HISTORY

Andrew Brodie - Shot 1678 near Culteuchar Hill for his Covenanting sympathies. Headstone, the original of which is in church vestibule at Forgandenny kirkyard (NO 088183).

Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1836-1908) - Liberal MP for Stirling, Secretary of the War Office, Secretary for Ireland, Prime Minister 1905-8 - buried in the churchyard of Meigle Parish Church, Perthshire, near his home, Belmont Castle. "Henry Campbell-Bannerman (7 September 1836 – 22 April 1908) was a British Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister from December 5, 1905 until resigning due to ill health on April 3, 1908. No previous First Lord of the Treasury had been officially called "Prime Minister"; this term only came into official usage after he took office. Campbell-Bannerman was born at Kelvinside House in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1836 as Henry Campbell. The surname Bannerman was added to his surname in 1871 as required by his maternal uncle's will. It was a condition of his inheritance of his uncle's Kent estate, Hunton Court. He was the son of Sir James Campbell, who was Lord Provost of Glasgow 1840-1843, and his wife Janet Bannerman. Campbell-Bannerman was educated at Glasgow High School (1845-1847), the University of Glasgow (1851), and Trinity College, Cambridge (1854-1858), where he achieved a Third-Class Degree in Classical Tripos. After graduating, he joined J.& W. Campbell & Co., his family's firm, who were warehousemen and drapers in Glasgow. In 1868, he was elected to the House of Commons as Liberal Member of Parliament for Stirling Burghs — a constituency he was to represent for forty years. He was appointed as Financial Secretary to the War Office in November 1871, serving in this position until 1874, and again from 1880 to 1882. After serving as Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty from 1882 to 1884, he entered Gladstone's second cabinet as Chief Secretary for Ireland in 1884. In Gladstone's Third (1886) and Fourth (1892-1894) Cabinets and Rosebery's Government (1894-1895) he served as Secretary of State for War, where he persuaded the Duke of Cambridge, the Queen's cousin, to resign as Commander-in-Chief. This earned Campbell-Bannerman a knighthood. In 1898 Sir Henry succeeded Sir William Vernon Harcourt as leader of the Liberals in the House of Commons. Campbell-Bannerman had a difficult time in holding together the strongly divided party (which was defeated in the "Khaki Election" of 1900), but when the Liberals returned to power in 1905, he became Prime Minister. Campbell-Bannerman's premiership saw the introduction of the so-called Liberal reforms, which included the introduction of sick pay and old age pensions, as well as the achievement of an Entente with Russia in 1907, brought about principally by the Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey. In that same year, Campbell-Bannerman achieved the honour of becoming the Father of the House, the only serving British Prime Minister to do so to date. Nevertheless his health soon took a turn for the worse, and he resigned as Prime Minister on 3 April 1908, to be succeeded by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Herbert Henry Asquith. Campbell-Bannerman remained in residence at 10 Downing Street in the immediate aftermath of his resignation, and became the only (former) Prime Minister to die there, on 22 April 1908. His last words were "This is not the end of me.". Campbell-Bannerman was buried in the churchyard of Meigle Parish Church, Perthshire, near his home, Belmont Castle. In an uncharacteristically emotional speech on the day of Campbell-Bannerman's funeral, his successor H. H. Asquith told the House of Commons: "He was not ashamed, even on the verge of old age, to see visions and to dream dreams... He met both good and evil fortune with the same unclouded brow, the same unruffled temper, the same unshakeable confidence in the justice and righteousness of his cause." Another of Campbell-Bannerman's cabinet Ministers — who was also later to serve as Prime Minister — David Lloyd George, said of his passing, "I have never met a great public figure who so completely won the attachment and affection of the men who came into contact with him. He was not merely admired and respected; he was absolutely loved by us all. The masses of the people of the country, especially the more unfortunate of them, have lost the best friend they have ever had in the high place of the land. ... He was a truly great man. A great head and a great heart. He was absolutely the bravest man I ever met in politics."There is a blue plaque outside Campbell-Bannerman's house at 6 Grosvenor Place, London SW1. His bronze bust, sculpted by Paul Raphael Montford is in Westminster Abbey (1908).

