Photographs - My Direct Line The McHardy Family of Corryhoul Website
Photographs - My Direct Line
Below are a collection of the family best. I would love to be able to identify the first picture below for sure, so if anyone can help please get in touch. The photographs may take a little while to load so why not open another browser and leave them to it while you read some of the other pages.
Click on the hyperlinks below to go to the following on this page :-
James McHardy ? |
This is one of a pair of very old photographs in my possession. The other has been "identified" as William McHardy (Big Wullie) of whom you can read more about on "Photographs - other family members" page. I believe that this could be his father James McHardy of Burnside (christened 21/01/1796), as the pictures appear to have been taken at the same time. If that is the case then this strapping Highlander is my great great great grandfather. Is anybody out there able to confirm this ? James McHardy was the 4th child born to John McHardy and Margaret Dauney of Easter Corryhoul. He married Anne Simpson and they had eight children. His father died in 1813 and we know that he and a brother applied to continue the tenancy of the farm they shared in 1825. Presumably this was his elder brother Joseph who is also recorded on baptism records as being at Easter Corryhoul, although he later farmed Haughton of Corryhoul [The first mention of Haughton in parish records is in 1850, could it have been created by splitting Easter Corryhoul ?]. |
At some time between 1831 and 1833 James and Anne moved the family to Burnside of Corryhoul.
James is reputed to have been a notorious whisky smuggler who went by the name of "The Infant". The late Mary McHardy Gibson (a great grand daughter) wrote down some of his story in her collection of memories told to her by her father, Piper Jimmy, which now rest in the special collection of the University of Aberdeen library.
My father remembers hearing that James and Anne's eldest son Robert (christened 09/07/1826) went to North America, and was last heard from in somewhere called Curlew. But which Curlew ? As there are a number in North America. Second son John (christened 24/05/1830) ended his days as a butler in Edinburgh. The third son "Big Wullie" moved to Cumbria in the north of England, and his descendents still live in that area. His fourth son James (christened 1835) took on Burnside and continued the McHardy link with Corryhoul.
I have found no gravestone to James and Anne in either Strathdon or Corgarff cemeteries. There is a family story that he saw the Doctor who prescribed morphia for his cancer of the jaw. On hearing this he had said "Murphy's, fit gweeds tatties tae me". He had misheard the Doctor thinking he had prescribed a variety of potato. On obtaining his death certificate the problem with his jaw as indeed mentioned.
Both died at Burnside in Corgarff. Annie on 23/09/1861 aged 60 years; and James on 05/01/1873 aged 76 years.
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James McHardy and Mary Coutts were married on the 23rd November 1856. At the time of their marriage James was a farm servant at Bridgend (presumably Briggies in Corgarff). The McHardys of Corryhoul were well known as being tall and athletic, competing in Highland Games. The male children of the previous generation had referred to his father as "The Infant" due to the fact he was only 6 ft tall ! This lofty stature is reputed to have come to an end with the marriage to Mary Coutts who was born in the Parish of Logie-Coldstone on 18/01/1837. Her description as "a little wee wifie" has been past down through the generations as the cause of our loss of stature. At 5ft 9 inches I am the tallest of my two brothers. |
 James McHardy and Mary Coutts |
James and Mary farmed Burnside of Corryhoul, but prior to this had spent a period in Fintry Aberdeenshire. The 1861 census for the parish of Fintry lists James, Mary and their children Alexander, Jane, and Ann living in a private house east of the village of Hatton near Fintry House. James is recorded as a 25 year old under gamekeeper. They have a 15 year old domestic servant called Isabella Stewart, born in the parish of Forteviot, Perthshire, living with them.
They had five surviving family, Alexander, Jane (Mrs. Glennie), Anne (Mrs. Keir), James (Piper Jimmy), and Charles ("Charlie Burnie") who was the last to farm Burnside of Corryhoul (and the last McHardy in Corryhoul). They made the local press on the occasions of their golden wedding anniversary in 1906, and diamond wedding anniversary in 1916. It is to these that I am indebted for details of their life together.
