"actual reall and legal Interuption by throwing down the haill shielings and bothies........and likewise protested that they should at no time thereafter presume to sheal, build bothies or anyways possess the said ground under the penalty of being liable to his Grace Duke of Gordon for Intrusion molestation oppression and wrongous possession and for all costs skaith and damage that he shall sustain thereupon".

"John Riach of Tomachlaggan who was present at the 1726 protest says that McHardie, a Donside man, said he was building by order of James Farquharson of Balmoral, Doer and Ballie to Lord Grange"

He is hurt by "the riotus manner in which Robert Farquharson of Achriachan and Farquharson of Camdell with some others in Strathavon threw the sheals to the ground cutting their timber in pieces and when challenged had the assurance to affirm that they acted by your Graces warrant.........

But perhaps 'twill take some time for examining into and finishing of this matter, and we are advised by our factor in the north that now is the season of building shealings and that our tenants in Corgarff must presently sett the working of them otherwise must suffer greatly: and therfor I humbly beg of Your Grace that you'll take no offence or umbrage at rebuilding of their sheallings or suffer people to make resistance and I hereby oblige myselfe, that if upon trial and in the event it be found their sheallings are built without their own bounds and upon your Grace's property that they shall not only be pulled down but all damages shall be repaired.

"Since my Lord Dun and my Lord Grange have been very friendly anent the debate......and that Glenbucket and Overhall have been upon the place visiting the marches who have agreed that the Faeviat be a Commonity for my people of Strathavin and the people of Curgarff for pasturing their own cattle excluding all grazings of other people's cattle whatsoever, which you are to see performed as also you are to see the Curgarff sheals and hutts removed from the place where they now are to the place where Glenbucket and Overhall shall apoint by a writt under both their hands there to remain in all time coming......and you are to cause insert the same in the Court Books of Strathavin for eviting all debates afterwards."

"Give to John Gordon of Glenbucket an order upon demand wood to the value of 30 shillings sterling made out of any place where Minmore and ye think most proper."

XII Where the farm or possession which a Tenant occupies, has the right of pasturage in any of the glens or hills belonging to this Estate, in common with other Proprietors, he shall make a point of sending his black cattle, sheep, and horses every year, to use the privilige, and preserve the right-shealing, for at least a week each summer, in the place appropriated for the purpose. And in all cases where the tenants of the Estate have right of pasturage, in common with each other, it shall be understood as in proportion to the rent which each pays.

IV He prohibits the Tenants from all concern, directly or indirectly, in illicit malting and distillation, or the selling of spirits, also, from muirburning, or kindling heath muirs, on any part of the Estate; and not only from poaching, or killing game themselves, but from harbouring or giving entertainment or lodging to those engaged, or suspected to be engaged, in such practises. And he declares, that a breach of this prohibition, in any particular, proved by oath of one or more credible witnesses, shall infer an immediate forfeiture of the lease, which shall follow to a Tenant, if any unlicensed malt barn or whisky bothie shall be found upon the land he holds, or over which he has right to pasture. It being conditioned, in the case of muirburning, that, where evidence is wanting to convict any other, the Tenant or Tenants next adjoining the ground, or having right to the pasturage thereof, shall be deemed the guilty person or persons, and held answerable for the consequences. The Tenants are further prohibited from casting muck feal, or divots, (except on leave specially asked and obtained), under the penalty of five pounds sterling for every trespass, beside the actual damage.

It is Sir Charles orders that I send a printed copy to each of his tenants in the Lands of New etc. He has orders to let them know that he wishes them to drop smuggling entirely.

Whitehall, November 3rd 1826.

Whereas it hath been humbly represented unto the KING, that early on the morning of Monday, the 17th day of July last, a legal Distillery at Corgarff Castle, in the parish of Strathdon, in the Highlands of Aberdeenshire, was wilfully set on fire and destroyed.
His MAJESTY , for the better of apprehending and bringing to justice the persons concerned in the Felony above mentioned, is hereby pleased to promise His most gracious Pardon to any one of them (except the Person who actually set Fire to the said premises) who shall discover his Accomplice or Accomplices therein, so that He, She, or They, may be apprehended and convicted therof.