James Croll - A Scottish physicist born at Coupar Angus (Little Whitefield) in 1821. Although only educated to elementary level, Croll taught himself science. Amongst his positions were: millwright, insurance agent and keeper of the museum of Anderson's College, Glasgow. Croll was part of the Scottish Geological Survey of 1867-81 and was made FRS and LLD in 1876. James Croll died at Perth in 1890. His writing includes: Climate and Time (1875); The Philosophical Basis of Evolution (1890); and Autobiography (1896).

William Cleland (c.1661-89) - Scottish Covenanting poet and soldier educated at St. Andrew's University and at Utrecht. He fought at Drumclog, Bothwell Brig and in Argyll's expedition, when, as colonel of the Cameronians, he fell in the successful defence of Dunkeld against the Jacobite (Highland) clansmen in 1689. Also noted for his humorous poetry. Buried at Dunkeld Kirkyard (NO 024426).

Robert Cunninghame-Graham (1852-1936) - Born in London, Don Roberto, as he was known, was a Liberal MP and prolific writer and a founder with Keir Hardie of the Scottish Labour Party. He is buried at Inchmahome (NN 574005) in Perthshire. Robert Bontine, the son of Major William Bontine of the Scots Greys, was born on 24th May 1852. His mother was the daughter of Admiral Charles Elphinstone Fleming. Robert spent most of his childhood on the family estate in Perthshire. After being educated at Harrow Robert moved to Argentina where his family owned a cattle ranch. After the death of his father in 1883 he changed his name to Robert Cunninghame-Graham. He returned to England and became interested in politics. He attended socialist meetings where he heard and met William Morris, George Bernard Shaw, H. M. Hyndman, Keir Hardie and John Burns. Graham was converted to socialism and he began to speak at public meetings. He was an impressive orator and was especially good at dealing with hecklers. Although a socialist, in the 1886 General Election he stood as a Liberal at North-West Lanarkshire. His election programme was extremely radical and called for the abolition of the House of Lords, universal suffrage, the nationalisation of the land, mines and other industries, free school meals, disestablishment of the Church of England, Scottish Home Rule and the eight-hour-day. Supported by liberals and socialists, Graham defeated the Conservative Party candidate by 322 votes. Robert Cunninghame-Graham refused to accept the conventions of the House of Commons. On 12th September 1887 he was suspended from Parliament for making what was called a "disrespectful reference" to the House of Lords. Graham's main concerns in the House of Commons was the plight of the unemployed and the preservation of civil liberties. He complained about attempts in 1886 and 1887 by the police to prevent public meetings and free speech. He attended the protest demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 13th November 1887 that was broken up by the police. During what became known as Bloody Sunday, Graham was badly beaten and arrested. Both Cunninghame-Graham and John Burns were found guilty for their involvement in the demonstration and sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment. When Graham was released from Pentonville Prison he continued his campaign to improve the rights of working people and to curb their economic exploitation. He was suspended from the House of Commons in December, 1888 for protesting about the working conditions of chain makers. Graham was a supporter of the eight hour day and made several attempts to introduce a bill on the subject. He made some progress with this in the summer of 1892 but he was unable to persuade the Conservative Government, headed by the Marquess of Salisbury, to allocate time for the bill to be fully debated. Along with his great friend, James Keir Hardie, Graham was a strong supporter of Scottish Independence. In 1886 the two men formed the Scottish Home Rule Association and while in the House of Commons made several attempts to persuade fellow MPs of the desirability of a Scottish Parliament. On one occasion Graham humorously argued that he wanted a "national parliament with the pleasure of knowing that the taxes were wasted in Edinburgh instead of London". While in the House of Commons Graham became increasingly more radical. He supported workers in their industrial disputes and was actively involved with Annie Besant and the Matchgirls Strike and the 1889 Dockers' Strike. In July 1889 he attended the Marxist Congress of the Second International in Paris with James Keir Hardie, William Morris, Eleanor Marx and Edward Aveling. The following year he made a speech in Calais that was considered by the authorities to be so revolutionary that he was arrested and expelled from France. In the 1892 General Election Graham stood as the Scottish Labour Party candidate for Glasgow Camlachie. He was defeated and this brought his parliamentary career to an end. Despite being out of the House of Commons Graham continued to be active in politics. He retained a strong belief in Scottish Home Rule. In 1928 he was elected President of the National Party of Scotland and was several times the Scottish Nationalist candidate for the Lord Rectorship of Glasgow University. During his life Graham had a large number of books and articles published. Subject matter included history, biography, politics, travel and seventeen collections of short stories. Robert Cunninghame Graham died on 20th March, 1936. "Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham was born in London, but spent much of his early adult life abroad, traveling extensively to various parts of the world. He spent fourteen years in Argentina, and had a lifelong fascination with the early history of South America. Ultimately this led to A Vanished Arcadia (published 1901), his history of the expulsion of the Jesuits from the continent and the consequent tragedy imposed upon South America's native inhabitants. Cunninghame Graham identified with the causes of the weak against the strong, and after returning to Scotland in 1883, became involved in socialist politics and was elected first president of the Scottish Labour Party. Before his death his Scottish constituents accorded him the Honorary Presidency of the Scottish National Party. He returned to his beloved Argentina thereafter, where he died. He was a friend to several noted literary figures, including George Bernard Shaw and Joseph Conrad, who used him as a model for several of his own fictional characters."

