Those of you who have visited the Black Watch Museum in recent years would have noticed a Golden Labrador named Hackle. Hackles owner Jim worked at the museum and Hackle loved to see all the visitors.
Sadly Hackle passed away on the 8th January, and he will be much missed. I met him only once, in the Summer, and it was lovely meeting such a friendly dog. My daughter is not particularly comfortable around dogs, but she was happy to clap Hackle and was as delighted to meet him as I was.
The museum won't be the same without him welcoming you...
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Object of the Week - 14th December 2011
We're a little late with this week's object. Please accept our apologies!
Today's item, like last weeks, comes from one of Scotland military museums, in this case the museum of the Royal Highland Fusiliers in Glasgow. We've blogged about this museum before, and it's well worth a visit. This is just one of the many fascinating articles which can be found there.
This is a small statuette of a soldier in desert uniform from the Second World War, and was made to commemorate the merging of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry.
The inscription is well worth reproducing here:
Today's item, like last weeks, comes from one of Scotland military museums, in this case the museum of the Royal Highland Fusiliers in Glasgow. We've blogged about this museum before, and it's well worth a visit. This is just one of the many fascinating articles which can be found there.
This is a small statuette of a soldier in desert uniform from the Second World War, and was made to commemorate the merging of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry.
The inscription is well worth reproducing here:
1787-1948
On 15th May 1948, the 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (Old 74th Highlanders) was, by His Majesty's Command, amalgamated with the 1st Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (Old 71st Highlanders) as the 1st Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (71st and 74th).
This statuette, made from certain silver articles the property of the Officer's Mess of the 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry, is dedicated to the undying memory of that Unit, and in recognition of its unflinching courage and indomitable spirit and devotion to duty, displayed on so many fields of battle and elsewhere throughout its long and glorious history.
It represents a soldier in desert kit in the war of 1939 to 1945 during which the Battalion by its gallant deeds maintained the best traditions of the past.
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them."
On 15th May 1948, the 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (Old 74th Highlanders) was, by His Majesty's Command, amalgamated with the 1st Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (Old 71st Highlanders) as the 1st Battalion The Highland Light Infantry (71st and 74th).
This statuette, made from certain silver articles the property of the Officer's Mess of the 2nd Battalion The Highland Light Infantry, is dedicated to the undying memory of that Unit, and in recognition of its unflinching courage and indomitable spirit and devotion to duty, displayed on so many fields of battle and elsewhere throughout its long and glorious history.
It represents a soldier in desert kit in the war of 1939 to 1945 during which the Battalion by its gallant deeds maintained the best traditions of the past.
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them."
(Please click on the image to see this wonderful statuette in greater detail)
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Scottish National Portrait Gallery Re-opening
It's been a long time coming, but after the successful refurbishment of the National Museum on Chambers Street earlier this year we can now look forward to another grand old Edinburgh museum, The Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street, re-opening this week.
I had a look at their website to see what's happening and what is new. Hopefully old favourites like Ralph Abercromby, David Baird and Walter Rankin will be back on show, and a couple of exhibitions caught my eye:
1st December 2011 − 31st October 2012
Featuring rarely-seen paintings from the Imperial War Museum, this exhibition is devoted to the art of Sir John Lavery and shows the conflict of the First World War through the eyes of a war artist.
Explore the story of how the two greatest navies in the world fought an epic battle on the North Sea. Experience Scapa Flow in the depth of winter and see the great battleships on the Firth of Forth, and the airfields, shipyards and munitions factories geared up for war.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery would like to thank the Imperial War Museum for the loan of most of the paintings in War at Sea and acknowledges gratefully the assistance of Professor David Stafford, University of Edinburgh, who first proposed the exhibition, and Angela Weight, former Keeper of Art at the Imperial War Museum, who curated it.
1st December 2011 − 31st December 2015
This dramatic exhibition considers the Jacobites - those loyal to the deposed Stuart dynasty at home and abroad. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has the most extensive and significant collection of Jacobite visual material in the world.
The term ‘Jacobite’ derives from ‘Jacobus’, the Latin form of James, and describes those who supported James VII and II, the exiled Catholic monarch of Scotland, England and Ireland, and his heirs. Jacobitism was launched as a political and ideological cause by the birth of a son to King James in 1688 and the subsequent coup d’état led by his Protestant son-in-law, William of Orange. For nearly 100 years Jacobitism was a major factor in European affairs and it was responsible for the last battles on British soil.
This fascinating display focuses on the way Jacobites presented themselves in portraiture.
