Issue No. 27 Oct. 2009 Perth Tolbooth, where Jacobites were imprisoned after the ’ 45 CONTENTS Page Notes from the Chair and Archive News 2 Perthshire in the ’45 Jacobite Rising 5 Was the Stone of Scone Quarried here? 11 May I introduce 13 A Coming Dark Age for Archives? 15 ...and how PKC might cope 19 Picture courtesy of AK Bell Library Local Studies Section Chairman’s Notes 2009 is still proving to be a busy and interesting year for the Friends. We have enjoyed some memorable talks this year: from Andrew Nicoll, Archivist of the Scottish Catholic Archive (SCA) about the documents in his care; from Andrew Driver about Buildings at Risk in Perthshire with many beautiful photographs, some showing "before and after" scenes; from Tommy Smyth (Archivist at Balhousie Castle) on the History of the Black Watch ; and last, but not least, Rhoda Fothergill's pair of superb and beauti- fully-illustrated talks, on Perth in the 1920s and Perth in the 1930s. As I write, the Friends' summer outing to the SCA (inspired by Andrew Nicoll's talk) and the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) is still fresh in the memo- ries of those of us fortunate enough to participate. We received a very warm welcome from both Archives and, certainly in my case, learned a great deal about them. It was, for exam- ple, news to me that servicemen in the First World War often wrote their wills on whatever scrap of paper (or cigarette packet!) they could find, and that the wills of those who died on active service are kept in the NAS. By the way, members who hold older (green) NAS reader cards should take passport- sized photographs with them on their next visit to the NAS in order to receive an updated photocard. The Alyth Oral History Project is progressing, but not quickly. Having had training and practiced with a pilot interview, we are hoping to arrange further interviews about wartime Alyth in the near future. One of our life members, Dr David Munro Robertson, is finalising a book on the life and work of the minor, but very prolific, Perthshire artist Andrew Scott Rankin (1868-1942) The Archive provided a great deal of relevant in- formation from the valuation rolls. David hopes to publish his book next year. Another project which delves into the archives is Bridging Perthshire's 2 Past, a three-year project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Its main object is to preserve what is left of the of the network of roads and bridges built by General Wade and Major Caulfield in the 18th century, partly as a re- sponse to the Jacobite uprisings. Our Archive contains a large collection of relevant documents, which will be put onto a database to make them more ac- cessible. It is hoped that senior schoolchildren will be inspired to look up documents about the roads and bridges and their role in this important pe- riod in British history. Lindsay Farquharson of the Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust, the archaeologist in charge of the project, has agreed to give a talk to the Friends next year about her work. Finally, I hope you like the new, pocket-size Newsletter. It’s handier to use, and it costs less to print and post. However, we’ve kept the same large print that we know many readers like. Margaret Borland –Stroyan, Chairman Archive News There’s not been any brand new initiatives since the last issue, but ‘Artist in the Archives’ Kyra Cleggs ’s artwork is coming on apace, and is guaranteed to show the Archive in a whole new light when it’s ready at the end of this year. We’re also expecting our Pres- ervation Report to land on our desks any day; this will help us decide which collections need extra care and how, although we’ve already begun replacing unsuit- able and worn-out enclosures with brand new archi- val quality ones. We’ve also bought some chemical sponges to help us clean the dirtier documents. Be warned, we’re looking for volunteers to help us clean and re-package... Talking of volunteers, Vera Purves, who after too many years to remember, has finished her stint transferring the Perth burial registers onto the data- base.3 Like all our volunteers, Vera has shown outstanding dedication in mak- ing our collections more accessible, and our special thanks go to her. If you’re looking for another project, Vera, there’s a chemical sponge with your name on it… I’m very excited about the burials project, for I can see the light at the end of the tunnel – just half of one volume to go and then we’ll be complete! I think we’ll have to have a party to celebrate. The online database of the Burial Regis- ters, along with those of the Perthshire Militia, are proving to be very popular features of the Archive’s web site – our statistics consistently show that the da- tabases are being extensively used, and we’re starting to get comments from users such as ....Moran taing, many thanks for the indices you've posted online. They are a great help to family historians and AK Bell is far ahead of many other local archives in terms of making such records available online. Much appreci- ated.... Finally, we’ve reorganized our time slightly so that each week we now have days dedicated to cataloguing the collections. Recently arranged and listed col- lections include MS288 The Historic Orchards of the Carse of Gowrie, 2009, which is the results of a survey of the historic orchards of the Carse of Gowrie commissioned by Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust. MS293 42 Townhead, Auchterarder, 1749-2004 is on the face of it, simply a bundle of property legal papers , but actually hint at an intriguing story of the families associated with the buildings. We’ve also completed listing two church collec- tions: MS294 Balbeggie and Collace United Free Church, 1907-1990 which records the ups and down of the church and its community and MS219 St Andrews Episcopal Church, Strathtay, 1856-1970 (note that because of Data Protection rules, both of these will have some access restrictions). Jan Merchant Friends of PKC Archive, AK Bell Library, York Place, PERTH PH2 8EP Scottish Charity No. SCO31537. Tel:(01738) 477013 Email: [email protected]. Hon. Presidents; The Provost : Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie : Mr Donald Abbott 4 Editor: David Wilson Perthshire and the ‘45 It never ceases to amaze me that a rabble of highlanders could march from Badenoch and points north all the way south to Derby in England—a foreign country, speaking a foreign language for many of them—then turn around and march all the way back to Culloden near Inverness and fight the last ma- jor battle on British soil. What was the motivation? Why did the peasants and crofters leave their homes and families from which most of them had never been further than the local market? A study of the Jacobite papers pertaining to Perth and Perthshire in the Perth & Kinross Archive gives us some indication, because Highland Perthshire was fairly heavily involved in the rebellion. Most Jacobite lairds were Episcopalians, and although the people themselves were mainly Pres- byterian, the lairds had power over their tenants, as will become evident. Many of the Perthshire lairds and aristocracy rose to support the Prince and raised regiments from their often unwilling tenants. Blair Castle in 1736; Sketch by a nephew of the Duchess of Atholl; from ’ J acobite General ’ 5 The Young Pretender’s visit to Perth was brief and to a large extent unevent- ful. He arrived at Blair Castle on 31st August 1745 with his ‘ragged army of highlanders’ and was welcomed by Duke William the elder, (disinherited) brother of James, Duke of Atholl, who was a government supporter and had fled to London. The people flocked to see him at Blair,as they did when the Pretender arrived in Perth on 3rd September after staying one night at Dunkeld. He brought a few Atholl men, but Duke William was left at Blair to gather more recruits. Prince Charles remained eight days in Perth gathering support from some of the local lairds such as Oliphant of Gask, the Duke of Perth and Lord Strathallan. The Prince stayed in Perth in the town house of Viscount Stormont - a Jacobite at heart like the rest of the family, but who wisely did not risk his life or property by actively supporting the cause (this house was on the site of the present Royal Bank of Scotland at the foot of the High Street). The Prince had only one guinea in his pocket on his arrival in Perth, having Prince Charles as a young man 6 Picture courtesy of SCRAN paid for the army on his way south out of his own finances, and consequently- his eight days in Perth were occupied in raising money from the area by force if necessary, and training and equipping the army. The magistrates had fled on the Prince's arrival but the Provost was held to a £500 ransom from the un- willing citizens and only released at Gask on the way south. Otherwise, during the stay in Perth both the Prince and his army behaved with the utmost cour- tesy. It is recorded that the Prince attended a ball given by the gentlewomen of Perth in his honour, but to their disappointment he left after one dance in or- der to attend to his sentries, so conscientiously did he take his responsibilities.