a small ball along the ground or through the air, using either side of the stick, until you score a goal in the net at the end of the field. This medal was awarded in 1897 to a Brae Lochaber player after the second ever Camanachd Cup Final. Brae Lochaber lost to Beauly 5-0 in Inverness. The photograph is the 1926 Spean Bridge (Lochaber) team.
This Ben Nevis race medal was won by Lucy Cameron. She won the women’s race in 1902 in the record time of 2 hours and 3 minutes. The first competitive Ben Nevis race was held in 1898. Up until the turn of the century women were banned from the race, but in 1902 Lucy Cameron of Glen Mallie made the attempt and achieved a time of 2 hours and 3 minutes. Just one year later the race was cancelled for the next 24 years. When races resumed women were not permitted to compete. In 1955 Kathleen Connochie, a local 16-year-old runner, entered the race. She was banned from competing, but after public outcry she was allowed to race, but only two minutes after the men’s race has started, and with a chaperone. Duncan MacIntyre, a previous race winner accompanied her.
This was championship belt was won by strong man Alexander Anthony Cameron (1877–1951). He was one of the all-time great strongmen and athletes from Dochanassie in Lochaber. He was sometimes known as the Mighty Mucomir and was the greatest heavy of his era. The belt is made from leather and rectangles of silver linked together and set with red, white and blue enamel discs. Inscribed "Won by A.A. Cameron, championship belt of the world". On the back is engraved “Drumblair 1903-1904-1905”.
This tiny silver water cruet was found by chance in a local river. It was used by a priest to officiate at communion. It is engraved with the letter “A” for aqua. A corresponding cruet for wine would be engraved with a “V”. It was found in the burn near the Cranachan Road Mass Stone in Glen Roy around 1880. Catholics were often persecuted in Scotland and during these periods worshiped in secret at open air masses. The Mass Stone is still located in Glen Roy. In 1966 A MacDonell and D McRoberts published an article in the Innes Review titled ‘The Mass Stones of Lochaber’* featuring the story of the Crananchan Road Mass Stone and the discovery of the lost water cruet.
This blackthorn walking stick belonged to the famous Scottish Gaelic bard Iain Lom MacDonald (1624 – 1710). He carried it by him after the Battle of Inverlochy in February 1645. He lost his sword during the battle, but managed to fight his way home to Keppoch, near Roy Bridge. Iain was the most outstanding of the Keppoch bards. Lom is the Gaelic word for bald; his nickname rather than a surname. Iain was a Stuart loyalist all his life and Charles II made him his poet laureat. When his young clan chief was murdered, he endured great danger and hardship to bring the guilty to justice, cutting off the heads of the murderers. Today there is a monument beside the Inverness Road at Tobar nan Ceann, The Well of the Heads, where Iain washed his grizzly trophies before presenting them to MacDonnell of Invergarry.
These are two silver Spanish pieces of eight found in Tobermory Bay off the Isle of Mull. The coins made an unusual journey to arrive in the West Highlands. In July 1588 the Spanish launched their armada of 130 ships with the intention of invading England. After the failure of the attack storms forced the remaining ships from the Armada north and some tried to return to Spain navigating the north coast of Scotland. One of the galleons, the Florencia, sheltered in Tobermory Bay in October 1588. According to documents she carried pay chests for the Spanish army. On the point of departure from the bay, the ship was damaged by an explosion and sank 275 metres off what is now the New Pier. Attempts to salvage the treasure have been made over the years, though Sacheverell, Governor of the Isle of Man is reported to have recovered most of the lost bullion on the first salvage expedition in 1688.
This is an example of Chinese export porcelain designed to Western taste. This is armorial ware or heraldic china where the ceramic is decorated with a coat of arms. It was very popular among the clan chiefs in the 18th century who ordered their great dinner services, tea services and decorative pieces made to order. These objects reflected the latest in fashion, not just in their decorations but also in their forms, which evolved as trends emerged and 18th-century cuisine developed. This punch bowl is decorated with the arms of John, 2nd Duke of Argyll, who commanded the English army at Sherrifmuir in November 1715. This is just one of many examples of clan export china in our collection.