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Black Watch museum suspends its research service
Just spotted the following when browsing the web today. Hopefully this will be a temporary suspension.
Suspension of Research Enquiries
We are sorry but at present the Museum has suspended its enquiry service. The staff who operate the enquiry services are working hard on improving collections care and management as part of our major redevelopment project.
The project will involve an extension to the castle which will provide:
The project will involve a major redevelopment of the existing museum building and galleries. We possess a fine collection of artefacts and records spanning the whole history of The Black Watch. Through this we tell the story of the Regiment and the part it has played in the history of our nation. We wish to add to, conserve and display our collection so as to honour in perpetuity the memory of the Regiment and the countless men who have served in it.
We therefore cannot respond in any detail to your request at this time. Please see our Tracing a Soldier webpage for further information that may be able to assist in answering your query.
Once again our apologies for not being able to help you at this time
Suspension of Research Enquiries
We are sorry but at present the Museum has suspended its enquiry service. The staff who operate the enquiry services are working hard on improving collections care and management as part of our major redevelopment project.
The project will involve an extension to the castle which will provide:
- increased display space
- a large area for special exhibitions, education and events
- better storage for the Museum and archive collections
- an improved shop and ticket office
- accessible visitor facilities, including a tea room for visitors
- improved parking
The project will involve a major redevelopment of the existing museum building and galleries. We possess a fine collection of artefacts and records spanning the whole history of The Black Watch. Through this we tell the story of the Regiment and the part it has played in the history of our nation. We wish to add to, conserve and display our collection so as to honour in perpetuity the memory of the Regiment and the countless men who have served in it.
We therefore cannot respond in any detail to your request at this time. Please see our Tracing a Soldier webpage for further information that may be able to assist in answering your query.
Once again our apologies for not being able to help you at this time
Friday, 2 September 2011
Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum, Glasgow
It's been a while since we took a look at one of Scotland's military museums, so on Monday I took the opportunity of a day off work to visit the museum of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, situated at the top of Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow.
I've visited the museum on many occasions, but on this particular day it seemed I took a little more time around the exhibits, looking at the displays with fresh eyes.
If you've never visited the museum, then you're in for a treat. It's a veritable treasure trove of artefacts from both the Highland Light Infantry and the Royal Scots Fusiliers spanning several hundred years.
The layout stretches over two floors, with the ground floor covering the regiments from their formation up until the outbreak of the First World War, with displays for India, Africa and other parts of the world where colonial campaigns were fought.
The ground floor also features displays for the volunteers and militia, the pipe bands and other musicians, as well as displays of uniform and medals.
The upper floor covers the two World Wars in great detail, with imaginatively laid out displays.
The First World War section is particularly fascinating - it contains many items, a lot of them unique.
The Second World War section is no less interesting, and both the war in Europe and the Far East have a large number of items on display.
The Second World War display then leads on to the final displays covering the RHF from amalgamation to the present day.
The final section is a little disappointing, as it is almost sidelined in a small alcove - another minor grump is that one of the displays is empty, with a sign stating that this display will cover the regiment since its merging in to the Royal Regiment of Scotland. That sign has been there for some time - hopefully the display will be filled fairly soon.
There are plenty of fascinating items to see here, and it's well worth giving yourself plenty of time to take it all in. We plan to feature a number of the items in the museum in our "object of the month" feature in the coming months.
Finally, for the researchers amongst you the museum contains a well-stocked library which is definitely worth visiting. I can testify to discovering many fascinating records in my time there.
The museum also holds one "hidden" aspect.For those of you with an interest in Glasgow design, this museum is a must visit as the interior was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Many of the design features he created can still be seen, particularly in the metal work around the lift shaft.
So if you're visiting Glasgow, make a point of seeing the RHF museum. It really is a hidden gem in the city. More people deserve to know about it.
For more information on the museum, as well as opening hours and a link to their online shop, visit their website at www.rhf.org.uk
I've visited the museum on many occasions, but on this particular day it seemed I took a little more time around the exhibits, looking at the displays with fresh eyes.
If you've never visited the museum, then you're in for a treat. It's a veritable treasure trove of artefacts from both the Highland Light Infantry and the Royal Scots Fusiliers spanning several hundred years.
The layout stretches over two floors, with the ground floor covering the regiments from their formation up until the outbreak of the First World War, with displays for India, Africa and other parts of the world where colonial campaigns were fought.
The ground floor also features displays for the volunteers and militia, the pipe bands and other musicians, as well as displays of uniform and medals.
