Twin russet streaks raced up the oak’s trunk. They paused for a moment overhead then careered down in controlled free fall. In a moment, one swung from the bird feeder. Its long red tail swept beneath, as its busy little arms grabbed at the peanuts. A second later, it pivoted …
I have received numerous enquires about the Observatory’s piano, an attractive, if clapped-out model that did several decades service in Pitlochry’s town hall. Alas, it is beyond repair. Recently, however, I have made good a long-held resolution to purchase a piano that works properly and can serve the needs of …
A fascinating accountof George Forbes at home in Pitlochry towards the end of his life emerges from this letter published in The Scotsman a few days after he died. Professor George Forbes Fincastle , Pitlochry , October 26 , 1936 Sir, I have read with interest your obituary notice of Professor …
A literary and historical overview of Perthshire, based on a 1959 article by Maurice Lindsay – there is a note about the origins of this piece at its conclusion. “Amid all the provinces of Scotland, if an intelligent stranger were asked to describe the most varied and the most beautiful, …
The story of George Forbes’ rangefinder, and the circumstances of its development, offer a fascinating insight into the evolution of military technology at the dawn of the twentieth century. By the time of the second Boer War (1899-1902), field and navel artillery had undergone a period of swift technological advance. …
What follows is George Forbes’ own account of his time as a war correspondent. He was with the Russian troops in the Caucasus in 1877 and reported from there for The Times. (Forbes built The Observatory, Pitlochry in 1906). As well as reporting, he briefly fought with the Russians, for …
From The Scots Magazine, 1 June 1899 “April brings the primrose sweet, Scatters daisies our feet.” SO sings the poet, but in the Vale of Atholl winter still lingers, though the month of April is already a week old. The trees are stretching their gaunt, naked arms towards the clear, …
This fictionalised telling recounts an episode from the life of Sir Robert Watson-Watt. Based on diaries and letters, the substantial facts are true, while some of the connective tissue is a work of imagination. Intriguingly, given how their lives were to criss-cross, it shows that, like Dame Katherine, Watson-Watt knew …
This manuscript has been in my possession for more than 20 years. It is an intriguing tale that sheds light on the febrile state of 1930s Britain, and some of those who went the extra mile to defend the national interest. I am delighted to be finally able to …
Last summer I found a manuscript at The Observatory. The story it relates is quite extraordinary. With a little difficulty, I tracked down its author, who agreed, with some conditions, that I could share his work. Here it is – free to view or download on Issu:
