Newsletter 42 - March 2015

Bonnie Prince Charlie slept here!     Protected by the  embroidered banner and crest of our  Mackintosh Clan at Moy Hall near Inverness.  

 

‘The Rout Of Moy’ tells of times at the end of 1746 and the Jacobites retreating north in two columns.   One column under the command of Bonnie Prince Charlie went through the mountains by Blair Athol.   He reached Moy Hall on 16th February where he was to spend the night. 

 

Lady Anne Farquarson-Mackintosh was a staunch Jacobite and in the  absence of her husband called the Clan together to protect the Prince.   Due to a diligent Inverness barmaid hearing about enemy plans and running barefoot to Moy Hall to warn Lady Anne of a plot to kill the Prince, ‘Colonel Anne’ as she was now named, was able to alert the Prince who made his escape wearing only his nightwear.    He endured a cold night in the mountains and spent some time recovering from pneumonia.    In the meantime Colonel Anne, with the local blacksmith and only two others were able to fend off the invading army with only eight muskets and lots of banging of steel on steel and shouting orders to charge.

 

Assuming that the Camerons, Frasers, MacDonalds and the like from Clan Chattan were advancing  Lord Loudon and his troop of 1500 men retreated.   The only casualty on the night was  Lord Loudon’s piper!

 

So Bonnie Prince Charlie actually didn’t sleep here!

 

Garry and I were privileged to meet Mrs Celia Mackintosh,  mother of our present Chief John, and to view the Moy Hall  Museum.    Although it is quite small it also has a fine collection of all the Clan tartans that were collected by a previous Chief in 1848.

 

The Mackintosh family of Moy Hall  uphold centuries of strong traditions and always hold annual sports fairs in their extensive grounds.   John Mackintosh of Mackintosh is President of the Clan Chattan Association.

 

A memorial to the late Lachlan Mackintosh was erected by Celia on the hill top where he liked to sit overlooking the estate.

 

Moy Hall is located just to the south of Inverness.   During the Second World War the Hall became a ‘safe’ area for evacuee children.   In 1940 a German bomb dropped a line of four bombs which thankfully only caused a small amount of damage.    In 1944 it was headquarters for an  armoured brigade before the invasion of Normandy. 

 

It was Chief Lachlan Mackintosh who welcomed the Ayson family in New Zealand into the Mackintosh Clan and Clan Chattan.

 

After viewing the graves of my great grandparents, Lake Falconer and Alice Ayson, I realised restoration was a matter of urgency. 

 

Following an inspection with Alan Ayson and Chief Hugh Francis and the generosity of family members this project is now a reality.

 

At the time of seeking funds for grave “restoration” I did not  understand the full story behind its condition.    Lake made a beautiful resting place for Alice and in due course for himself.   When his time came an opening was made for his burial.    It seems that for whatever reason the retiling was never completed and so the damage has  occurred over 88 years.

 

Alan Ayson in Wellington has spent a lot of time in consultation with Glover Memorials and it has been agreed to clean the headstones so that the magnificent white marble can be seen, to remove the tiles, apply fill to bring up the level, and to apply a concrete/plaster top pad with a suitable slope for water drainage. 

 

The reuse of existing European tiles may not be possible but every endeavour will be made to keep these intact. 

 

The second stage will be to get a quote for tiling if it is considered necessary. 

 

Once completed we will have a suitable ‘unveiling” and family gathering to enable people to view the completion to that stage.

 

It has been wonderful to have had such prompt financial support  for this project .

 

 

An exhibition of artwork by the late Doug Ayson is to be held at Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery, Alexandra, 10 Aug – 4 Oct 2015, 

Opening Night Friday 7 August 2015.

 

Approximately 150 original works will be on display and available for sale.   Doug specialised in airbrush paintings, pen and ink drawings, pointillism and prints of Central Otago landscape, early Central Otago, animals and huge murals.

 

Enquiries 03) 448 6230.

 

Longevity Study

Corydon Cottage has become a very tangible anchor for all generations who can stay in the Glenshee area with so much Ayson history.   Being located in a central position close to Balmoral and the Cairngorms, it makes a good base for travellers.   At the moment  Glenshee is in the midde of the ski season and the UK Govt has recentlty spent 500,000 pounds to improve the roads to the ski fields.   There is something for everyone there but is certainly a mecca for our young folk who love the adventure of the outdoors.   The walks and trails of Glenshee take the walker or mountain biker to areas of outstanding beauty and scenery which are rich in wildlife.   Twenty two walks and mountain bike trails.   Try the 64K Cateran Trail from Blairgowrie through all of Glenshee area to upper Glenshee, while the Spittal Hotel makes great meals.