The upper floor covers the two World Wars in great detail, with imaginatively laid out displays.
The First World War section is particularly fascinating - it contains many items, a lot of them unique.
The Second World War section is no less interesting, and both the war in Europe and the Far East have a large number of items on display.
The Second World War display then leads on to the final displays covering the RHF from amalgamation to the present day.
The final section is a little disappointing, as it is almost sidelined in a small alcove - another minor grump is that one of the displays is empty, with a sign stating that this display will cover the regiment since its merging in to the Royal Regiment of Scotland. That sign has been there for some time - hopefully the display will be filled fairly soon.
There are plenty of fascinating items to see here, and it's well worth giving yourself plenty of time to take it all in. We plan to feature a number of the items in the museum in our "object of the month" feature in the coming months.
Finally, for the researchers amongst you the museum contains a well-stocked library which is definitely worth visiting. I can testify to discovering many fascinating records in my time there.
The museum also holds one "hidden" aspect.For those of you with an interest in Glasgow design, this museum is a must visit as the interior was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Many of the design features he created can still be seen, particularly in the metal work around the lift shaft.
 |
| Mackintosh designed decorative work on the lift shaft. |
So if you're visiting Glasgow, make a point of seeing the RHF museum. It really is a hidden gem in the city. More people deserve to know about it.
For more information on the museum, as well as opening hours and a link to their online shop, visit their website at www.rhf.org.uk
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Can't our museums stay open a wee bit longer?
I don't think any of us feel we've had a summer, and here is autumn approaching already. When the leaves start to fall it seems it is time for certain museums and attractions around Scotland to start dusting off the shutters and canvas as the closed season is nearly upon them.
In an earlier post we bemoaned the fact that certain Scottish military museums have reduced opening hours that are almost farcical. They are open when no-one can visit them and are closed at weekends and evenings when people could actually visit them. Then they wonder why their visitor numbers are so low.
Now it's time for us to scratch our heads at attractions which don't even stay open until then end of the October holidays! The poor old KOSB museum at Berwick-upon-Tweed has been in the news a few times this year. As a show of support a few SMRG members were planning a trip down to visit them later in the year. A quick check on their website shows they close for the season on 30th September.
Another planned trip to Cumbria's Military Museum in November will have to bypass the Devil's Porridge Museum at Gretna as they will have been shut for two weeks. (to their credit the Carlisle museum only closes on four days of the year, 24th, 25th 26th December and the 1st January).
I've recently returned from France and the museums and attractions there stay open until 7pm in the summer, even on a Sunday. Would that happen over here? Fat chance
How many times in Scottish museums have staff made it clear you are unwelcome once it nears closing time? If it says it it closed at 18:00 then it's lights off and doors locked by six p.m. sharp, and hard cheese if you were enjoying your visit.
We understand times are tight and many museums rely heavily on volunteers but can things be so bad in Scotland's military museums that they have to be shut for so much of the year?
In an earlier post we bemoaned the fact that certain Scottish military museums have reduced opening hours that are almost farcical. They are open when no-one can visit them and are closed at weekends and evenings when people could actually visit them. Then they wonder why their visitor numbers are so low.
Now it's time for us to scratch our heads at attractions which don't even stay open until then end of the October holidays! The poor old KOSB museum at Berwick-upon-Tweed has been in the news a few times this year. As a show of support a few SMRG members were planning a trip down to visit them later in the year. A quick check on their website shows they close for the season on 30th September.
Another planned trip to Cumbria's Military Museum in November will have to bypass the Devil's Porridge Museum at Gretna as they will have been shut for two weeks. (to their credit the Carlisle museum only closes on four days of the year, 24th, 25th 26th December and the 1st January).
I've recently returned from France and the museums and attractions there stay open until 7pm in the summer, even on a Sunday. Would that happen over here? Fat chance
How many times in Scottish museums have staff made it clear you are unwelcome once it nears closing time? If it says it it closed at 18:00 then it's lights off and doors locked by six p.m. sharp, and hard cheese if you were enjoying your visit.
We understand times are tight and many museums rely heavily on volunteers but can things be so bad in Scotland's military museums that they have to be shut for so much of the year?
Monday, 1 August 2011
Object of the Month - August 2011
Given that August is a month where a lot of people might be on holiday, we thought you might need a passport!
And what better passport to give you than that belonging to the Commander in Chief!
Yes, this is Field Marshal Douglas Earl Haig of Bemersyde's passport, issued to him in 1921 for a visit to South Africa. Seems even a Field Marshal needed a passport.
