Meldrum and Bourtie Heritage Society

05/10/2026

A reminder that the Local Studies Centre is right here in Oldmeldrum, based in the purpose-built Aberdeenshire Libraries Headquarters on Meldrum Meg Way.

It serves as the as a central repository for family history, genealogy and local heritage research across the North East, with a wealth of resources available for anyone interested in discovering more about their family or our area’s past.

The team at Meldrum Meg Way are also incredibly helpful, so if you’re thinking about carrying out some local history or family genealogy research, it’s well worth paying them a visit.

05/10/2026

A famous son of Oldmeldrum and a legacy that reached around the world.

On this day in 1844: Sir Patrick Manson was born in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire. He became known worldwide as the "Father of Tropical Medicine". He made a landmark discovery in medical history – he proved that mosquitoes transmit parasites between humans.

This breakthrough directly enabled his mentee Sir Ronald Ross to discover how malaria spreads, saving millions of lives globally. Manson later founded the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, cementing his legacy as one of public health's greatest pioneers.

02/10/2026

We’ve had this great old photograph donated to us this week by Gary Legge from Potterton, who found it amongst his late grandfather’s collection.

It shows the workers of Craigmile Bros Sawmill, Oldmeldrum, in 1920. We think it's the sawmill that was situated on Station Road, across from Oldmeldrum Railway Station. A newspaper report from 1919 records a fire there a year before the photo was taken.

There were other sawmills in the Oldmeldrum area, including ones at Newells Farm and Mill of Foresterhill north of Meldrum House. Both of those were water-powered mills. The national mills archive register also records a sawmill at Oldmeldrum and describes it briefly as water-powered. We're not sure if the sawmill on Station Road was water-driven via a lade from the Meadow Burn. Perhaps someone can help us fill in the gaps.

Craigmile Bros were wood merchants in Aberdeen and Dinnet, but seem to have had a sawmill in Oldmeldrum. We like to hear from anyone who knows more about the sawmill in Oldmeldrum or about the folks in the photograph? Family connections, other photographs or other information about the business.

And many thanks to Gary for allowing us to add this fantastic photograph to our archive.

17/06/2026

Visit the Meldrum & Bourtie Heritage Society (MBHS) stand at the 96th Oldmeldrum Sports this Saturday!

We'll be sharing a selection of old photographs, maps, memories, and historical items connected with Meldrum and the surrounding area. Whether you're looking for familiar faces, forgotten buildings, or stories from years gone by, we'd love to see you at our stand.

This year, we're also looking ahead. The Heritage Society is exploring new ways to preserve, protect and promote our local heritage, and we'd like to hear your ideas. What aspects of our history interest you most? Are there local stories, buildings, places, people, traditions, or projects you would like us to research, document, or share?

We'll have our new website on display, along with information about how you can stay involved, share ideas, contribute material, or become a Friend of MBHS by registering at https://meldrumheritage.org/about-mbhs/

Come along for a chat, browse the photographs, share your memories, and help shape the future of local heritage in Meldrum and Bourtie.

Find out more at https://meldrumheritage.org/ or scan one of our QR codes at the stand.

We look forward to seeing you in the big tent on Saturday

20/02/2026

We’re delighted to share the first in our new series of online heritage articles associated with Meldrum & Bourtie and the surrounding areas.

Our opening feature tells the remarkable story of Lt-Col Alexander Seton of Mounie, whose leadership during the sinking of HMS Birkenhead in 1852 established the “Women and Children First” evacuation protocol recognised around the world.

The article has been written by MBHS committee member, Deborah O'Neil, and explores how a figure connected to Oldmeldrum and Daviot became part of global maritime history. You can read it here:

https://meldrumheritage.org/alexande-seton-women-and-children-first/

We are also pleased to launch our new MBHS website. It is still a work in progress and we are still working on content and links but it will continue to evolve over the coming months, but it is now live and available to view here:

https://meldrumheritage.org/

We hope you enjoy exploring it — we do welcome feedback on articles and website.

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout; But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew, An' they done it, the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier an' sailo...

09/11/2025

27/10/2025

Have you ever seen the statue in front of the Canongate Kirk on the Canongate, part of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile? The statue is Robert Fergusson who had strong links to Meldrum.

This month we remember the two hundred and fifty-first anniversary of his early and tragic passing.

Fergusson - one of Scotland’s brightest literary talents and according to Robert Burns, his primary inspiration - spent time here in the summer of 1769, when he came north to visit his uncle John Forbes, the factor to the Laird of Meldrum. Forbes lived at Round Lightnot, at a time he was renovating the farm and mill at Foresterhill before moving there.

Forbes managed the Meldrum Estate at a time when the countryside around the town was changing fast - a world that would later echo in Fergusson’s sharp and lively verse about Scottish life.

A disagreement in the presence of the Earl of Findlater and the Laird of Meldrum caused Fergusson to leave abruptly back to Edinburgh, never to return.

The Oldmeldrum-born poet James Fraser wrote this sonnet about Fergusson around 1870

The day never dawns but something dies,
And nothing dies but something mourns.
Yearly, as October the sixteenth day returns,

All hearts instinctively agonise:
Down went at noon the son of Doric strains,
Whose genial ray lit up immortal verse,
Which young and old with pride rehearse,
Amid his native Scottish plains.

While rivers roll, and woods grow green,
His name and fame remain inviolate.
Let little minds grow big with hate,
And slander gaze with jaundiced een,

Annually as autumn sere proclaims the summer’s gone,
I’ll mind on hapless Robert Ferguson.

We’ll be sharing a fuller story about Fergusson’s fascinating connections to Meldrum soon on our new website currently being developed, along with more glimpses into the people and places that shaped our local heritage.

📖 Follow us here for updates — and keep an eye out for the articles launch when it goes live soon!

https://robert-fergusson.glasgow.ac.uk/

20/10/2025

Beautiful views over to Bennachie and Tap o Noth today from Den Wood

18/10/2025

We’re almost at 700 followers! Aiming to hit the target by the end of the month - and an (optimistic) 1000 before the end of the year.

If you enjoy our local stories and photos of Meldrum & Bourtie Parishes, please help us grow by inviting others who care about our heritage to follow our page.

18/10/2025

From our October 2011 MBHS Calendar - An early 1900's photo of Adam Duthie's General Merchant shop and staff, including a cat and a dog. Now Berry's of Oldmeldrum.