Duncan MacDonald

Duncan was born at Kerrow, Kingussie in 1900, to parents Hugh and Isabella MacDonald. He worked briefly at a grocer’s and with the post office, before joining the railways in 1916, where he remained for the rest of his working life. He had experience of the very busy Kingussie Station, during both World Wars with all the troop movements; also the busy summer letting and sporting estate trade, the refreshment rooms and bookstall and the large amount of goods that arrived by train. He was the first to build a house of railway sleeper construction in Kingussie.

Jean Fraser

Jean was born in 1915 at Invertromie. Her parents were Elspbeth MacGillivray, Ballachroan, and Donald Fraser, a farmer/joiner from Invertromie. Her father’s first language was Gaelic and his was the last generation of Gaelic speakers in the area. Prior to the twenties it was important that local ministers could speak the language, as could Dr MacFarlane of the Parish Church and Mr Bain of the Free Church, and some sermons were conducted in the language.

Jessie Innes

Jessie was born at Ballachroan in 1903. Her father was John Cattanach, sheep manager, and her mother was Jemima Cattanach from Strone, Newtonmore. At Gowanlea, then Ivy House, Kingussie, Jemima was one of the local ladies who provided board for pupils from the Islands who were training for the ministry. She was also one of the first to provide Bed and Breakfast accommodation to cyclists and other tourists, before World War I.

Cath Hunter

Cath was born in Kingussie in 1909. Her parents were Catherine Macpherson of Strone, Newtonmore and Donald Cumming, a butcher/farmer from Dava. She married a dentist in 1941 and spent most of her life in Kingussie. A gifted musician, singer and story-teller, she wrote verse and song in Gaelic, Scots and English to commemorate local events or friends. She attended, organised and performed at many ceilidhs and concerts in the area.

Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm was born in Kingussie in 1910. His father was Malcolm Fraser, joiner and ironmonger and his mother was Martha Watt from Aberdeenshire. He worked in his father’s ironmonger’s business, which got a lot of custom from the summer letting and the sporting estates. He also had an uncle, John Fraser, who was the blacksmith and was very skilled at fixing early car engines.

Evan Fraser

Evan was born in 1909 to parents Donald Fraser, Dalwhinnie Distillery, and Mary MacKenzie. His mother ran a laundry at Fjeldheim, Newtonmore Road which was the family house. Much work was provided by the busy summer letting and hotel business at the time. Evan helped there but later worked at a BP oil depot, on the Hydro scheme at Gaick and in forestry operations below Creag Bheag.

Jessie and Doris Dallas

Jessie was born in Kingussie in 1902, the daughter of John Cameron Dallas, miller, Kingussie and Elizabeth Ross, Kingussie. Jessie was assisted in the interview by Doris Dallas who was married to Ian, Jessie’s brother. They were the parents of Jim Dallas, who was interviewed in 2013. They shared many recollections of the mills on the Gynack, the smiddy, the school, shops, sport and wartime.

Janet Cameron

Janet was born in 1896 in Kingussie. Her father was Morris Cameron, Comrie. Her mother, Annie Crerar, died when Janet was young and she was brought up by her grandmother. Her Crerar grandfather was an auctioneer who travelled round farms and estates doing valuations. Her uncle, Mr Gillies drove the stagecoach to Fort William.

William Johnstone

William was born in Glasgow in 1901. His father was James Johnstone who set up the printing firm Jas Johnstone and Son in Kingussie High Street in 1902. His mother was Jessie Beale from Banff. William worked in the family business, which moved to its final location in the old distillery buildings after the fire of 1921 destroyed the High Street premises. As well as producing the local newspaper the firm produced guidebooks and picture books for visitors and a variety of stationery goods. William was the father of Hamish and the uncle of John Johnstone, who kept the business going until the 1990s.

Demolition of distillery 1922 (Courtesy of Hamish Johnstone)