This rather unusual item is on display in the Museum of Edinburgh, located in Huntly House on the Canongate. The museum has a large collection of artefacts relating to Douglas Haig, and is well worth a visit.
And what better passport to give you than that belonging to the Commander in Chief!
Yes, this is Field Marshal Douglas Earl Haig of Bemersyde's passport, issued to him in 1921 for a visit to South Africa. Seems even a Field Marshal needed a passport.
This rather unusual item is on display in the Museum of Edinburgh, located in Huntly House on the Canongate. The museum has a large collection of artefacts relating to Douglas Haig, and is well worth a visit.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
World Wars Experience - Photo report from the Museum of Flight
Today was a fairly exhausting day with my daughter at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune, to see the World Wars Experience.
There was too much to see and do over the course of the day, so rather than present you with a full report, I thought I'd share some of the photos of our day out.
You can view the rest of the photos at our Facebook page.
All in all, a very good day. The weather was excellent (albeit quite windy!) and the Museum of Flight is always worth a visit. I've not uploaded any photos of Concorde here, but it's well worth the trip just to see her - she's a truly beautiful machine.
Strange though, that you can buy a City of Glasgow squadron badge, but not a City of Edinburgh squadron one...
There was too much to see and do over the course of the day, so rather than present you with a full report, I thought I'd share some of the photos of our day out.
You can view the rest of the photos at our Facebook page.
Dave Clarke from the Gordon Highlanders 1914-1918 re-enactment group.
Bristol Blenheim undergoing restoration. Blenheims were stationed at East Fortune at one point during the Second World War.
A display of armaments and equipment from a WW2 US camp.
Front section of a Nimrod.
Vulcan bomber. This one was forced to land in Brazil during the Falklands War and has a small Brazilian flag on the nose in recognition of this.
English Electric Lightning. You can read the history of this particular plane here.
No museum of flight should be without at least one Spitfire.
This is one of the engines from the plane which brought Rudolf Hess to Scotland.
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| General overview of the "military aircraft" hangar. |
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| Memorial to New Zealand airmen who were stationed in Scotland. |
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| SEPECAT Jaguar, still in her Gulf War paint scheme |
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| Blackburn Buccaneer |
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| The Gordons march off to battle. |
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| Capturing an enemy machine gun post. |
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| The WW2 tanks didn't make an appearance - but this did. |
Strange though, that you can buy a City of Glasgow squadron badge, but not a City of Edinburgh squadron one...
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Festival of Museums - Igniting Scotland's Imagination
Over 70 museums and galleries across Scotland are putting on events over the weekend of the 13th to 15th of May in an event title Festival of Museums.
For those of you with a military interest, there are plenty of options. You can:
For those of you with a military interest, there are plenty of options. You can:
- take a guide tour of the medal collection at the Stewatry Museum
- see the Jacobites come to Kirkcaldy
- get tough with a day of military fitness at the Gordon Highlanders museum
- see a living history camp at the Black Watch Museum
- go behind the scenes at the Black Watch, either by day or in the evening
- meet the aircrew at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
World Wars Experience day at the Museum of Flight
This Sunday you can see the First and Second World Wars "come vividly to life" with living history presenters at the Museum of Flight in East Fortune.
There are a number of activities and re-enactments throughout the day, and more detail can be found on the NMS website:
World Wars Experience
There are a number of activities and re-enactments throughout the day, and more detail can be found on the NMS website:
World Wars Experience
Does Glasgow need a 'Super Museum'?
We've had some posts lately about the highs and lows of Scotland's military museums. Of special concern are those still run by the MoD and attached to regimental headquarters. With cuts across government departments a priority for this coalition the Ministry of Defence may see regimental museums as an expense too far; especially those museums with few folk coming through the door.
When the government had to reform the army they often resorted to amalgamation. In 1881, 1957, 1961 and 1994 Scottish regiments merged to form larger entities. It was taken to its logical conclusion in 2006 with the creation of the 'super' Royal Regiment of Scotland (something actually touted in 1968 by Douglas Hurd, but in a novel and not as a politician, in his book "Scotch on the Rocks")
So here is a radical solution to the museums' problems - amalgamate them. Why not have a 'super museum' to match the 'super regiment'.
I'm not suggesting we have one combined regimental museum to cover all the Scottish Infantry regiments but perhaps the regiments who traditionally recruited in the West of Scotland could come together in a new purpose-built facility in Glasgow. If we think of the old Strathclyde Region it had four famous Scottish Infantry Regiments recruiting in that area. The Royal Scots Fusiliers in Ayrshire, The Cameronians in Lanarkshire, the Highland Light Infantry in Glasgow and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Argyll, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.