John Graham, Viscount Dundee (1648/9-89) - Known as Claverhouse from his estate, Graham led Government troops against the Covenanters at Drumclog and Bothwell. he was personally responsible for the murder of John Brown of Priesthill in front of his wife and family. Graham led the Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie (27 July 1689); although they won, he was killed in the battle. Buried within Blair Atholl aisle (Old Blair NN 867665). "John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee was a Scottish soldier and nobleman. Claverhouse is remembered by history in two distinct characters. Unfavourable records of his supposed persecution of the Covenanters, when he was responsible for policing south-west Scotland during and after the religious unrest and rebellion of the 1670s and 80s, led to Presbyterian historians dubbing him "Bluidy Clavers". Later, as a general in the Scottish army, Claverhouse remained loyal to King James VII after the so-called Glorious Revolution of 1688. He rallied the loyal Highland clans and, although he lost his life in the battle, led them to victory at Killiecrankie. This first Jacobite rising was unsuccessful, but Claverhouse became a Jacobite hero, acquiring his second soubriquet "Bonnie Dundee".

John Grierson - Born at Deanston (borders of Stirling and Perth) on 26 April 1898. He is credited with initiating the 1930s British documentary film movement. "John Grierson (April 26, 1898 - February 19, 1972) is often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. Grierson was born in Deanston, near Doune, Scotland. His father was the local school master, his mother an early feminist and ardent Labour Party activist. From an early age, both parents steeped their son in liberal politics, humanistic ideals, and Calvinist moral and religious philosophies, particularly the notion that education was essential to individual freedom and that hard and meaningful work was the way to prove oneself worth in the sight of God. After a stint working on minesweepers in the Royal Navy during World War I, Grierson entered the University of Glasgow, where he spent a good part of his academic career enmeshed in impassioned political discussion and leftist political activism. In 1924, after graduating from the university in moral philosophy, he received a Rockefeller Research Fellowship to study in the US at the University of Chicago, and later at Columbia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focus was the psychology of propaganda--the impact of the press, film, and other mass media on forming public opinion. Grierson was particularly interested in the popular appeal and influence of the "yellow" (tabloid) press, and the influence and role of these journals on the education of new American citizens from abroad. Like a number of other social critics of the time, Grierson was profoundly concerned about what he perceived to be clear threats to democracy. In the US, he encountered a marked tendency toward political reaction, anti-democratic sentiments, and political apathy. He read and agreed with the journalist and political philosopher Walter Lippman's book Public Opinion which blamed the erosion of democracy in part on the fact that the political and social complexities of contemporary society made it difficult if not impossible for the public to comprehend and respond to issues vital to the maintenance of democratic society. In Grierson's view, a way to counter these problems was to involve citizens in their government with the kind of engaging excitement generated by the popular press, which simplified and dramatized public affair. It was during this time that Grierson developed a conviction that motion pictures could play a central role in promoting this process. (It has been suggested some of Grierson's notions regarding the social and political uses of film were influenced by reading Lenin's writing about film as education and propaganda.) Grierson's emerging view of film was as a form of social and political communication--a mechanism for social reform, education, and perhaps spiritual uplift. His view of Hollywood movie-making was considerably less sanguine: "In an age when the faiths, the loyalties, and the purposes have been more than usually undermined, mental fatigue--or is it spiritual fatigue?--represents a large factor in everyday experience. Our cinema magnate does no more than exploit the occasion. He also, more or less frankly, is a dope pedlar." Grierson's emerging and outspoken film philosophies caught the attention of New York film critics at the time. He was asked to write criticism for the New York Sun. At the Sun, Grierson wrote articles on film aesthetics and audience reception, and developed broad contacts in the film world. In the course of this writing stint, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in writing about Robert Flaherty's film Moana (1926) (New York Sun, February 8, 1926: "Of course Moana, being a visual account of events in the daily life of a Polynesian youth and his family, has documentary value."). During this time, Grierson was also involved in scrutinizing the film industries of other countries. He was involved in arranging to bring Sergei Eisenstein's groundbreaking film The Battleship Potemkin (1925) to US audience for the first time. Eisenstein's editing techniques and film theories, particularly the use of montage, would have a significant influence on Grierson's own work. Grierson returned to Great Britain in the late 1920s armed with the sense that film could be enlisted to deal with the problems of the Great Depression, and to