New book on Lawers on sale

Feb 12 2010 by Lynn Duke, Strathearn Herald

A NEW local history book made its appearance in the shops last weekend.

‘Gentlemen of Honour’ by Bernard Byrom is the latest of the author’s local history titles.

Published in Strathearn, and the product of several years’ research, the 160 page book tells the story of the Robertson and Williamson families who owned both the Balgrayestate in Dumfriesshire and the Lawers estate near Comrie.

Their history begins in triumph in the eighteenth century and ends in tragedy with the break-up of the Lawers estate in the twentieth century.

Bernard’s book encapsulates the characters that have owned Lawers over the decades, their fortunes, trials and tribulations. It also reveals some facts, which up until now have not been widely known, such as the true reason Colonel David Robertson was sent to prison in 1853 for assaulting the minister of Monzievaird Church.

One of Perthshire’s more colourful characters, the Colonel had Comrie’s interests at heart and tried to do what he thought was best for the villagers although his autocratic methods of running things weren’t always appreciated locally. Some of the frequent and often amusing spats between him and the villagers are described, along with the many benefits he brought to the area such as almost single-handedly getting the railway from Crieff to Comrie built in 1893.

‘Gentleman of Honour’ includes 86 illustrations and pictures and is on sale now in the Local Studies Department of the AK Bell Library in Perth; in the Library and Post Office in Comrie; S Campbell Booksellers in West High Street, Crieff; the Watermill at Aberfeldy and also post-free direct from the author at 2 Knolls Way, Clifton, Bedfordshire SG17 5QU.