If we add in the Ayrshire Yeomanry, Glasgow Yeomanry and Lanarkshire Yeomanry too, and the Territorial artillery, engineers, medical and transport units based in the area then that is a lot of units and a lot of service. In fact why not go the whole hog and add in Glasgow's own RAF squadron - 602 Squadron RAFVR. And if they are in why not the local Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve too.
So there's my suggestion - a great big Lottery funded museum supported by all the local authorities around Glasgow donating some funds and their 'war' holdings alongside the regimental material to showcase Glasgow and the West of Scotland's proud military, naval and aviation history. A Strathclyde War Museum no less.
Ok, this is just wild pie-in-the-sky thinking but what is the alternative for some of our museums if the MoD pulls the plug? Going back to the army's own solution if amalgamation isn't possible; it is suspended animation or worse, disbandment.
When the government had to reform the army they often resorted to amalgamation. In 1881, 1957, 1961 and 1994 Scottish regiments merged to form larger entities. It was taken to its logical conclusion in 2006 with the creation of the 'super' Royal Regiment of Scotland (something actually touted in 1968 by Douglas Hurd, but in a novel and not as a politician, in his book "Scotch on the Rocks")
So here is a radical solution to the museums' problems - amalgamate them. Why not have a 'super museum' to match the 'super regiment'.
I'm not suggesting we have one combined regimental museum to cover all the Scottish Infantry regiments but perhaps the regiments who traditionally recruited in the West of Scotland could come together in a new purpose-built facility in Glasgow. If we think of the old Strathclyde Region it had four famous Scottish Infantry Regiments recruiting in that area. The Royal Scots Fusiliers in Ayrshire, The Cameronians in Lanarkshire, the Highland Light Infantry in Glasgow and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Argyll, Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.
If we add in the Ayrshire Yeomanry, Glasgow Yeomanry and Lanarkshire Yeomanry too, and the Territorial artillery, engineers, medical and transport units based in the area then that is a lot of units and a lot of service. In fact why not go the whole hog and add in Glasgow's own RAF squadron - 602 Squadron RAFVR. And if they are in why not the local Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve too.
So there's my suggestion - a great big Lottery funded museum supported by all the local authorities around Glasgow donating some funds and their 'war' holdings alongside the regimental material to showcase Glasgow and the West of Scotland's proud military, naval and aviation history. A Strathclyde War Museum no less.
Ok, this is just wild pie-in-the-sky thinking but what is the alternative for some of our museums if the MoD pulls the plug? Going back to the army's own solution if amalgamation isn't possible; it is suspended animation or worse, disbandment.
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Mixed fortunes for Scotland's regimental museums
In Victorian times line regiments sometimes felt aggrieved when they were in a battle next to a highland regiment because the Highlanders would steal all the glory. No matter if they had done as much if not more fighting than the Scots, the kilted warriors stood out and were a favourite for news illustrators. In a period when most armies wore uniforms based on French and Prussian styles the highlanders of Scotland were unique.
By 1881 the Lowland regiments raised to fight the Jacobite highlanders two hundred years before were transformed into pseudo-highlanders with tartan trews and basket hilted broadswords. In 2006 the transformation was complete when all Scottish infantry battalions were subsumed within the Royal Regiment of Scotland which became a highland regiment. All battalions of the regiment no matter their history or traditions became Black Watch clones in Government tartan kilts.
In 21st Century Scotland it seems that a Scottish soldier equals a highland soldier. When it comes to the museums of the Scottish infantry regiments this new pecking order seems to have taken precedence over the old Regimental Order of Precedence too.
The Highlanders museum at Fort George and the Black Watch museum at Perth have recently announced ambitious and expensive plans for their museums whilst just this week the complete opposite has happened at the King's Own Scottish Borderers Museum in Berwick which has been forced to reduce its opening hours because of a spat with English Heritage (who own the Barracks in Berwick where the Museum is based).
The other two museums to Highland regiments, The Argylls in Stirling Castle and the Gordon Highlanders museum in Aberdeen seem to be doing well too. The Argylls have the benefit of being in one of Scotland's top visitor attractions and the Gordons have a relatively new and well maintained museum at the former Bridge of Don Barracks.
The Royal Scots boasts a prime location in Edinburgh castle so it is guaranteed a large number of visitors but they are the luckiest ones when it comes to the four Lowland regimental museums.