build national morale and national consensus. Filmmaking for Grierson was an exalted calling; the Filmmaker a patriot. In all of this there was more than a little elitism, a stance reflected in Grierson's many dicta of the time: "The elect have their duty." "I look on cinema as a pulpit, and use it as a propagandist." In the US Grierson had met pioneering documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty. Grierson respected Flaherty immensely for his contributions to documentary form and his attempts to use the camera to bring alive the lives of everyday people and everyday events. Less commendable in Grierson's view was Flaherty's focus on exotic and faraway cultures. ("In the profounder kind of way," wrote Grierson of Flaherty, "we live and prosper each of us by denouncing the other"). In Grierson's view, the focus of film should be on the everyday drama of ordinary people. As Grierson wrote in his diaries: "Beware the ends of the earth and the exotic: the drama is on your doorstep wherever the slums; are, wherever there is malnutrition, wherever there is exploitation and cruelty." "'You keep your savages in the far place Bob; we are going after the savages of Birmingham,' I think I said to him pretty early on. And we did.") On his return to England, Grierson joined the Empire Marketing Board (EMB), a governmental agency which had been established several years earlier to promote British world trade and British unity throughout the empire. One of the major functions of the EMB was publicity, which the Board accomplished through exhibits, posters, and publications. In 1930 Grierson convinced government funding agencies to establish a film unit within the EMB and to assign him the directorship of the unit. It was within the context of this State funded organization that the "documentary" as we know it today really got its start. In late 1929 Grierson and his cameraman, Basil Emmott, completed his first film, The Drifters, which he wrote, produced and directed. The film, which follows the heroic work of North Sea herring fishermen, was a radical departure from anything being made by the British film industry or Hollywood. A large part of its innovation lie in the fierce boldness in bringing the camera to rugged locations such as a small boat in the middle of a gale, and leave relatively less of the action staged. The choice of topic was chosen less from Grierson's curiosity than the fact that he discovered the Financial Secretary had made the herring industry his hobbyhorse. It premiered in London on a double-bill with Eisenstein's then controversial film The Battleship Potemkin, and received high praise from both its sponsors and the press. After this success, Grierson moved away from film direction into more production and administration within the EMB. He became a tireless organizer and recruiter for the EMB, enlisting a stable of energetic young filmmakers into the film unit between 1930 and 1933. Those enlisted included filmmakers Basil Wright, Edgar Anstey, Stuart Legg, Paul Rotha, Arthur Elton, Humphrey Jennings, Harry Watt, and Alberto Cavalcanti. This group formed the core of what was to become known as The British Documentary Movement. In 1933 the EMB Film Unit was disbanded, a casualty of Depression era economics. Grierson's boss at the EMB moved to the General Post Office (GPO) as its first public relations officer with the stipulation that he could bring the EMB film unit with him. Grierson's crew were charged with demonstrating the ways in which the Post Office facilitated modern communication and brought the nation together, a task aimed as much at GPO workers as the general public. During Grierson's administration, the GPO Film Unit produced a series of groundbreaking films, including Night Mail (dir. Basil Wright and Harry Watt, 1936), and Coal Face (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti, 1936). Grierson eventually grew restless with having to work within the bureaucratic and budgetary confines of government sponsorship. In response, he sought out private industry sponsorship for film production. He was finally successful in getting the British gas industry to underwrite an annual film program. Perhaps the most significant works produced during this time were Housing Problems (dir. Arthur Elton, Edgar Anstey, John Taylor, and Grierson's sister Ruby Grierson, 1935) and Song of Ceylon (dir. Basil Wright, 1935) In 1938, Grierson was invited by the Canadian government to study the country's film production. He proposed the government create a national coordinating body for the production of films. In 1939, Canada created the National Film Commission, which would later become the National Film Board of Canada. Grierson was the first Commissioner of the Board. When Canada entered World War II in 1939, the NFB focused on the production of propaganda films, many of which Grierson directed. After the war, it focused on producing documentaries that reflected the lives of Canadians. The NFB is recognized around the world for producing quality films, many of which have won Academy Awards. From 1957 to 1967 Grierson hosted a successful weekly television program on Scottish television, This Wonderful World, which showed excerpts from outstanding documentaries. In 1957 he received a special Canadian Film Award. The Grierson Documentary Film Awards were established in 1972 to commemorate John Grierson and is currently supervised by The Grierson Trust. The aim of the award is to show outstanding films that demonstrate integrity, originality and technical excellence, together with social or cultural significance.