The Evening Gazette1, Monday November 26,1906. Golden Wedding at Corgarff - Presentations to Mr and Mrs McHardy. One of what has proved the most successful gatherings ever held in the glen came off on Friday in the celebration of the golden wedding of Mr and Mrs James McHardy, Burnside. When it was known that the interesting event was at hand, a committee consisting of Rev. Mr. Thomson, Messrs James Coutts, Badnabeen; Morrison, Hotel; Tait, Ordgarff; Dunbar, Haughton; McDonald, jun., Tornahaish, and D.J. Philip, Garchory, arranged for subscriptions being collected, and the result was that Mr and Mrs McHardy were presented in the hall with a handsome oak framed barometer and thermometer, gold broach, and a purse of sovereigns and a silver teapot from thir family and several other gifts from friends. Mr and Mrs McHardy who are still both hale and hearty, are aged 71 and 69 respectively, and were married in the church of Corgarff on November 23, 1856, by Rev. Mr Forbes, and for the last 45 years they have resided at the farm of Burnside. During the other 5 years Mr McHardy was gamekeeper to the late Lord Sempill (then Sir William Forbes). They had a family of 4 sons and 2 daughters. One boy died young, and of the others Alexander is head keeper on Candacraig Estate; James is a keeper on the Haddo House Estate; Charles is at home with his father. The oldest daughter is married to Mr Glennie, carpenter, and the youngest to Mr William Keir, commercial traveller. Their grandchildren number 28, the most of whom are alive, one being married (James Keir) and a teacher in the south. Another, Alexander Keir, is a teacher in China. |
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On the kind invitation of Mr and Mrs McHardy the older people, to the number of about 30, assembled at the hall at 4pm, where a sumptuous repast awaited them. The barometer bore the following inscription :- 'Presented, along with apurse of sovereigns and gold broach, to Mr and Mrs McHardy, Burnside, on the occasion of their golden wedding, by the inhabitants of Corgarff and a few friends, to indicate to them and their posterity, the esteem and goodwill which exists in the parish towards them. Corgarff, November 23, 1906.' In making the presentation Mr Thomson said:- We have met here this afternoon to do honour to two people, who in wedlock have done honour to themselves and to their native parish. Fifty long years ago they joined hands before the alter, and there vowed that through weal or woe they would be leal and true to each other. Left: The barometer on the wall in Ontario, Canada where it now resides. With thanks to Pat Weir (nee MacHardy) |
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During that long period of wedded life they have battled bravely with the trials, and enjoyed the sunshine that flows from the happy union of hearts, bearing and forebearing with each other. I have been asked, and right willingly have I complied, to present to each of you a gift, a tangible token of the high esteem and goodwill reigning in the Strath towards you. I have now the pleasure to present in the name of the people of Corgarff, and a few friends, to you Mr McHardy, this barometer, with the fond wish that years and years may be yours to enjoy it, and study it's prophecies. It gives me even greater pleasure - were that possible - because of my great regard for mothers, to present you, Mrs McHardy, in the name of the same company, this gold neck ornament. Along with these tokens of esteem and regard I have the honour to present you with a purse of sovereigns, and from the bottom of our hearts we ask the Giver of All to make the evening of your lives calm and pleasant. Mr McHardy who was visibly affected, in a few words suitably replied. Tea was then served. Afterwards, on the call of the chairman (Mr Thomson) Mr Wattie, banker, in proposing the health of Mr and Mrs McHardy, said:- I have great pleasure in asking you to drink the toast of the evening, the health of our esteemed friends, Mr and Mrs McHardy, on this the occasion of their golden wedding. Mr McHardy is descended from a family of good law abiding citizens. His ancestors have, I understand, been tenants of Burnside for hundreds of years, and I do not think our friend has fallen off in any way. The large and representative gathering here shows the high esteem in which Mr and Mrs McHardy are held by the community, and while congratulating them upon this 50th anniversary of their wedding, it is our earnest wish that in fair health and strength they may yet spend a good few years together - cheers). Mr James Tait proposed, in suitable terms, the health and prosperity of the family and grandchildren, and Mr Alexander McHardy replied. At this point Mr A. McHardy in the name of the family, handed Mr and Mrs McHardy a purse of sovereigns. Several other toasts were proposed, and the evening wound up with a dance. |
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With thanks to Rachel and Jimmy Moir of Banchory for the above.
1The Evening Gazette was a newspaper owned by the Aberdeen Free Press. When the Free Press and the Aberdeen Journal combined to form the Press & Journal it was decided that only one evening paper would survive. The Evening Gazette lost out, we still to this day have the survivor from the Aberdeen Journal camp being the Evening Express.
