Aberfeldy Museum

11 hours ago

Many thanks again to Alan Fisher for this first photograph of Nicol & Wood Garage, Bank Street, Aberfeldy. "Official Repairers to the Scottish Automobile Club, Motor Union, and Automobile Association." Nicol & Wood appears to have operated from about 1910 to 1914 but possibly earlier.

The second photograph, from the book by Jack Rees "Never an Old Tin Hut" was taken in 1923, Aberfeldy Golf Club Captain, William Lindsay Wood Junior, on the right.

William Lindsay Wood was born on the 7th of May, 1884 at Craigtuil Villa, Taybridge Road, Aberfeldy. Son of William Lindsay Wood Senior, an Edinburgh Banker who retired to St. Margaret's, Taybridge Road, Aberfeldy about 1882, and Margaret Hamilton Wood née Marshall. Mr William L Wood senior, a generous public benefactor, who is recognized as the 'Father of Aberfeldy Golf Club' and captain of the club from1895 to 1900. Young William spent his early years at Salters Hill School Lambeth, London, and by 1901 at the age of 16, was a 13 Blantyne Terrace Morningside Edinburgh, a pupil at Merchiston Castle School. On the 24th of January, 1910, he married Mary L W Sclater at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Aberfeldy. It seems William was a businessman and invested in the Nicol & Wood project; he was also a motor engineer and an enthusiastic motorist. By 1913 he was living in The Square, Aberfeldy. Like his father, he was also a very good golfer and great supporter of Aberfeldy Golf Club, being captain of the club from 1911 to 1922, and secretary of the club from 1920 to 1929. He died on the 16th of June, 1976 at the age of 92, and is buried in Aberfeldy Cemetery.

His business partner, Chalmers Nicol, was born on the 22nd of November, 1883, his father, Alexander, the proprieter of the Breadalbane Arms Hotel, Aberfeldy. An intelligent boy he developed an interest in mechanical things and studied electrical engineering in London. A keen cricketer he was a member of Aberfeldy Cricket Club, and like William Wood, an enthusiastic motorist. It may have been this passion for cars that led to their partnership. The business seems to have ceased trading about 1914. No surprise this, as Chalmers Nicol enlisted in the Scottish Horse. Lance-Corporal Nicol then Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on the 10 of July, 1915 and promoted to full Lieutenant, before being transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps rising to the rank of Major. He probably saw service at Gallipoli, and definitely served at Salonika. On the 18th of December, 1919, he married Doctor Mary Dorothea Murray, at the British Embassy Chapel, Constantinople; Dorothea, herself having a distinguished career serving throughout the Great War at Malta, Salonika, and Egypt. By 1939, Chalmers Nicol was Managing Director/Engineer of a Reinforced Concrete Company in Wandsworth. He died on the 20th of September, 1947, at the White Hart Hotel, Witley, Surrey.

As yet have not found a photograph of Chalmers Nicol; if anyone knows of such a photograph, please get in touch. (Mike) ... See MoreSee Less

Aberfeldy Museum

3 days ago

Many thanks again to Alan Fisher for this excellent photograph of John MacGregor's Butcher shop at № 12 Bank Street. Unfortunately we have no names. Perhaps that is John MacGregor himself on the right, but we do not know. The shop was established in 1867. He was a well-known figure in the town He was of a quiet and somewhat retiring disposition, a sound business man, and held in high esteem by all who knew him. He was an elder in Aberfeldy Free Church, and took a very warm interest in the church's welfare. He retired to Hill view Aberfeldy, and in November of 1915, he underwent an operation and was understood to be making satisfactory progress towards recovery, but passed away on the 1st of December, 1915, at a nursing home at 18 Blythswood Square, Glasgow, the age of 77. His business, and that of the one at Kinloch Rannoch were taken over by Mr James Elmslie. (Mike)

Post edited 20:46, 24/5/2020, correction from "№ 12 Dunkeld Street" to "№ 12 Bank Street" with thanks to David McaDougall for the correction) ... See MoreSee Less

Aberfeldy Museum

5 days ago

One of Archie McLaren's beautiful photographs of sunset at Kenmore. The view no doubt the very same one King Donald looked upon 1,375 years ago as he set off to fish in 'Lochtaie' in 647 A.D. (Think it was actually 645 A.D.). The story is related in the Holinshead Chronicles, both versions of which are now available online, courtesy of the Holinshead Project.

