Art Treasures of Kinloch Castle: June 2024

KILMORY GRAVEYARD

Written from first-hand, on-going research and illustrated from his personal photographic
archive by George W. Randall, co-founder in July 1996 and former
Vice Chairman of Kinloch Castle Friends’ Association.

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For seven years, from 1879, John Bullough,

Sir George's father, rented the 26,400 acre island of Rum for sport ... ...

in 1886 he succeeded in buying the island which he bequeathed to his eldest son, George, in his Will following his death on 25 February 1891 aged fifty-two.

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HEARTBREAKING

HEADSTONE TO SIX MATHESON CHILDREN.

TWO STANDING HEADSTONES AT KILMORY

To the Memory of

Catharine Henderson, wife of Rhum Manager, Walter Cowan,

and Rebecca, John, Christina Ann, Murdoch, William John and Archibald Duncan,

six of Murdo and Christina Matheson's Children.

To the left of the Matheson and Henderson (extreme right) headstones.

Six of Murdo and Christina (nee Elliot) Matheson's twelve children are buried here.

The Matheson Headstone, Kilmory Graveyard.

OBITUARY TO ROBERT ELLIOT MATHESON 1859 - 1919

son of Murdo and Christina Matheson.

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View up Kilmory Glen from the sea with Kilmory River.

RIGHT: Murdo Matheson's headstone to his children. -

LEFT: Headstone to Catharine Henderson died 18 May 1843.

All around are the remains of some of the sixteen former dwellings at Kilmory.

Steerage cabins were communal, cramped and comprised two-tiered bunks,

the only privacy provided by a curtain hung down the middle.

Married couples and their children shared a large cabin amidships.

The six Matheson children on the voyage were:

Dougald aged twenty-three, later married Mary Euphemia Hyndman in 1897;

James Elliott aged twenty one, later married Agnes Euphemia Elliott

and had one son and one daughter;

Matthew Elliott aged eighteen, never married;

Robert Elliott aged sixteen, later married Mary Alexandra Johnstone in 1897;

Alexander McKenzie aged twelve, died aged ninety-three,

buried Middle March Cemetery, Otago.

and Jessie Margaret Rebecca shortly after arriving in New Zealand

October 1875, aged three years.

The five surviving children were all sons and lived long into adulthood.

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LAKE MATHESON

Numerous roads in New Zealand bear the Matheson name.

MEMORIAL TO

Dougald born 1852 died 1931 Age 78 in Otago, New Zealand.

son of Murdo and Christina Matheson.

Reference work:

Shepherd's Progress - Elliotts in Central Otago by Janet Thomson Published by Ngaio Press, Wellington, 2008.

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THE AUTHOR OF THIS BLOG GEORGE W. RANDALL:

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HEADSTONE TO

CATHARINE HENDERSON

BORN 1794 - DIED 1843.

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Alexander 16^th Laird of Coll handed over the Maclean Estate to his forty-six year old son Hugh in 1828. Alexander left Coll and went to live at Quinish, Isle of Mull, part of Maclean owned land. He died on Friday, 10 April 1835 at Quinish.

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Could this be a McQuarrie family member?

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THE BABY'S GRAVE

(The burial of an ancient Clan Chief's daughter.)

COAT OF ARMS OF CLA N MACLEAN

But life on Rum, like so much of tenanted Scotland, was a hand to mouth existence, so much so that for many years the families had been unable to pay any rent.

Vast areas of formerly peopled land became land without people,

covered in thousands of sheep!

Blackhouse on Isle of Rum. (Archive photograph.)

Peat was burnt in Kinloch Castle's Great Hall fireplace as

"Lady Bullough liked the smell . . . it was traditional."

It could only be cut to the depth of two spades and was "a very midgy task ... ..."

Coal was brought to the island for use by castle staff and in estate worker's homes.

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To view the paintings of Byron Cooper in Kinloch Castle click on the link below:
http://kinlochcastle.blogspot.com/2021/06/

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