Glenlyon History Society (Comann Eachdraidh Ghleann Lìomhann)

[hcameron]

My name is Hugh Cameron I was born at Perth in 1941,my brother Andrew was born at Aberfeldy1943, our sister Elspeth Anne was born at Aberfeldy 1945.Our father was John Cameron know as 'Ian', our mother was Elizabeth nee Williamson. Mum had come to the Glen from Newburgh in Fife, about approximately 1935, and had worked as house-maid to Mrs Lyons at Old Chesthill. Dad was tenant farmer at Ruskich.

My Dad had been brought up at Ruskich and had four sisters, our Aunts, Ann, Jean, Betty, and Christine known as 'Dolly'. Jean and Betty were twin sisters.Their father, our Grandfather, Hugh died at Ruskich in 1941 having been predeceased some years before by our Grandmother Jean Ellen McLellan. Their graves are in Innerwick Churchyard.Grandad Cameron had been brought up at Roromore along with two brothers Donald and Peter.They lie in Kerromore Cemetery along with our Great Grandfather John Cameron and our Great Grandmother Elizabeth McNaughton.

We lived at Ruskich until 1951. During this period Slatich was farmed by Ian Walker, Balnahanaid also by an Ian Walker, Roromore by Callum Walker. To distinguish between all the Ian's the names of the farms were used in place of surnames, Ian Ruskich, Ian Slatich etc. Inverinain housed a shepherd called John Walker.Dan Haliburton stayed at Dericambus, he and his wife moved away and a family called Dunnet moved in, they were still resident when we left the Glen.

I remember that a retired man lived in a house opposite Wester Invervar, I believe that his name was Robertson. he was I believe a retired Blacksmith. The Smithy,situated by Invervar School, was closed by this time with the house attached was being used as a holiday home. I may be that this had been Mr Robertsons business before he retired.

I can remember the mail being delivered by a bus driven by a postman called George Goldie. A section to the rear of this vehicle had been partitioned for mail and passengers were carried in the front section. I also remember that for a few years a young post-woman called Rose McInness travelled with the bus to Bridge of Balglie where she off-loaded a bicycle and delivered mail on the south side of the river first to Milton Eonan then cycling the brideway and delivered mail at all the farms on the way finishing at Derricambus. She then re-crossed the river to Invervar and met the mailbus on its return down the Glen.
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I was born in Perth and lived the first ten years of my life at Ruskich Glenlyon

[ofloinn]

Dear Hugh,

I live at Milton Eonan, Bridge of Balgie, Glenlyon.

I'm the youngest grandchild of Sir Edward Wills, owner of Meggernie until 1979. My mother brought all her six children for holidays to Milton Eonan and we all grew to love the stories and personalities of Glenlyon.

I was interested to read your posting, particularly your memories of the mail delivery. As a child visiting Milton Lodge for my summer holidays, I was the one sent to the cottage below to deliver the daily paper and milk to its long-standing resident, Miss Mary Macdonald, then in her seventies.

I always understood that for many years she had delivered the mail along the South side of the River Lyon on her trusty bicycle. Was she Rose McInness' replacement or predesesor? Mary died a few years ago, but I am still in touch with her younger brother Sandy. I remember her telling me she'd come to Milton as a child with her ten brothers and sisters in a horse-drawn cart. Her daily route with the mail bag went from right up by Loch Lyon to Invervar snow or shower.

You also mention John Walker of Inverinan. I know a Bill Walker, now in his eighties living at Grandtully. He says he was forty years a shepherd at Moar farm near Gallin, Bridge of Balgie. Do you thinks there's any connection between these two Walkers?

Regards,

Melanie O'Flynn

[hcameron]

Dear Melanie
Thank you for your reply, unfortunately passage of time dulls memories, and I was fairly young during my time in the Glen. On Rose McKinness, I have discussed this with my sister Elspeth. We are sure that Rose did not do this job for all the period we were resident. Elspeth also feels that I am wrong about Rose crossing at Bridge of Balgie she may have crossed at Camusvrachen and delivered from Roroyare to Dericambus. She did leave and someone else took over. Mary McDonald possibly.
My sister is also sure that a woman called Peggy Mcfarlane also delivered mail.This would be before I was born. She married Jimmy Hogg and they lived at Camusvrachen. Jimmy Hogg was I believe employed as a shepherd at Balmenoch.
I also feel, but am not sure, that someone also delivered mail by bycycle from possibly Meggernie to Loch Lyon. This was because the bus could go no further due to unsuitable roads.
May be someone will respond to our writings and make things a bit clearer.

I don't now if John Walker Inverinan was a relative of Bill Walker. John Walker left the Glen for a period. He returned after we had left and lived at Craighianie employed as a shepherd by Ian Walker Slatich. I think that he lived there for a time after he retired, and may have ended his days there.

A gentleman called Sydney Hind came to farm Moar during my time in the Glen. He also left the Glen at some point after us, but our paths crossed again. He bought a farm called Mountainblow near Forth in Lanarkshire. My Dad went to work for him as a shepherd and I, myself, started my working life at Mountainblow in 1957.

Rose McKinness lived at Woodend Cottage with I beleive her widowed mother.

[Rae Cameron]

I stayed at Ruskich from 1958/1963 I was 9 when I arrived and went to Invervar School, then Breadalane before moving down to Kirriemuir.
There was a pony there called Sally, she was ancient! I had a wonderful childhood there, the hazel woods, badgers, foxes, I even had a pet raven.
Anyone out there?? Andrew, Malcolm, Iain,there weren't many girls around. Sally Mitchell came home at school holidays, we chipped a 10/- note out of the ice at the curling rink I remember.
Some of my happiest memories were at the gatherings when Iain Slatich could be heard calling his dogs the MOST amazing names up on the hill; then there was the hay time when Calum Walker came with his baler and we baled the coles and drank cold water out of the milk pail with oatmeal sprinkled in it! My email is spinkrae@aol.com, I'd be happy to hear from any of you glenners!!