Grierson Awards are presented annually in nine categories:

Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue
Best Documentary on the Arts
Best Historical Documentary
Best Documentary on Science or the Natural World
The Frontier Post Award for Most Entertaining Documentary
Best Drama Documentary
Best International Cinema Documentary
Best Newcomer
Trustees' Award

Filmography as director:

Drifters (1929; first screened at the British premiere of Battleship Potemkin)
Granton Trawler (1934)
Filmography as producer/creative contributor:

O'er Hll and Dale (dir. Basil Wright 1932)
Cargo from Jamaica (dir. Basil Wright 1933)
Industrial Britain (dir. Robert Flaherty 1933)
Cable Ship (dir. (Alexander Shaw and Stuart Legg 1933)
Coming of the Dial (dir. Stuart Legg 1933)
Liner Cruising South (dir. Basil Wright 1933)
Man of Aran (dir. Robert Flaherty 1934)
New Operator (dir. Stuart Legg 1934)
Pett and Pott: A Fairy Story of the Suburbs (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti 1934)
Post Haste (dir. Humphrey Jennings 1934)
Spring Comes to England dir. Donald Taylor 1934)
Six-thirty Collection (dir. Harry Watt and Edgar Anstey 1934)
Song of Ceylon (dir. Basil Wright 1934)
BBC: The Voice of Britain (dir. Stuart Legg 1935)
A Colour Box (dir. Len Lye 1935)
Housing Problems (dir. Edgar Anstey, Arthur Elton 1935)
Introducing the Dial (dir. Stuart Legg 1935)
Coal Face (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti 1935)
B.B.C. Droitwich (dir. Harry Watt 1935)
Night Mail ( dir. (Basil Wright, and Harry Watt 1936)
Saving of Bill Blewitt (dir. Basil Wright 1936)
Line To The Tschierva Hut (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti 1937)
Children At School (dir. Basil Wright 1937)
We Live In Two Worlds (dir. Alberto Cavalcanti 1937)
Daily Round (dir. Richard Massingham, Karl Urbahn 1937)
Trade Tattoo (dir. Len Lye 1937)
The Face of Scotland (dir. Basil Wright 1938)
The Londoners (dir. John Taylor (director) 1939)
Judgement Deferred (dir. John Baxter 1951)
Brandy for the Parson (dir. John Eldridge 1952)
The Brave Don't Cry (dir. Philip Leacock 1952)
Miss Robin Hood (dir. John Guillermin 1952)
Time Gentlemen Please! (dir. Lewis Gilbert 1952)
You're Only Young Twice (dir. Terry Bishop 1952)
Man of Africa (dir. Cyril Frankel 1953)
Background (dir. Daniel Birt 1953)
Laxdale Hall (dir. John Eldridge 1953)
The Oracle (dir. C.M. Pennington-Richards 1953)
Child's Play (dir. Margaret Thomson 1954)
Devil on Horseback (dir. Cyril Frankel 1954)
Seawards the Great Ships (dir. Hilary Harris 1960)
The Heart of Scotland (dir. Laurence Henson 1961)
The Creative Process (dir. Donald McWilliams 1961)

