Robert the Bruce died in 1329 and Edward III of England conspired with Edward Balliol to seize the Scottish crown. [Find out about Robert the Bruce with these great You Tube videos by Bruce Fummey: https://youtu.be/4JlTIqn7Tb8– https://youtu.be/P_RmyYh3s1I -https://youtu.be/sOfmvks7jI4 Together with several barons intent on regaining lost Scottish estates, Edward Balliol […]
Edward Braddock (1695-1755) was been born in Perthshire. He signed up for the Coldstream Guards in 1710, became a Major-General in 1754 and by 1755 was given command against the French in America. He had previously served in France with Admiral Lesstocks’ expedition to L’Orient (1746) and in the Netherlands under […]
Born in Logierait, Perthshire. First Liberal Prime Minister of Canada in 1873 and the country’s second Prime Minister. A stonemason by trade (“His mark can continue to be seen in the buildings he helped erect working as a stonemason. Some of which include: the Welland Canal, Martello Towers at Fort […]
Vernon ‘Woody’ Woodward, one of Canada’s top fighter aces of World War Two, learnt to fly at Perth Aerodrome. As a British Columbian from Victoria, born 22 December 1916, Woodward was able to join the Royal Air Force (20 August 1938) as an Acting Pilot Officer. His elementary flying lessons […]
Mary Brooksbank (Soutar) (1897-1978) was born 15 December 1897 in Aberdeen. Her father, Alexander Soutar (1867-1953) had help to found the Aberdeen Dockers’ Union. By 1907 the Soutars were in Dundee but living in poverty. Mary’s youngest brother died of diphtheria during this time and she was often taken out […]
Hugh MacDiarmid ~ poet and political activist (Scottish nationalist and communist) – was born Christopher Murray Grieve, in the Scottish Borders town of Langholm in 1892. His father was a postman and the family lived above the town library, so, from childhood, Grieve (or MacDiarmid as he became known from […]
From 1617-21 the old bridge at Perth crossed the River Tay at the foot of the High Street. It is described as an “uneven bow brig”. It was designed and built by John Mylne Master Mason to James VI of Scotland. He was the lineal descendent of John Mylne, Master Mason […]
Charles Frederick Hempel ~ organist and composer born at Truro, Cornwall – September 1811. Raised in a musical family he became a music teacher at Truro. His song-writing career began in 1847 with Heave one sigh for me at parting – dedicated to the Countess of Falmouth. As well as songs he wrote […]
James Calder – distiller – born 28 December 1869 at Alloa to a family of brewers. He was educated at Perth Academy and later St Benedict’s College, Fort Augustus. In 1886 joined his father’s business and three years later became manager of the Bo’ness distillery. As a brewer/distiller, Calder put his […]
Christopher William Graham Guest – Judge – was born on 7 November 1901. During his legal career he attained the positions of Privy Counsellor (1961), Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (20 January 1961) and was made Baron Guest, of Graden in the County of Berwick at the same time. He died […]