This decorative dirk is part of a Highland outfit. In addition to the blade there is small knife and fork that fit neatly into the leather scabbard. The handles are carved from wood and decorated with metal studs. The dirk belonged to the Earl of Breadalbane. He wore this dirk in Edinburgh for the visit of George IV (1762 - 1830) in 1822. The visit of George IV was a very special occasion full of pomp and pageantry. It was the first time a reigning British monarch had visited Scotland since Charles II in 1651. The visit was orchestrated by the writer Sir Walter Scott who organised a Highland festival to celebrate the visit of the King. The event was important as it reinvented many Scottish traditions for its Georgian audience, including a passion for all things tartan. This somewhat false image of Highland heritage persists to this day.
This gorgeous dress was made in India, but has connections with the Highlands. It belonged to Barbara Morrison, who had been born in Inverness. She married a William FitzHenry in Jersey in December 1856, a Colour Sergeant with the 60th Regiment of Foot. They travelled to India together where the Regiment was stationed at Bellary Fort between 1867 and 1872. The dress is made from a lightweight cotton fabric and is beautifully embellished with silk embroidery and beetle wings. These wings from the elytra of the jewel beetle have been used for centuries in the highly elaborate embroideries of the far east. The soldiers wives would have commissioned dresses be made in the western fashion as this one is.
This gun by tradition is the Appin murder weapon. The Appin murder took place on 14 May 1752 in the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. It is an infamous and unsolved murder, and the story became the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped. Colin Roy Campbell of Glenure, Argyllshire, also known as The Red Fox was murdered. He was the factor of several estates which had been forfeited from pro-Jacobite clans and had the challenging task of collecting taxes from the defeated clans. James Stewart, also known as James of the Glen, helped Campbell collect rents. On the day of the murder Campbell was collecting taxes. When he was passing the road at Lettermore Wood he was shot with a musket ball and died on the spot. Within two days, James Stewart had been arrested and taken to Inveraray to face trial. No real evidence was presented to prove he had been involved in the murder, and the main witness could only state that he had seen a man with a gun some distance away but was unable to identify who the man was. The presiding judge was the chief of clan Campbell, the Duke of Argyll. The jury of 15 contained 11 Campbells. James Stewart was found guilty of the murder, and sentenced to death. Who actually committed the murder remains a mystery, although Stewart's half-brother, Allan Breck Stewart, was suspected. This gun was given to the museum as the "Gun of Appin”. Legend has it that after the murder it was hidden in a tree then taken to a croft house. Eventually it ended up at Dalness House, Glen Etive. In November 1937 the Earl of Antrim gifted the gun to the West Highland Museum.
This powder horn has been showcased in the gallery because it is so beautifully decorative. The horn has been carved in a deeply incised rose design displaying the rose, the date 1698, and initials R.F. The stopper is made from wood carved to the shape of a thistle. Powder horns were containers used for storing gunpowder They were usually made from cattle horns, and were most commonly used with eighteenth century muskets. The use of nonferrous metal parts and naturally hollow animal horns ensured that the powder would not be detonated by sparks during storage and loading. Even though they were rendered obsolete by the development of breech-loading fire arms, these powder horns went back into production briefly during Victorian times as a fashionable accessory to 'traditional' Highland dress.
This basket hilted broadsword dates from either the late 17th or early 18th century. Basket-hilts were swords with a basket-shaped guard to protect the hand, and were common throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. The most famous of this type in Scotland was the Scottish Claymore. Although this sword is in fairly decayed condition it has been included in the gallery because it has fascinating story behind it. It was found by chance in a cave at the head of Loch Treig called Craig-guanach in 1880 and given to Sir Alfred MacAulay, who gifted it to the museum in 1938. When it was found the bones of a man's arm and hand were found holding the sword. Tradition has it that there was a big clan battle near Craig-guanach and it is possible that a clansman injured in the battle crawled into the cave and died there.