The Cameronians are included in the South Lanarkshire run Low Parks Museum in Hamilton. It is open seven days a week and is free, but because of council cuts will that remain the case? I hope so. With the museum being in the care of a local authority you'd hope the items will always be on display. The downside is there may not always be money they want to improve their displays.
We've mentioned the KOSB museum above. It is a small museum with limited visitors and funding, and it seems that their troubles are probably going to get worse. With no more handouts from English Heritage, and no weekend opening to encourage more visitors where will they get the money they need to run the museum? It seems to me that this will lead to a downward spiral. Reduced opening hours means fewer visitors, which means less income, which probably means a cut in staff, which means a further reduction in opening hours, and then fewer visitors and so on...
Is there an answer to the KOSB Museum's problems? I hope so, and I hope former KOSB's and Berwick folk rally round their regimental heritage. It may be fifty years since the regiment last had a depot in the barracks but it is their spiritual home.
Finally last, but by no means least, is the poor old Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum. It sits forlornly at the wrong end of Sauchiehall Street and has such limited opening hours it is a wonder it gets any visitors at all. Like the KOSB they seem to be moving in ever decreasing circles. Currently the museum is only open Monday to Friday between ten and four. It isn't open in the evening and it isn't open at the weekends. Do they actually get anyone going through their door?
It is a real shame because it is a cracking museum. It is based in a Rennie Mackintosh building and out of all the regiments it probably has the most interesting history. The mix of Highland and Lowland regiments. The Royal Scots Fusiliers' long service and Highland Light Infantry's battle honours. The 71st at Waterloo and Vimiero, the 74th at Assaye and on the Birkenhead. The 21st at Blenheim in 1704, Inkerman in 1854, at the Jemappes Bridge in 1914 and countless other battles and campaigns from the Earl of Mar's regiment in 1678 up to 2 Scots in Afghanistan in 2011.
I hope the powers that be in charge of the RHF museum can see sense and make their collection more accessible. The history of Glasgow's infantry regiments should make Glasgow proud. Glaswegians, and especially the former members, and the families of former members, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Highland Light Infantry, Royal Highland Fusiliers and 2nd Bn Royal Regiment of Scotland should start supporting their local regimental museum and learn a bit about their glorious past.
By 1881 the Lowland regiments raised to fight the Jacobite highlanders two hundred years before were transformed into pseudo-highlanders with tartan trews and basket hilted broadswords. In 2006 the transformation was complete when all Scottish infantry battalions were subsumed within the Royal Regiment of Scotland which became a highland regiment. All battalions of the regiment no matter their history or traditions became Black Watch clones in Government tartan kilts.
In 21st Century Scotland it seems that a Scottish soldier equals a highland soldier. When it comes to the museums of the Scottish infantry regiments this new pecking order seems to have taken precedence over the old Regimental Order of Precedence too.
The Highlanders museum at Fort George and the Black Watch museum at Perth have recently announced ambitious and expensive plans for their museums whilst just this week the complete opposite has happened at the King's Own Scottish Borderers Museum in Berwick which has been forced to reduce its opening hours because of a spat with English Heritage (who own the Barracks in Berwick where the Museum is based).
The other two museums to Highland regiments, The Argylls in Stirling Castle and the Gordon Highlanders museum in Aberdeen seem to be doing well too. The Argylls have the benefit of being in one of Scotland's top visitor attractions and the Gordons have a relatively new and well maintained museum at the former Bridge of Don Barracks.
The Royal Scots boasts a prime location in Edinburgh castle so it is guaranteed a large number of visitors but they are the luckiest ones when it comes to the four Lowland regimental museums.
The Cameronians are included in the South Lanarkshire run Low Parks Museum in Hamilton. It is open seven days a week and is free, but because of council cuts will that remain the case? I hope so. With the museum being in the care of a local authority you'd hope the items will always be on display. The downside is there may not always be money they want to improve their displays.
We've mentioned the KOSB museum above. It is a small museum with limited visitors and funding, and it seems that their troubles are probably going to get worse. With no more handouts from English Heritage, and no weekend opening to encourage more visitors where will they get the money they need to run the museum? It seems to me that this will lead to a downward spiral. Reduced opening hours means fewer visitors, which means less income, which probably means a cut in staff, which means a further reduction in opening hours, and then fewer visitors and so on...
Is there an answer to the KOSB Museum's problems? I hope so, and I hope former KOSB's and Berwick folk rally round their regimental heritage. It may be fifty years since the regiment last had a depot in the barracks but it is their spiritual home.
