Abstracts of talks 2025-26
Sep 2025, Corrugated Iron Buildings in the Highlands, Graham Clark
Graham Clark began his talk by reminding us of some of the Corrugated Iron buildings in Cromarty, starting with those which had been demolished such as the Mission Hall in 2003 and the Townlands Dairy in 2009. However others such as the Links Cottages and the Fish Store are still in use.
Corrugated Iron was invented by Henry Robinson Palmer (1795‐1844). Galvanisation protected against rust and was originally used by Luigi Galvani (1737-98) but patented in France in 1837 using zinc to protect the iron and patented in the UK in 1843. It was originally used by the Navy for Pembroke Docks. A cottage was designed for the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, where it was inspected by Prince Albert who purchased one to be erected at Balmoral Castle as a social space. Later when the new castle had been built it was resited to become a carpenter’s workshop where it remains.>/p>
Royal approval made the building material popular, especially in Scotland where it became the original ‘flatpack’, being easy to deliver by Puffer boat then horse and cart. Kits were made in Scotland until 1968.
Government contracts in World War One led to a proliferation of military buildings, as well as churches, schools and hospitals.
Graham then illustrated examples of churches, village halls and schools, especially in remote locations such as Inverpolly, Isle Martin, Badcaul Gairloch and Jemimaville, leaving his audience to now notice just how many of them there are in the Highlands.
Our talks are normally on the third Tuesday of the month at the Victoria Hall, Cromarty (please check the website for exceptions). Visitors are always welcome to our meetings and further information is available on our website: www.cromartyhistory.scot
Oct 2025, Highlights from the Highland Archive, Lorna Steele McGinn
Lorna Steele-McGinn from Highland Archive Service gave a most informative talk about venues and sources for historic documents relating to the Highlands at the Society’s October 2025 meeting.
She began by detailing the four archive centres which are based in Caithness, Skye and Lochalsh, Lochaber and Inverness respectively. Cromarty and Ross-shire records are held in the Inverness Archive on Bught Road in Inverness and comprise all sorts of documents from 19th century School Log Books to property, poor relief and other documents.
She then went on to detail the variety off resources available from visiting the archive, which has excellent parking, a coffee machine and comfortable seating to asking for assistance in making a family tree remotely.
She then detailed examples of some of the records available, some of them centuries old and how they have been of assistance to local historians. On behalf of the archives Lorna carries out outreach work with schools, societies such as ours and even teaching prisoners. The Inverness Archive may be contacted by email on archives@highlifehighland.com or 01349 781130.
Nov 2025, A Jacobite Portrait — George Keith Last Earl Marischal of Scotland and his ‘menagerie of heathens’, David Alston
The meeting began with a tribute to the late Ross Couper, member, speaker, committee member and tech wizard who had contributed so much to the Society over the years and will be much missed.
While researching for his 2021 book ‘Slaves and Highlanders’ David Alston heard of a painting which featured George Keith, who had been the 10th Earl Marischal of Scotland and following on from a long line of his forbears was tasked with guarding the Scottish monarch on official visits and keeping the royal jewels safe.
Once Covid had passed David was allowed to view the painting, only 18 inches by 12 which was created with oil paint on a copper base, and kept in storage at the National Portrait Gallery in London. It featured George Keith, extravagantly dressed, carrying a stave of office and behind him an African lad wearing a silver slave collar who was attempting to control a panicking horse, all against a backdrop of Dunnotar Castle, residence of the Earls Marischal for centuries, with a siege being concluded as George stands proudly in front draped in glory.
He was a Jacobite supporter of the 1715 Rebellion and being defeated had to flee to exile in Spain, his castle and lands being forfeit to the Crown. David then explained how George had travelled to Spain and commanded the Spanish forces in the 1719 Jacobite Rebellion. Wounded and defeated at GlenShiel together with his brother James he had had to flee across Scotland, take ship to the Netherlands and return to Spain where he remained with the Spanish Army and was present at the Siege of Gibraltar in 1727.
In 1731, he was with the Jacobite Court in Rome and had the portrait painted there, having a copy sent to his brother in St Petersburg.
David spoke of Salvador — the boy in the painting and how George gathered slaves from various countries. It is not known what happened to the boy, but later there were also a Turkish girl slave and a Buddhist among others in the household. Apart from Salvador these young people travelled with him when he went to Russia where his brother was wounded and George accompanied him for medical treatment across Europe. Both brothers ended up in Potsdam in the domain of Frederick the Great who created James a Field Marshal while George was made Prussian Ambassador to Britain.
During his travels George became friends with Voltaire, Rousseau, David Hume and James Boswell and finally returned to Dunnotar in 1763, having been pardoned in 1759 but he didn’t stay for long, selling the castle and dying in Potsdam in 1776. Having like James (who predeceased him) had no family of his own he appears to have instead made provision for all his enslaved servants, as if regarding them as family.