"Then was the kingdome of Northumberland given unto Oswald brother to Eufred, both in respect of the right which he had thereto, and also of the zeale which he bare to the aduancement of Christes religion, shewing himselfe in consideration thereof, an earnest enimie to his brother Eufred, and all his partakers, in so much that in the day of the battell, he was one of the forwardest capteins against them. Unto this Oswald was sent a Scotishman called Corman, to instruct the Northumberland men in faith, and after him Aidan, as in the English his [...]orie ye may read more at large: finallie he was slaine by Penda king of Mercia, as in the same historie appeareth. His death chanced in the third yeare of 12. H. B. Donwald the Scotish king, who sore lamented the same, as of that prince whome he loued right intire|lie. Neither liued the said king Donwald anie long time after the death of his deere friend; for that in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne, being got into a bote to fish in the water called Lochtaie for his recreation, his chance was to be drowned, by reason the bote sanke under him. Certeine daies after his bodie being found and taken up was buried amongst his ancestors in Colmekill, in the yeare of our Lord 647."

Also attached Links to Kenmore Photography and The Holinshead Chronicles. (Mike)

kenmorephotography.exposure.co/kenmore-photography

english.nsms.ox.ac.uk/holinshed/texts.php?text1=1587_1145 ... See MoreSee Less

Aberfeldy Museum

6 days ago

The first photograph looking north towards Weem Rock, the second, Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, the third, a postcard we have featured before showing azaleas and rhododendrons on top of Weem Rock. William McLauchlan was born in Chapel Street, Aberfeldy, on the 4th of October, 1886. A Gallipoli veteran, he likened the rugged terrain of the Gallipoli landing site to "Weem Rock". In 1901, he was a 14 year old tailor's apprentice, boarding with the McLaren family at Willow Bank, Aberfeldy. He embarked for Melbourne, Australia, on the 24th of July, 1912, aboard the Steamship "Narrung" On the outbreak of the First World War, William was young, fit and bigger than average for this era (5 ft 9" and 11 stone) enlisting early (19/8/1914), as Private 113 of the 5th Battalion,of the Australian Imperial Force. On the 25th of April, 1915, Lance-Sergeant William McLauchlan landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula at Anzac Cove, his battalion, the 5th, part of the 2nd Australian Infantry Brigade, in the second wave. They landed under shrapnel fire from the Turks who were by this time (about 6.00 a.m.), fully awake to the hostile landing. Confusion reigned and the 5th Battalion became seriously disorganized. Heading east during the morning in the general direction of battle, up a ridge nicknamed 'The Razorback' to a crest about 900 metres inland (minus three platoons and the headquarters of ‘C’ Company and all of ‘D’ Company) Under continuous shrapnel and machine-gun fire the survivors reached a position known as 400 Plateau and were then brought back to Bolton's Ridge. He survived the first day of battle only to be badly wounded the next day by shrapnel. After convalescing at Alexandriia Government Hospital, Egypt, he arrived back in England on the 13th of July, 1915, and eventually discharged to duty on the 15th of March, 1916. He spent the rest of the war as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class in the RFC/RAF and returned to Melbourne on the on the 27th of January 1919, before finally being discharged on the 28th of March, 1919. Not much known about him after this, not sure if he ever returned to Aberfeldy. Think he died about 1967 in Australia.

He wrote about his experiences that day in a letter to a friend in Aberfeldy which was published in the Strathearn Herald on Saturday, the 19th of June, 1915.

"I supose you will have seen about our fighting in the Dardanelles. Well, let me say it was a grand sight, and one I never want to see again. But our boys did grand! We landed in small boats from our transport early on Sunday morning, under a heavy shrapnel fire. Many of our chums were killed before we left the boats. We had to jump up to our necks in water with our full equipment on but we simply dropped our packs, fixed bayonets, and went right into the Turks. The hill we had to climb was something like Weem Rock, only there are no trees, but only scrub about four feet in height. The fighting was so severe that when we reached the top we had not an officer left in my company. We were going forward 'on our own.' I had only four men left in my section when night came. We managed to dig ourselves in, but the shrapnel was awful, and we had no guns to reply to their shrapnel. We lay there all Sunday night, and the Turks attacked us again, but they got all they wanted in about fifteen minutes. Thirty of us charged about 200 of them, and they ran like the devil. We advanced again on Monday about three o'clock, and I went on till I got my wound, a shrapnel wound in the hip. I am lying in Alexandria Government Hospital."

It's always interesting to look at records available now to see how the letters written home fit with the facts. Every word of McLauchlan's testimony rings true, even up to the times given for the advance on the 26th (Mike)

The war diary of the 5th Battalion is sparse and does not cover the 25th April, however, the 2nd Brigade Diary gives more information and have provided a link. Also a link to an excellent 3D animation history of the First Day at Gallipoli, from ABC; this gives a very good account of the day and helps visualize the complex and confusing landscape of the battlefield.

www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1346454?image=2

www.abc.net.au/ww1-anzac/gallipoli/story-of-the-day/index.html ... See MoreSee Less

Aberfeldy Museum

6 days ago

How Aberfeldy changed over the years. The Crown Hotel building in Bank Street (tommy) ... See MoreSee Less