Many are the sad tales of the harsh treatment the Braemar Highlanders received at the hands of the English Garrison while stationed at the castle in Braemar after 1745. When the people were in hiding they were hunted and shot down like wild animals, instead of being kindly received, which caused a very strong and languishing feeling of hatred against the English. It is related that on one occasion when the Highlanders while ? hiding they ? for food they came down to the River Dee during midnight and were in the act of taking fish through lighted briches? (which was the custom then) when the English soldiers came upon them and shot a number of them. The Highlanders being so much enraged at this that they passed the word to their companions in hiding and who prepared themselves with bows and arrows ? and ? lighted torches again at midnight at side of the river where their companions had been killed. They lay in wait for the soldiers who soon came in pursuit of them, and they killed and wounded a number of the soldiers by their bows and arrows and the soldiers finding their comrades dropping down dead and wounded at their feet, being unable to discover the Highlanders in the dark, they soon retracted their steps and the Garrison made no more attempt to face the Highlanders during night under such circumstances. Afterwards, when the soldiers came to know the Braemar people they became very much attached to them, as much as that they were only allowed to remain short periods ? ? the enforcement's ? in their place, for fear of the Highlanders ? then over ? ? cause any
After 1745 many of the McHardy families went abroad: Still from 1800 till 1840 they appear pretty numerous in Braemar, Crathie and Corgaff Districts and the McHardy Tartan used to be worn by the following McHardy and viz.: - Donald McHardy “Daldownie” his sons: - Alister McHardy, “Auchallater” and his sons: - James of Inverey and his sons; and George of Dalchork [brother to Ballochbuie] and his sons and also Duncan McHardy and his sons (All entered on Sheet No 1) and they continued to wear the McHardy tartan and their families after them, till about 1846-48 when the Chiefs McDuff, Farquharson, Forbes, and earl of Dunblane (afterwards Duke of Leeds) who had taken Mar Forest on Lease- commenced to give their tenants, crofters and servants Highland dresses and all those employed in their estates had to wear the Tartan of their employer- which accounts to a great extent as to how the McHardy tartan was not worn as it ought to have been. *Although many of them wore the McHardy tartan until their death.
After 1745 an Act was passed to prevent the Highlanders from wearing the Highland Dress. Braemar was the only district in which the Highlanders successfully persisted in wearing their native garb; but the people had come through such trying times; and many of the smaller proprietors' properties having fallen into the hands of those Lairds possessing large properties; the people naturally had to recognise their employer as their Chief and turn out annually to the Gathering as his (their employers) Clansmen. Several instances are known where small proprietors willed their property and money over to the big Lairds and ? sums of money had been given in a similar manner without the parties being in any way related to each other.
Prior to 1715, when the Lairds required money they called their vassals together and explained how much was required and the object, and the vassals advanced the money according to their means, and they had their places free until the money was paid back as agreed upon. In this manner these Vassals became the Lairds bankers, many of the Vassals were well off and the Lairds then appreciated their Vassals that had means. The rents being always the same from father to son. The writer knows a Vassal of the Marquis of Huntly, on the Aboyne estates, who still holds the receipt of his forefathers from the present Marquis Grandfather for 800 pounds he has received from this Vassal at a time when 8000 pounds has been required. This showing how the Vassals acted as Bankers for their Lairds in times of need. It is also a well known fact that after the Rebellion of 1715 and 1745 many of the Lairds properties were forfeited and sold by the government, and while the Lairds were abroad or under ? their old Vassals still paid them their old rents secretly.
The assembling of the Highland Clans in Braemar took place annually from time immemorial. The Standard was raised at Castletown in 1715 for the Stuart's cause, which place was always a strong hold of the Jacobite families, who were ever true and loyal to the cause of the Stuarts and many of whom lost their lives at the Battle of Culloden (1745) in Prince Charles' cause and they suffered many hardships for the part they took in that memorable day; for generations afterwards.
The Clans assembled annually either at Braemar or Inverey and after consulting over their past year's engagements, they marched with pipers at their head throughout the surrounding districts for the day. About 1824 the Clan Gathering commenced holding its first Highland games. At Marcastle in 1831 it was formed into “the Wrights Friendly Society”and termed the “walk” and continued until 1846 when the Clans were uniformed by several Chiefs, and marched under them until about 1856 when it greatly broke off. |