Signed Robert Peel
Excise Office, Edinburgh 7th November 1826

And as for further encouragement, a Reward of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS Is hereby offered to any person (except as aforesaid) who shall discover the said Offender or Offenders, so that He, She or They, may be apprehended and convicted of the said offence. The said Reward to be paid on Conviction by the Commissioners of His Majesty's Excise

Geo. Pape, sec.

Appendix. Extracts from the original lists of the Names of Tenants and Inhabitants of Skellater, Corgarff and New, who came to Sir Charles Forbes, Bart. at Edinglassie in October and November 1825.

Downie, Margaret, widow of John M^cHardy of Easter Corryhoul rents a farm at £13 a year, she has nine children and wishes to be continued tenant, she has brewed whisky and has several times been fined. Agreed.

When the officials eventually reached the burnside where the still was reputed to be, they met a man coming off the hill, well intoxicated, with a cartload of peats. Needless to say the still had been dismantled and was safe inside the load of peats. The Gaugers were late again."

[Note: The railway arrived in Ballater in 1866, were we still brewing in defiance of the landlord ?]

"Much of the whisky made it's way on pack ponies via Glen Muick, down the Angus glens to Dundee. Hence the number of M^cHardys in Angus and in Dundee."

"Once the Guagers came upon a M^cHardy still with the chimney smoking. They were discussing the strategy for approaching the place when an old wifie came out and bared her backside in their direction. The Gaugers decided to withdraw".

"One M^cHardy was Corrie Handed (left handed), and consequently usually won the fight when in battle with the Gaugers".

Messrs Haynes and Thompson, Officers of the Inland Revenue, and their cuttersmen, met, by order of their superiors, on the 27th ult, for the purpose of making a search of the glens of Corgarff. After searching some of the houses, and a kiln in the neighbourhood, they were satisfied that, by a false key, the last named place had been nocturnally and unwarrantably entered, for the purpose of drying malt illicitly made. The officers betook themselves to the hills, and after emerging from a wood near Cock Bridge, they espied up a hill, a malt bothy, and an examination found it to contain a considerable quantity of grain making into malt, and ready for the kiln. With some difficulty in procured a cart, and succeeded in removing it to a public kiln about 3 miles distant, watching it during the night to prevent any attempts being made by the smugglers to regain it. In the morning after, after the operation of drying, it measured upwards of 17 bushels. On the same day they destroyed by fire, two distilling bothies, which had recently been used for illicit distillation. "It would appear", says our correspondent, "that nothing short of abstract poverty will prevent the inhabitants of the district in question from persisiting in such dangerous and demoralizing pursuits".

 

p.17 Committee of Management

Mr. C. M^cHardy, Candacraig

 

Judges - Light Competitions

Mr. A. M^cHardy, Candacraig

p.30 The Athletics

In th early days of the games the sports were confined to members of the [Lonach] society, and a race of M^cHardys, who then distinguished themselves, are still remembered. Sir Charles Forbes used to say that on one occasion he sent to Montrose something like "38 feet of M^cHardys.". There were six of them - James from Ordachoy; John, from Dedunan; William, from Burnside; Alexander from Haughton; and two brothers Alistair and Charles, from Newe - all were over six feet in height. The last of the six died in 1905.

Alexander and Jimmy M^cHardy at Lonach 1936

 

Committee of Management

Mr. C. M^cHardy, Candacraig

 

Judges - Bagpipe Music

Mr. Jas. M^cHardy, Whitehouse

 

Judges - Light Competitions

Mr. A. M^cHardy, Candacraig

p.32 Queen Victoria's "Little Jimmy."

Perhaps one of the most interesting personalities in the valley of the Don is Mr. James M^cHardy, Whitehouse, Alford - who was piper-valet to Queen Victoria from 1877 to 1882, and who for three years was also piper and valet to Sir Charles Forbes at Castle Newe.

Possessing about fifty medals and two cups, all won in piping contests, Mr. M^cHardy told me that there are more good pipers nowadays, but that the cream was no better than it was when he was a young man competing at the various gatherings in Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Inverness-shire. Referring to the various games, Mr. M^cHardy contended that the biggest crowds and best pipers were found at the Highland Games which were held at the Aberdeen University grounds about 40 years ago.

Asked whether marches, strathspeys or reels were the best test for piping Mr. M^cHardy expressed the view that all three should be included.