For further information see: Gary Evans, John Grierson & the National Film Board -- The Politics of Wartime Propaganda, University of Toronto Press, 1984"

Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696-1782) - A Lord of Session and antiquarian, Lord Kames was also a land reformer, improving the Blair Drummond estates. Buried at Kincardine kirkyard (NS 719988).

Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734) - Farmer and cattle-dealer, noted for his exploits in levying blackmail. Subject of Walter Scott’s novel Rob Roy. Died at home and interred at Balquidder kirkyard (NN 536209) beneath an old cross-slab. "The most famous MacGregor of all is, of course, Rob Roy, of the Glengyle branch (1671-1734). Rob Roy was a multi-talented man - a great swordsman and soldier (fighting alongside his father by the age of 18 against William of Orange), an astute businessman, and master of the highland "protection racket". That is, rather than just rustling cattle - the age-old highland way - Rob Roy discovered there was more money in "protecting" cattle for pay. Between 1689 and 1711, Rob Roy stayed at home (he was a loving family man) and prospered his business, increasing his lands and resources.

The legend of Rob Roy MacGregor grew out of his famous feud with the Duke of Montrose. As with all farmers and ranchers, Rob Roy found it difficult to lay hands on ready cash to expand his regular cattle business and turned to Montrose for a loan (or investment money). One of Rob Roy's employees made off with £1000 and Montrose, in his greed, brought charges of embezzlement against Rob hoping to gain his lands. Failing to answer the charge, Rob Roy was declared an outlaw and began his campaign of harassment against the Duke (rustling his cattle).

In 1715, despite his outlaw status, Rob Roy rallied the MacGregor clan and led them in battle against the English, making many successful raids. Afterwards, he was tried for treason and lived life on the run, being captured twice but making spectacular escapes both times. Finally, in 1725, he turned himself in and received a pardon from the king. He died quietly at home in 1734.

Ironically, Rob Roy's mother was a Campbell, and since the name MacGregor was proscribed by William of Orange, Rob Roy used the name Campbell at various times throughout his life and hid (with permission) on the Duke of Argyll's lands while an outlaw.

Read the definitive, 5-star Canongate biography of Rob Roy - Rob Roy MacGregor: His Life & Times by W. H. Murray

The movie based on Murray's book, Rob Roy, starring Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange is fun, too, lots of well-choreographed sword fighting."

John Ramsay (1736-1814) - Owner of Ochtertyre estate, Ramsay was a friend and patron of Burns. Scott called at his home also. Buried at Kincardine Kirkyard (NS 719988).

Thomas Small (1587-1645) - Covenanter who died for his beliefs. Buried at Ecclesmagirdle Kirkyard (NO 108163)

John Welwood (1649-79) - Covenanting minister, Welwood died in Perth but was not allowed to be buried in the town. His friends dug his grave at Dron Kirkyard (NO 141159).