This heavy brass sporran cantle with an incised pattern once belonged to the legendary Highland outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor (1671 - 1734). Tradition has it that this sporran was given to him by a wee girl who brought him food while he was in hiding during his years as an outlaw. MacGregor was a staunch Jacobite, a soldier, businessman, cattle-rustler and outlaw. But, above all he was a folk hero, whose transformation into a larger-than-life figure began with Daniel Defoe's fictionalised biography "Highland Rogue". This was published while Rob Roy's was still alive and led to his Royal Pardon in 1726 that allowed him to live out his final years quietly, literally a legend in his own lifetime.
This trooping helmet belonged to James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose (1612-1650). Montrose was a Scottish nobleman, poet and soldier. He initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed. He has a close association with Lochaber as the second battle of Inverlochy in February 1645 was one of his greatest victories. Marching his men across the frozen foothills around Ben Nevis, Montrose surprised and defeated his enemy.
Said to have been made more than 800 years ago, the Faery bagpipes of Kinlochmoidart, are very special as they are thought to be one of the oldest set of pipes in existence and the first with two holes, adding an extra sounding hole at the end of the chanter. The legend is that the MacIntyre piper made the pipes after he had a dream where a “faery” came to him and told him to ‘Heat up your poker until it’s white hot and pierce the bottom of your chanter side to side and it will make the sweetest sound in Scotland.’ The pipes were said to have been played at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 by MacIntyre, Clanranald's piper. The pipes are supposed to be enchanted and never been played by the losing side of a battle. Only the chanter now survives of the original, the blow-pipe, the drone and the tartan bag date from a later period. An engraved silver plate has also been added to the drone to commemorate the pipe’s importance. When Macintyre's descendant emigrated to America early in the 19th century, the pipes were left in the care of Lieut. Colonel Donald Macdonald of the Royal Scots, 7th of Kinlochmoidart, so that they should not leave the Highlands. They are now on long term loan to the museum. In July 2018 the pipes were played at the Clan MacIntyre clan gathering. This was only the fourth time they had been played in 200 years. The video shows Ruaraidh Petre MacIntyre playing the pipes in Glenoe by Loch Etive, the ancestral lands of MacIntyres.
This pair of late Bronze Age gold pennular armlets were found at Kilmallie, just outside Fort William. The fascinating story behind them relates to their discovery. In 1871 a crofter had a dream that he would find treasure if he dug at a certain spot. He dug at the spot and found these wonderful gold armlets. The crofter presented the armlets to the landowner, Cameron of Lochiel, who in return allowed the crofter to live on his land rent free for life. The armlets are on long term loan to the museum.
This is a rim and shoulder of a late Bronze Age hanging bowl that has been spun from a single piece of bronze. There is one escutcheon with a ring that would have been used for suspending the bowl. Hanging bowls are a bit of a mystery because their intended function has not been established. This bowl was recovered from a kitchen midden at Castle Tioram sometime before 1928.
This beaker was found in a cist in a gravel knoll above the Nether Lochaber Hotel, Corran near Fort William in February 1889. It is very special as it dates to the Beaker period, around 4,000 years ago. The beaker was immersed in water when first found to prevent it disintegrating on exposure to the air. It promptly fell to pieces in the water and had to be reconstructed by the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. It was repaired with plaster of paris. The beaker was presented to Maclean of Ardgour and remained in the MacLean family until it was gifted to the West Highland Museum in 1990.
