Charade at Abercairny

Category

Library Item

Item no

17085

Title

Charade at Abercairny. Clara Whortley, Kate Edwardes & Walter Whitmore

Description

Three wealthy Victorians dress in costumes for a charade at Abercairny House, Perthshire. They are seated outside and stained glass windows can be seen behind them. Walter Whitmore is dressed in livery for his part as a butler and is carrying a tray with two tea cups on it. Kate Edwardes sits in the centre wearing a dark bonnet and dress with a knitted shawl pulled tightly around her. She is gesturing towards the lady to her right. Clara Whortley stands wearing a striped overskirt and bustle under a dark fitted jacket. She has a boater hat on and a slightly pained expression on her face.

Artist / maker

Unknown

Date

1870

Size

10 x 15 cm

Type

Photograph

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Abercairny House is an estate in the region of Perth and Kinross. The estate, owned by the Moray family since the 13th century, is located four miles east of Crieff. Built for William and James Moray, Abercairny House is a neo-Georgian design by the Hon Claud Phillimore. It was built to replace the previous mansion Abercairny Abbey which was a Gothic Revival building designed by Richard Crichton between 1804-9 and 1814- 17, completed by R and R Dickson and demolished in 1960. The stable-block is a one and two storey block with a round internal courtyard and large archway on the west elevation. It was built in 1841-2 by R and R Dickson and re-used the materials of the previous stables which had stood adjacent to the house. The house is noted for having a short visit from Queen Victoria on the 12th September 1842 while it was still under construction.

This image comes from a set of family photograph albums known as the Moray Albums. They belonged to a family known as the Stirling Home-Drummond Moray's, an aristocratic, well-connected Scottish landowning family. Originally the name was Drummond, but became hyphenated in 1741 when Agatha Drummond of Blair Drummond married Henry Home of Kames. Their grandson, Henry Home-Drummond married Christian Moray, eldest daughter of Colonel Charles Moray of Abercairny and his wife, Anne Stirling. The Stirling name was added due to the inclusion of Anne Stirling's lands.

The albums contain many pictures of the extended family and other aristocratic connections as well as images of the stately homes at Blair Drummond and Abercairny. The family travelled frequently too through Great Britain and to the continent for holidays in Switzerland. Portraits include Charles Stirling Home-Drummond Moray who became 9th Laird of Blair Drummond, 19th of Abercairny and 11th of Ardoch in 1876 and his wife Lady Ann Georgina Douglas. Their son, William Augustus married the Hon. Gwendolen Edwarde, daughter of the 4th Baron Kensington and there are photographs of the Kensingtons in the second album.

The family used many residences of their extended family as well as their own, which are represented in the albums. The original house at Abercairny; Abercairny Abbey was started in 1805 and demolished in 1960. The present Abercairney House was started in 1842 and is still in use by the family. Their hunting lodge, Connachan Lodge is still in existence and is sometimes rented out. Firle Place, Lewes, Sussex which also appears in the albums is still owned by the Gages.

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Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Garments > Dresses

Clothing and dress > Garments > Uniforms

People > Adults > Men

People > Adults > Women

Places > Scotland > Perthshire

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