Fascinating Fort William 26 May 2025

 

The raising of the Standard at Glenfinnan
By Chris Collingwood 1997, and commissioned by the Drambuie Liqueur Company.
This was on the occasion of the temporary victory by Bonny Prince Charlie in 1745.  This painting is in the Fort William Museum - an excellent place on a very wet day (and, I suspect, on any day).

We took the clicketty-clack clicketty-clack to Fort William today (it being still very windy, and jolly wet). This of course took us past Glenfinnan, where we passed The Jacobite - the Harry Potter steam train.

The magic continues!

The weather really was wet, so as soon as we got to Fort William we dived into Nevis Sports (a really good outdoor activities shop) for coffee and scone, and a mooch about (I bought trainers, Susie got a top).  Then up the road to the museum. Really fascinating. Here are just a few snippets:

This is a birching table taken from the Sheriff Court, Fort William. It was last used in 1948 on a boy convicted of shop breaking.  Birching was a punishment handed down by the courts and a doctor had to be present along with other officials to ensure it was delivered correctly.  The convicted person was placed face down on the table with their arms through the holes and wrists tied underneath.  The body and legs were strapped so movement was limited. Brutal.

It seems to me that similar things go on today, but they call it a massage!

Scots first started to wear tartan in 16th century. The colours were obtained by using vegetable dyes from whatever plants were most commonly found in the area.  Because of this, tartans were specific to districts rather than to clans.  Plant badges were used to distinguish clansmen in battle.  Clan tartans were only generally adopted much later. The kilt came in the 18th century, 

In 1883 a weather observatory was opened on the summit of Ben Nevis, along with ‘refreshment rooms’ and a Post Office. Quite extraordinary! This picture was taken in 1884 winter showing the 30ft tower that added to house the anemometers and to act as a winter doorway (the first doorway was constantly being blocked by snow).

There was even an hotel at the summit. Again, quite extraordinary. The Observatory was closed in 1904 due to lack of funding, and presumably the hotel didn’t last much longer.

But let’s not stop there.  On 9th May 1911 Henry Alexander, from Edinburgh, set off from the square in front of the museum in a Model T Ford, and ascended successfully to the summit of Ben Nevis.  He returned 9 days later to a hero’s welcome.  
It really does take all sorts!

During WW2 the Commandos were created as an elite fighting force, and their first training centre was very close to Fort William.  As part of their weaponry they developed a dagger “ a double-edged weapon with a chequered handle for grip and a cross guard to protect the knuckles and thumb.  The first batch of ‘1st Pattern’ F-S knives, estimated to be 300 to 500, was produced in January 1941 by Wilkinson Sword Ltd.”  The designer, Fairburn, drew up a “Timetable of Death “ which graphically and gruesomely indicated the anticipated time to death in each of several stabbing sites (around the body). The graphics are shown in the museum, but they are a bit too gruesome for a family show like this blog!

After the museum we had lunch in the Ben Nevis bar restaurant - excellent - then went on to visit a whisky shop, and I bought a fleecy shirt - not in the whisky shop (I feel as though I must be on my holidays!).

A very successful day in Fort William.

No bird list today (I’m on my holidays!).