This prehistoric sword would have been a lethal tool of combat. It is a Bronze Age sword and one of the earliest examples of craftmanship in metal by mankind. It was found at Lochdar, South Uist in 1865. Bronze Age swords appeared from around the 17th century BC, however, this object was likely forged in the final centuries of the 2nd millennium when the swords became common place in Britain. They were replaced by iron swords during the early part of the 1st millennium BC. The sword is part of the Carmichael Collection. Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912) was a pioneering Victorian folklorist who collected extensively throughout the Highlands and Islands. Parts of the Carmichael Collection was gifted to the museum, while his archive is in the care of Edinburgh University.
This Neolithic stone axe was found at Keppoch near Roy Bridge in 1876. It came into the museum’s collection in 1936. Axes were adapted for many uses and vary in size and shape. The axe has been ground and polished, a new technique introduced during the Neolithic period.
This object has been included in the gallery because its purpose is a bit of a mystery. It is believed to be a type of wooden quern made from bog oak. It was found in the Crinan peat bog and is a much sturdier specimen than it would appear. Querns were used from ancient times to grind grain. More usually they are made from stone.
This map shows the estates belonging to Cameron of Lochiel that were forfeited after the 1745 uprising. Lochiel had led Clan Cameron throughout the Jacobite Rising and escaped into exile with Prince Charles Edward Stuart in 1746. Following the defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 some 40 clan chiefs lost their lands in the reprisals that followed. Estates were managed and a committee of lawyers in Edinburgh controlled the profits from the land for “civilizing and improving the Highlands of Scotland, and preventing disorders there for the future.” Although profits were generally invested in the Highlands for planned villages and canals, some money was siphoned off for projects in the south. The Camerons regained their lands in 1784 through an Act of Parliament.
This heavy dirk with a backed blade is made from steel with a wooden hilt decorated with a Celtic knotwork design and brass pins. The dirk is important to the collection because of its connection to Big Duncan Cameron, known in Gaelic as Donnchadh Mor Camshron. At the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 Duncan was anxious to go forward before the battle and was being restrained by his chief, the Gentle Lochiel. Finally, Duncan broke free and charged across the field followed by other Camerons. The dirk was bequeathed to the museum by his great-great-granddaughter.
This blackthorn walking stick is special for its association with the 1745 Rising. Soon after Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788) first arrived on the Scottish mainland he stayed at Kinlochmoidart House before he proceeded to Glenfinnan where he raised the Standard and signalled the start of the 1745 Rising. This walking stick was carried by Donald Macdonald of Kinlochmoidart (born before 1705 – 1746) at the raising of the Standard on 19 August 1745. He was captured during the rising and executed at Carlisle in October 1746.
Royal Stewart sett hard tartan trews with integral 'feet'. Traditional trews were not trousers, but long hose which were worn high up to the waist. These are said to have belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788). The provenance has yet to be fully established, but the trews are believed to date from the 18th century. The trews are special not just because of their connection to the Prince, but because they were one of the earliest objects to come into the museum’s care in 1925. In 2003/4 the trews were loaned to Museo del Tessuto, Prato, Italy for an exhibition.
This is a silver baluster snuff mull with the heraldic arms of Cluny MacPherson set within a foliated scroll formed cartouche. The museum purchased the mull at auction in 2015 specifically for the Jacobite collection. This special object purportedly once belonged to Ewan MacPherson of Cluny the chief of Clan Chattan who led 600 of his clan to fight for the Stuarts in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. After the Rising failed in Spring 1746, the British army burnt Cluny’s house to the ground and he escaped in the Scottish hills living rough, most famously in a small cave known as ‘the cage’ on Ben Alder.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart's waistcoat
A pale green striped silk waistcoat that has been embroidered with rosebuds and silver thread. It is a textile with a fascinating history. The waistcoat once belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788). It was quite common for Charles to gift his personal belongings to supporters as souvenirs. However, the gifting of his personal clothing is fairly unusual and would have only been bestowed upon his most trusted friends and confidants. In this case the provenance of the waistcoat can be traced. Charles gifted this waistcoat to his doctor, Doctor Irwin, before he left Rome in 1744.