I have in my possession a very poor photocopy of a press clipping on the subject of their diamond wedding anniversary in 1916. It is unsourced. It came into my possession when a small folk museum at Corgarff Hall was closed a few years back.
DIAMOND
WEDDING An interesting event too place on Thursday 23rd November, when Mr. and Mrs. James McHardy, Burnside, celebrated their diamond wedding. The worthy couple, although in fair good health, are getting frail, and only members of the family and a few neighbours were present, when a very enjoyable evening was spent. Rev. Mr. Thomson, who occupied the chair, congratulated them in proposing their health on the unique occasion, which very few live to attain, and wished them a continuation of happiness. Mr. McHardy is 82 years of age, and Mrs. McHardy 79. Mr. McHardy who previous to taking over the tenancy of Burnside - which has been tenanted by the McHardy's for a very lengthy period - was gamekeeper to the late Lord Sempill - then Sir William Forbes at Fintry. They have had a family of six of whom five are alive. The eldest son is headkeeper at Candacraig, and the second manager at the Whitehouse Estate. There are 23 grandchildren and 6 great grand children. |
From another unsourced newspaper article.
CORGARFF OCTOGENARIAN By the death of Mr James McHardy at the age of 85, Corgarff has lost one of its most respected natives. Mr McHardy for long took a great interest in everything connected the district. He was chairman of the first Corgarff Hall Committee, and to the last took much interest in its upkeep. He was for many years a prominent figure at the Lonach Gathering, and as long as he was able acted as standard-bearer for the Corgarff contingent. It is only a few years since he celebrated his diamond wedding, but Mrs McHardy died shortly afterwards. He is survived by three sons and two daughters, Alexander, the eldest son, being head keeper at Candacraig; James has a farm at Torphins; and Charles has been associated with his father in the farm at Burnside. |
Both died at Burnside in Corgarff. Mary on 22/04/1917 aged 80 years; and James on 26/01/1921 aged 85.
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Alexander McHardy and his wife Jessie McDonald at Greystone on Candaicraig Estate. Alexander was known as "Auld Mac" in his latter years. The picture appears in the privately published book "Stray Memories of Strathdon", by Charles Christie, printed in 1938. Greystone was built for Jessie McDonald's father who was Head Gamekeeper before farming at Tornahaish. Auld Mac was for many years Head Gamekeeper at Candacraig before becoming Overseer. Left: Alexander McHardy and Jessie McDonald |
In his lifetime he saw much change in Strathdon and told my father about 1937 that "there are 40 less lums west o' the Brig o' Luib (Corgarff) in my lifetime". He is recorded in the 1891 census as a Gamekeeper living above the stable block at Candacraig.
Read more about him at Granda McHardy at the My Father's Stories page.
My father describes his grandmother as a very prim woman. He remembers her having a "gammie" leg, one knee cap having been removed. The operation is reputed to have taken place on the kitchen table. Father remembers her sitting in her rocking chair with the gammie leg sticking straight out in front as she rocked back and fore. My father also remembers her not allowing him to "first foot" her at New Year, keeping him from entering the house. His sin was to be fair haired and she would say "go home and wait until your father comes". My grandfather was black haired, and so able to comply with the old superstition that having a black haired individual as first to cross the threshold would bring luck for the coming year.
Both died at Graystone, Candacraig. Alexander on 08/06/1939 aged 82 years; and Jessie on 18/06/1948 aged 75 years.