Finally last, but by no means least, is the poor old Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum. It sits forlornly at the wrong end of Sauchiehall Street and has such limited opening hours it is a wonder it gets any visitors at all. Like the KOSB they seem to be moving in ever decreasing circles. Currently the museum is only open Monday to Friday between ten and four. It isn't open in the evening and it isn't open at the weekends. Do they actually get anyone going through their door?
It is a real shame because it is a cracking museum. It is based in a Rennie Mackintosh building and out of all the regiments it probably has the most interesting history. The mix of Highland and Lowland regiments. The Royal Scots Fusiliers' long service and Highland Light Infantry's battle honours. The 71st at Waterloo and Vimiero, the 74th at Assaye and on the Birkenhead. The 21st at Blenheim in 1704, Inkerman in 1854, at the Jemappes Bridge in 1914 and countless other battles and campaigns from the Earl of Mar's regiment in 1678 up to 2 Scots in Afghanistan in 2011.
I hope the powers that be in charge of the RHF museum can see sense and make their collection more accessible. The history of Glasgow's infantry regiments should make Glasgow proud. Glaswegians, and especially the former members, and the families of former members, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Highland Light Infantry, Royal Highland Fusiliers and 2nd Bn Royal Regiment of Scotland should start supporting their local regimental museum and learn a bit about their glorious past.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
It seems a little unfair to have another article on Kelvingrove after I discussed the Spitfire for our Object of the Month, but there is so much more to Kelvingrove than that, and for those interested in military history, there are quite a number of items to be discovered.
This is not strictly speaking a review of Kelvingrove. I don't have the space to cover all the treasures on display. All I will say is that it houses perhaps the finest collection of art and artefacts in the country (Edinburgh folk may argue with this!).
I've touched on the Spitfire before so I won't dwell on it, but it is the most obviously military item in the museum, and is the focal point of the West Hall, which is devoted to "life" - all the animal items are here, together with ancient Egyptian artefacts.
This is not strictly speaking a review of Kelvingrove. I don't have the space to cover all the treasures on display. All I will say is that it houses perhaps the finest collection of art and artefacts in the country (Edinburgh folk may argue with this!).
I've touched on the Spitfire before so I won't dwell on it, but it is the most obviously military item in the museum, and is the focal point of the West Hall, which is devoted to "life" - all the animal items are here, together with ancient Egyptian artefacts.
The West hall also contains the Arms and Armour collection. This used to be on the ground floor, and contained a lot of items on local regiments, as you can see from the "red coats" on display in this photo.
This is how the hall looked before closing for refurbishment some years ago. It's a shame that these items are no longer displayed like this, but times change. Perhaps one day these items will make a return.
The Arms and Armour is now on display upstairs. The first thing you notice is a display of armour immediately facing you. The display looks good, but I can't help feeling the armour looks slightly "static" - perhaps some effort to show more movement would have been better?
The room is dominated by two large glass cases. These show various weapons - swords and shields etc. There is an interesting angle here as part of the display compares man-made weapons with similar items in nature - for example, contrasting the shell of an armadillo with some chainmail.
Around the walls are displays of various artefacts from colonial campaigns. There is no attempt to glorify these campaigns, and there is an interesting use of comments from the people of these civilisations, putting the campaigns of the time into context.
Colonial campaign medals - the map shows the location of the campaigns for which they were awarded.
One of my favourite cases shows the complete kit of a Private Baird of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from the Boer War.
As a Glasgow event, there are displays from the Battle of Langside, in particular this memorial stone which used to mark the point where Mary Queen of Scots viewed the battle. This stone was carved in 1854 by sir George Cathcart and used to stand at Court Knowe.
There are smaller "alcoves" in this room. One features a display on the Holocaust - part of the main room is devoted to this as well. A video display features video testimonies from Holocaust survivors.
A second alcove features items belonging to a Glasgow man named James Keith Gorrie, who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. His uniform is in the main case, with drawers containing smaller items which slide out on either side.
The Arms and Armour section is not the only part of the museum of interest to the military historian - there are other items to be found.
The Art Gallery part of the museum includes a number of military subjects. There are several paintings outside the Arms and Armour room which, as the display states, depict pictures of everyday wartime work:
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| "Pilot and Navigator Confer" - Keith Henderson |
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| "Driver Abdul Ghani" - Henry Lamb |
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| "WAAF Store" - Evelyn Dunbar |
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| "Scottish Policeman" - James Cowie |
There are a number of other paintings within the museum. One in particular is very impressive and can be found at the top of one of the staircases.