Miniatures of Prince Charles Edward Stuart
Three examples of portraits after the engraving by Robert Strange (1721 -1792). Strange’s engraving was based on the Allan Ramsay (1713 – 1784) portrait of Prince Edward Stuart painted in Edinburgh in 1745. Miniatures like these were copied and widely distributed among Jacobite supporters in the 18th century. The museum has a few examples of different variations of the portrait by Strange. The images are important examples of Jacobite material culture.
Portrait of Donald Cameron of Lochiel (1695–1748), ‘The Gentle Lochiel' in a gilt frame. Although this is a copy of a George Chalmers (1720–c.1791) original made 20 years after Lochiel’s death it is an important painting as very few images of the Gentle Lochiel of the 1745 Rising have survived. It is not recorded how the portrait came into the museum’s collection, but it is listed in the catalogue for the West Highland Museum’s 1925 exhibition titled “Prince Charles Edward and the ’45 Campaign” and was possibly gifted to us by Cameron of Lochiel in the 1920s. The Gentle Lochiel played a pivotal role in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. As chief of the powerful Clan Cameron his support for the cause determined whether the campaign could proceed. When the Standard was raised at Glenfinnan in August 1745, Clan Cameron made up two thirds of the Jacobite army. Lochiel led his men throughout the Rising and was injured at the Battle of Culloden on 16 April 1746. He escaped to France with the Prince in 1746 and died in exile in 1748.
This is a very fine portrait of Clementina Walkinshaw (1720–1802), by renowned Scottish artist Allan Ramsay (1713 – 1784). Clementina became the mistress of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788) in Scotland during the 1745 Rising. They first met in 1746 when Clementina was living with her Uncle at Bannockburn. She was reunited with him in Ghent in 1752 where they rekindled their relationship. In October 1753 Clementina gave birth to Charles’ only daughter, Charlotte. The relationship lasted until 1760 when Clementina and Charlotte fled to a convent, to escape Charles’ increasingly violent and drunken behaviour. Allan Ramsay was the most accomplished Scottish portrait painter of the 18th century and was appointed to the position of King’s painter by George III. In October 1745 he was invited to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh where produced the only portrait of Prince Charles Edward Stuart known to have been painted in Scotland. The portrait was used as a blueprint for painted and engraved versions, which were employed to promote the Jacobite cause. Examples of miniatures made from the Robert Strange engraving are showcased in this gallery.
This unimposing curved stool made from a tree root has a fascinating history. A label attached to the object states “Stool on which Prince Charlie sat when in hiding in Uist after Culloden.” It was given to the pioneering Victorian folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912) by Rachel MacDonald, the great granddaughter of Morag MacDonald. Legend has it that three sisters living on a croft on Uist provided food to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788) one evening when his party passed through the area when they were on the run from Hanoverian troops in 1746. When the sisters realised who their visitor was, they quarrelled as to whom should keep the stool. Morag won the fight and the stool became a treasured family heirloom, until it was gifted to Alexander Carmichael. Part of the Carmichael Collection is now in the museum’s care, while his archive is in the care of Edinburgh University.
A large round boulder with a hole bored partially through it. This is a stone with an iconic history. It was originally from Glenfinnan and by tradition is thought to have been used to support the Standard of Prince Charles Edward Stuart when it was raised in August 1745 to signal the beginning of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. The stone remained in situ at Glenfinnan until 1989 when it disappeared from a knoll near the Glenfinnan Monument. It was discovered in an English rockery in 2009 following a BBC programme. The stone is in the care of the museum until a suitable home can be found for it at Glenfinnan.
