Hugh MacPherson of Edinburgh

**Dram** · 21st May 10, 09:59 AM

I've got an old Hugh MacPherson of Edinburgh sporran. Is the firm still around? What dates would they have been in business?

Thanks!

**ThistleDown** · 21st May 10, 11:29 AM

Yes, they are still around. I think that Jean Macpherson, a daughter of the original "Wandering Highlander", Hugh Macpherson, still runs the business on West Maitland. Hugh was active from the late 50s through the 70s himself. He was famous for his ivory and gold (yes, gold!) Henderson pipes.

Rex

**creagdhubh** · 21st May 10, 12:25 PM

Aye,

Hugh Macpherson of Edinburgh is still in business (mid to late 1940's-to present time). I personally knew Hugh and his lovely wife Janet, even though I was just a wee lad at the time. I have met his daughter Jean several times and she used to run the shop after Hugh passed away. Jean's daughter Allison now runs the shop. (Hugh and his family have always been very active within the Clan Macpherson Association and have been staunch supporters since its creation in 1946) They used to have a website up and running (not sure what happened to it!), yet one couldn't place an order online...I'm afraid you must travel to Edinburgh!

"Wandering Highlander" refers to the autobiographical book that Hugh wrote in 1979, of which I have many brand new copies available for purchase if one should be interested. I am the Clan Store manager for the Clan Macpherson-U.S. Branch and have the books in my inventory, along with other interesting and smart items relating to the Clan Macpherson and the Clan Chattan Confederation. Hugh was a great ambassador of the "proper" way to wear Highland attire and accomplished much in is lifetime. He was extremely proficient on the pipes and was actually a former pipe major.

You can find the Hugh Macpherson shop at the below address (they have sinced moved from their West Maitland address in Haymarket), or ring the shop (Allison) direct at 031-225 4008/9 (2 phone lines).

Hugh Macpherson (Scotland) Ltd.,
Highland Outfitters
5A Grosvenor Street,
Edinburgh EH12 5EB

Hugh Macpherson piping near Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh.

Slainte mhath,

**Dram** · 21st May 10, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by creagdhubh

Aye,

Hugh Macpherson of Edinburgh is still in business (mid to late 1950's-to present time). I personally knew Hugh and his lovely wife Janet, even though I was just a wee lad at the time. I have met his daughter Jean several times and she used to run the shop after Hugh passed away. Jean's daughter Allison now runs the shop. (Hugh and his family have always been very active within the Clan Macpherson Association and have been staunch supporters since its creation in 1946) They used to have a website up and running (not sure what happened to it!), yet one couldn't place an order online...I'm afraid you must travel to Edinburgh!

"Wandering Highlander" refers to the autobiographical book that Hugh wrote in 1979, of which I have many brand new copies available for purchase if one should be interested. I am the Clan Store manager for the Clan Macpherson-U.S. Branch and have the books in my inventory, along with other interesting and smart items relating to the Clan Macpherson and the Clan Chattan Confederation. Hugh was a great ambassador of the proper Highland attire and accomplished much in is lifetime. He was extremely proficient on the pipes and was actually a former pipe major.

You can find the Hugh Macpherson shop at the below address (they have sinced moved from their West Maitland address in Haymarket), or ring the shop (Allison) direct at 031-225 4008/9 (2 phone lines).

Hugh Macpherson (Scotland) Ltd.,
Highland Outfitters
5A Grosvenor Street,
Edinburgh EH12 5EB

Hugh Macpherson piping near Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh.

Slainte mhath,

That would seem about right. I think this sporran was probably made in the 1950's...very good quality.

I do know of MacPherson bagpipes. Hugh MacPherson bought Sinclair bagpipes and eventually sold the business back to Sinclair. Didn't know he also owned a highland attire company and authored a book.

**OC Richard** · 24th May 10, 06:10 AM

In Highland Bagpipe Makers, the author Jeannie Campbell states:

Hugh Macpherson was born of the 27th April 1907 at Balnagarrow, Loth, Sutherland...
Hugh's father was a railway platelayer but by 1914 he was a sergeant in the 5th Seaforths. Hugh had two brothers, Robert and Richard. Hugh and his brothers had their first piping lessona from Willlie MacKay, Achnagarron.
...his father got a job in Canada so the whole family, mother, father, grandfather and the three boys left Scotland on 18th October 1924. Hugh, then aged 17, got a job as a clerk in a bank. "He was in great demand as a piper for functions and found that other pipers often asked him for reeds and pipings supplies, so he became an agent for a Glasgow firm and imported reeds, bags, hemp, and seasoning. He met his wife Janet in Canada, although she was Falkirk born.
When the War started in 1939 he joined the 10th St Catherines Battery RCA,... He became a lieutenant then Captain in the training battalion but stayed in Canada with the band.

After the War it was decided that his brother Dick would run the Canadian end of the import business, and Hugh, Janet, and the girls would return to Scotland. The family arrived in Edinbrugh in September 1945. In 1946 they established their business and in June the shop, Hugh Macpherson Highland Outfitting, opened at 17 West Maitland Street.

(For a time Hugh MacPherson sold Sinclair pipes, then hired away some of the Sinclair workmen to set up his own pipemaking shop, then bought the Sinclair business entire. As stated above, he later sold it back to the Sinclair family. I assume that MacPherson got out of the pipemaking business at some point because the most recent MacPherson pipes I've seen look to have been made in the 1960's or so.)

**creagdhubh** · 24th May 10, 08:09 AM

Quite right Richard and thanks for your research. It was a great pleasure to have known Hugh (and his kin) as a kid-I recall him picking me up and swinging me around at our Clan Macpherson rallies, ceilidhs, and gatherings in Badenoch and beyond. His travels led him to North America many times (after he had moved back to Scotland), and of course he lived in Canada for a number of years. His incredible life is better told by his own pen in his 1979 release of "The Wandering Highlander". His shop has not changed hardly at all since it first opened-the only thing being of course is changing locations, yet the size, contents, and interior is said to be just about the same. I know that Allison provides excellent customer service and has continued what Hugh began.

Cheers,

**creagdhubh** · 24th May 10, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by Dram

That would seem about right. I think this sporran was probably made in the 1950's...very good quality.

I do know of MacPherson bagpipes. Hugh MacPherson bought Sinclair bagpipes and eventually sold the business back to Sinclair. Didn't know he also owned a highland attire company and authored a book.

Yes, he was quite the renaissance man! A Highlander in the truest sense of the word. Glad I could help mate.

Kind regards,

**Paul** · 24th May 10, 11:19 AM

I had a nice Argyll jacket from Hugh MacPherson, but sadly it didnt fit.

**OC Richard** · 25th May 10, 05:32 AM

I visited the MacPherson shop in Edinburgh in 1986 but I don't remember if it was still at the Maitland address at that time.

I was in Edinburgh in 2004 and 2007 but I didn't come across the shop.

**Lachlan09** · 25th May 10, 05:57 AM

Hugh MacPherson - there's a blast from the past ! When I was a lad in the 1960's and we had our ceilidh trio, Hugh MacPherson was fear an tighe at some of the ceilidhs in Edinburgh. I can still recall his voice, spectacles and accent !

Gordon Stobo of Highland House used to refr to him as Shug MacPherson