"The Alma: Forward the 42nd" was painted by Robert Gibb in 1888 and he used real soldiers as models for the subject. It's a fantastic painting - it's difficult to gauge the size of this painting, as it hangs above your head and you can only see it clearly from the top of the stairs. It keeps it out of reach but makes it difficult to see it properly.
Another of the staircases has a similarly large painting, and I include it here as it no doubt contains the images of a number of Victorian officers.
"Queen Victoria at the Glasgow Exhibition" was painted by John Lavery in 1888, and it was hit by a bomb blast in the Second World War - the original frame was destroyed but the canvas has been restored.
I'll be very impressed if anyone can name any of the figures in this painting - Queen Victoria doesn't count as even I can spot her.
There are a few other military subjects, but I wouldn't want to show you everything - Kelvingrove is well worth the visit and you can always find something new when you visit.
One thing you might spot is in the East Hall. Alongthe top of the hall are the names of prominent Scots from History. Among them are a number of military names:
William Wallace and Robert Bruce are no doubt well known to many.
While Sir John Moore has been the subject of this blog before.
The Art Gallery and Museum are free of charge and is open seven days a week (from 10am every day except Friday and Sunday when it opens at 11) until 5pm. Put it on your list of places you MUST see.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Object of the Month - March 2011
This months Object of the Month is perhaps the most impressive exhibit on display at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
It is, of course, the Spitfire.
I can, and will if you let me, go on and on about my love for the Spitfire. It's a truly beautiful machine, and I thrill whenever I hear the sound of one in the sky above me. It was always a highlight of air shows when I was a child, and one of my dreams would be to one day be at the controls of one of these stunning planes.
There is a "thing" about the Spitfire which no other plane has - it's perhaps due to the image it has as the victor of the Battle of Britain (although as anyone could tell you, that particular honour strictly speaking belongs to the Hurricane) but whatever it is, the Spitfire seems to have an effect on people that's hard to describe.
This particular model doesn't have the "classic" look of a Spitfire - it's a later model - an F22 Spitfire with a Rolls Royce Griffon engine rather than the more famous Merlin. It changes the look slightly, but it's still recognisably a Spitfire.
This particular Spitfire is serial number LA198. It flew with 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron between 1947 and 1949. It crashed on landing at Horsham St. Faith Base and never flew again.
I believe it served as a "gate guardian" for some time, before returning to Glasgow in 1998. It was then sent to the Museum of Flight at East Fortune where it was restored. It has been hanging on display in the West Hall of Kelvingrove since 2005.
It's an incredibly impressive display. While some people say it should be at the Museum of Transport (and I can see their point) I think it fits well in its current surroundings. My only gripe is that it would be wonderful to be able to climb into that cockpit and get a feel of what it was like to fly.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is open 10am until 5pm every day (except Friday and Sunday when it opens at 11) and entry is free. Next time you're in Glasgow, make a point of visiting the museum. It's a great trip and you won't be disappointed.
It is, of course, the Spitfire.
I can, and will if you let me, go on and on about my love for the Spitfire. It's a truly beautiful machine, and I thrill whenever I hear the sound of one in the sky above me. It was always a highlight of air shows when I was a child, and one of my dreams would be to one day be at the controls of one of these stunning planes.
There is a "thing" about the Spitfire which no other plane has - it's perhaps due to the image it has as the victor of the Battle of Britain (although as anyone could tell you, that particular honour strictly speaking belongs to the Hurricane) but whatever it is, the Spitfire seems to have an effect on people that's hard to describe.
This particular model doesn't have the "classic" look of a Spitfire - it's a later model - an F22 Spitfire with a Rolls Royce Griffon engine rather than the more famous Merlin. It changes the look slightly, but it's still recognisably a Spitfire.
This particular Spitfire is serial number LA198. It flew with 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron between 1947 and 1949. It crashed on landing at Horsham St. Faith Base and never flew again.
I believe it served as a "gate guardian" for some time, before returning to Glasgow in 1998. It was then sent to the Museum of Flight at East Fortune where it was restored. It has been hanging on display in the West Hall of Kelvingrove since 2005.
It's an incredibly impressive display. While some people say it should be at the Museum of Transport (and I can see their point) I think it fits well in its current surroundings. My only gripe is that it would be wonderful to be able to climb into that cockpit and get a feel of what it was like to fly.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is open 10am until 5pm every day (except Friday and Sunday when it opens at 11) and entry is free. Next time you're in Glasgow, make a point of visiting the museum. It's a great trip and you won't be disappointed.
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