A prayer book titled “A Manual for A Christian”. The prayer book was rebound in the 19th century when the inner and outer case were added. Sadly, no publication information survived this process. The book was gifted to the museum in 2018. It is special because it was said to have been presented by Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788) to the donor’s ancestor on the battlefield at Culloden just before the final conflict of the 1745 Rising. The book has been passed down through the family with each generation documenting its provenance. Inside the cover reads “This book was presented by Prince Charles Stuart to Capt. James MacDonnell of Glengarry. It was transferred by him to his sister Lady Glenbuckett, and afterwards became the property of her son, James Cha.s Gordon.” A letter further supporting the provenance was gifted with the prayer book.
A beautifully carved powder horn with a detailed Celtic design. Powder horns were generally made from horn and used to store gunpowder. This particular object is of great importance as by tradition it belonged to the Gaelic poet, Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair (1700 – 1780). Alasdair lived in Moidart, was the Clan Ranald Bard, and wrote pro-Jacobite poetry. He was among the first to enlist in the 1745 Rising, joining the cause when the Standard was raised at Glenfinnan. He served as a Captain in Clan Ranald’s Regiment throughout the conflict and became Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s (1720 - 1788) Gaelic tutor. He fought at the Battle of Culloden and after the failure of the Rising he went into hiding with his family until 1747.
West Highland Museum exhibition catalogue
A catalogue for the 1925 West Highland Museum’s exhibition titled “Prince Charles Edward and the ’45 Campaign”. The West Highland Museum was founded in 1922 by a group of local history enthusiasts under the guidance of museum founder, Victor Hodgson. The museum did not have a permanent building until 1926, but ran a series of summer exhibitions as it started its fledgling collection. The 1925 exhibition was the museum’s first major exhibition and significant loans and acquisitions were obtained to make the event possible. This book illustrates how the Jacobites have been at the core of the museum’s collections policy since its inception. This copy of the catalogue belonged to one Duncan Grant and tucked inside is a letter from our founder Victor Hodgson thanking him for sending the packages which arrived safely “which are lying in the bank safe until we arrange the Exhibition”.
A two-sided chair with an embroidered velvet seat said to have been used by Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788). The embroidered inscription reads “August 23 1745 Prince Charles Edward stayed the first night of his march to Inverness with John and Jean Cameron at Fassiefern by Kinlochiel”. Three white feathers in a crown and a white rose are embroidered.
A tooth mounted in a hand-carved ivory frame. The tooth is said to have belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720 - 1788). It is very rare and thought to be the only known example of a tooth from the Prince in any museum collection. The tooth is barely worn and would suggest it was probably removed from him as a child. It was gifted to the museum by the Fairfax-Lucy’s of Callart House in 1975.
Tortoiseshell framed spectacles with a leather case said to have belonged to Lord Lovat. Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, (1667 – 1747) was chief of clan Fraser, and a Jacobite nicknamed the ‘Old Fox’ for his double-dealings, violent feuds and changes of allegiance. Lovat was convicted of treason for his part in the 1745 Jacobite Rising and was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. His punishment was commuted to beheading and on 9 April 1747 he was the last person to be publicly executed on Tower Hill, London. Such a crowd gathered for his execution that a stand holding spectators collapsed and killed nine people. Lovat was so amused by the incident that legend has it that this is where the origin of the phrase “laughing your head off” comes from.
A fine example of a mid-18th century drinking glass with an air twist stem, engraved with Jacobite symbols. Drinking toasts to the exiled Stuart dynasty was an important part of Jacobite secret culture. Jacobites would often pass their glass over a water bowl to toast their “King across the water”. Another popular toast was “to the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat,” which was a reference to William of Orange’s horse tripping over a mole hill. The fall caused him to break his collar bone and he subsequently died when he contracted pneumonia. The Jacobite symbols engraved on this glass are typical. The six-pointed star represents royalty. A rose signifies James VIII (II of England, 1688 - 1766) and buds represent Prince Charles Edward (1720 - 1788) and his younger brother, Prince Henry Benedict (1725 – 1807). The motto “Fiat” translates as “Let it be” as in let it be a Stuart restoration to the throne.