Mr. M^cHardy's grand uncle was a pipe maker and consequently it is only in keeping with the traditions of his family that Mr. M^cHardy should have been in his younger days, a piper of outstanding ability. He has composed over twenty tunes, but unfortunately, these have not been published in book form, although he has on several occasions given selections of his own compositions over the wireless.

While he is also an excellent player of the violin, and incidentally, he composed several melodies for the instrument, Mr. M^cHardy remains true to his first love - the bagpipes. "I am a piper," he declared proudly, "but am only a fiddler and not a violinist."

It was a a fourteen year old boy that Mr. M^cHardy entered the service of Royalty in 1877. He and his elder brother Mr. Alex. M^cHardy, Candacraig, were selected to play before Quenn Victoria at Balmoral. The audition took place in the rose garden of the castle, and the younger brother, James, was appointed as piper-valet to the Queen. That Queen Victoria was fond of her youthful piper is made evident by the fact that she was wont to call him "little Jimmy," and Mr. M^cHardy still maintains that the late Queen, as Queen Victoria is always referred to on Donside, was "the nicest woman I ever knew."

Mr. M^cHardy travelled extensively with Queen Victoria and visited many places abroad as well as accompanying her on her tours throughout Great Britain. His teacher was Pipe-Major Ross, who was of course, head piper to Her Majesty. He was alo well aquainted with the famous John Brown, but, like numerous other people, Mr. M^cHardy did not find too much favour in the eyes of Brown. What must be the shortest testimonial ever written was that which Brown gave to Mr. M^cHardy. It read, "James M^cHardy left - gave no offence".

p.39 Sixty Years of Piping

Leaving Queen Victoria's service, Mr. M^cHardy went to Castle Newe when the seat of the Forbes clan was enjoying the last days of its Highland glory. He can lay claim to having piped to four generations of the Forbes family, having been present at the christening of captain Sir John Forbes' only child at Allargue House last August. While it is sixty years since Mr. M^cHardy gained his first amateur prize at the Lonach Gathering, he has not attended the games for twenty-seven years when he judged the piping and dres classes.

Mr. M^cHardy has many other stories to tell. He will for instance, inform you that Queen Victoria's favourite tune was "The White Cockade"; that he "streev" with John Brown; of the many changes that have taken place in Strathdon; or he will speak of his own compositions for the bagpipes and the violin. To-day Mr. M^cHardy revisits the Lonach Gathering after an absence of twenty-seven years and is one of the judges appointed by the Society for piping, dress, etc.

It is also interesting to note that among the younger school of Lonach pipers who have contributed to Highland music is Mr. W. Grant, late of the Scots Guards, and now residing at Candacraig, who composed the march "The Lonach Gathering" and the "Candacraig March." Another march of local composition is "Nochtyside," written jointly by Mr. Grant and Mr. J. G. F. MacGregor.

p.39 The Society's Oldest Member

The oldest member of the Lonach Society is Mr. Alexander M^cHardy, Candacraig, an elder brother of Mr. James M^cHardy. Although he will be eighty years of age in November, Mr. Alex. M^cHardy will take part in the Lonach march via Inverernan and Candacraig. He belies his eighty years by at least twenty and still retains a partiality to wearing Highland dress, and ranks as one of the most youthful veterans in all Donside.

Mr. M^cHardy recalled to me that he and his brother were selected to play before Queen Victoria at Balmoral, and added that his brother was the lucky one to be selected as piper-valet to Her Majetsy. Hundreds of people have left the glens in his lifetime, and at present, he states, there are less than half the number of houses there used to be.

For the past forty-six years, Mr. M^cHardy has been employed at Candacraig, first as head gamekeeper, and laterly as estate overseer. During all these years he has never missed a Lonach Gathering, and he attended the games for many more years before that. If you see to-day a kilted veteran displaying more keenness and agility than many younger folks, that's Alexander M^cHardy, the oldest member of the Lonach Society.

 

p.19 Committee of Management

Mr. C. M^cHardy, Candacraig

 

Judges - Bagpipe Music

Mr. Jas. M^cHardy, Whitehouse

 

Judges - Light Competitions

Mr. A. M^cHardy, Candacraig

Right. Charles M^cHardy, Candacraig.