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Here's one for the grandchildren dad. This is the
only photograph we have of my grandfather and grandmother together. My father is
standing with his parents in front of Faichla on
Candacraig Estate in 1942, the occasion being the wearing
of his first pair of "lang breeks", (long
trousers) at about age 14 . This was also the last
photograph taken of my Grandfather before he died. Granny
had written on the back of the photo of how disappointed
he was that my aunt Janet, had not had time to come down
from Candacraig House where she was working as cook for
this last picture. |
Mary Petrie Cook and Charlie McHardy with dad |
My grandfather Charles McHardy was born at the East Lodge Candacraig Estate on the 14/04/1895. He worked on the estate before going to the army during the Great War, enlisting at Keith in 1914. He was a Gordon Highlander and served in the trenches of France until he was wounded. My father thinks his wounding was at Neuve Chapelle where a piece of shrapnel took a slice from his elbow. He was convalesced in a hospital in Brighton where we have photographs of him in his blue uniform. He was then transferred to the Machine Gun Corp (Middlesex Regiment) and was shipped to Greece. There are photographs of him in Malta while in transit and where he met with Dr. Howie, the Strathdon practitioner who was in the army there. It was Dr. Howie who had delived him in 1895. (Dr. Howie was said to be a foundling born on the Mount of Olives in Palestine, and taken back to Britain where he grew up and was trained as a doctor. He also had one of the first motor cars in the Northeast of Scotland). My grandfather fought the Bulgarians in Salonika where he caught malaria which bothered him after he came home. He returned to Candacraig Estate and became a gamekeeper staying at Belhandy. This became the family home on him marrying my grandmother. Later the family moved to Faichla, a new house built for them by F.L. Wallace of Candacraig Estate. My grandfather was made Head Gamekeeper at this time in succession to his father who became Estate Overseer. Grandfather had an AJS motorcycle with sidecar as his "company vehicle", and it was replaced by a Ford car in 1936 (registration AV 8605) for which he had to contribute £25 of his own money. This was later refunded when some of the other senior estate personnel were unable to put up the £25 and were provided with their cars FOC.
| Right: Auntie
Janet who was missing from the photograph above. Here she
is about 1947. She hisnae changed a bit. The Wallace family who own Candacraig Estate belonged to the Wallace Brothers Banking Co. in London and had extensive interests in Burma. When the Japanese invaded Burma, F.L. Wallace told my grandfather that he was unable to continue to fund the estate. My grandfather then went and registered for war work. He worked in Glasgow as a turning lathe machine operator in Western Motors, living in Duke Street. He returned home on Christmas leave in 1943 and was ill, being diagnosed with cancer. He died in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on 21/05/1944. At the time of his funeral there was no hearse available, so an Armstrong Sidley car belonging to Walter Davidson merchant of Glenbuchat, had to act as a hearse. The coffin being laid across from the back seat into the front seat. |
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Burried next to him is Allan Don of the Postoffice, Bridge of Gairn who died in 1945. Allan was originally from Drumallan on Nochtyside. During WWI Allan was wounded and my grandfather stayed with him in no-mans land, carrying him in when able to. For this Allan asked to be buried next to my grandfather in Strathdon church yard.
My grandmother Marie Petrie Cook was born Old Cottown of Clova, Lumsden on 05/11/1895. I always remember her being called Mrs. Charlie after my grandfather. She got an exemption to leave school at 13 when her brother George was born, and she had to stay at home to help her mother. She later worked at Fishrie with her mother's sister Mrs. Wiseman in their country shop. The Wiseman children being too young to help out at this time. The shop burned down and my grandmother lost all her belongings. Soon after she went to work in a shop in Gamrie (Gardenstown) as the Wiseman children were now old enough to work in their new shop which was at St. Fergus. She worked for Johnnie Fordyce in Gamrie, a man with a "gley eye". Later on 11th November 1918 she came to work for John Gordon at the Bellabeg shop in Strathdon. He also had a "gley eye". It was here she met my grandfather after his return from the Great War. I can remember Grunnie telling me that she had heard that; "a lad McHardy was home from the war". This was the first she knew of him. When in the shop at Bellabeg she sold Percy Topliss a packet of Woodbines. Topliss was famous as the "Monacled Mutineer" and was on the run from the police. He hid out at a shepherds cottage on the Tomintoul side of the Lecht where he shot the local police officer and a gamekeeper.
Grunnie was a founder member of the Lonach Womens Rural Institute in which she took an active part throughout her life. She cut the cake at the 50th anniversary celebrations. After the death of my grandfather she was moved from Faichla to a flat above the garages at Candacraig and was employed in the "big house" as a kitchen assistant. She later moved to a cottage at Dyce where she lived with my parents. She returned to Candacraig as cook and lived in Little Dovecot which I well remember. Grunnie once had occasion to prepare a meal for Queen Elizabeth II when she paid a visit to the Wallace family while staying at Balmoral. She was very proud of this (see the menu below). Grunnie lived in Little Dovecot until she moved into Doune Court a newly completed sheltered housing complex in Strathdon in 1985. She died at Glen O'Dee Hospital, Banchory on 5/11/1989.
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