The Duke of Sutherland

[Crofter]

I am trying to look into the history of the Duke's Factors. Any leads please?

Regards,
Crofter.

[Mutley]

Which Duke?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Sutherland

[Peter_uk_can]

Hi Crofter.

It isn't that we are cleverer than most, just that we are close friends with Uncle Google and his family.

[MythicalMarian]

Ahem - well, without Googling () - I wonder if Crofter is interested in the period of the Clearances? Sutherland's name has gone down in history as a bit of a rogue during that period. However, I thought it was the Duchess who was more the villain than the Duke.

Perhaps Crofter could let us know what period he needs and we can try to help from there.

[Sue Mackay]

There is a book called "Memoirs of a Highland Gentleman" written by Evander McIver, who was factor for the Sutherland estate at Scourie, published (from memory) in 1906. I have seen copies in NAS and in Inverness Library.

[Crofter]

There were 6 or 7 generations of Dukes of Sutherlands who presumably held lands in that fair county. The infamous Duchess was wife of the 1st Duke.

It would be fair to suppose that they all employed factors.

There were 6 or 7 generations of Highlanders who suffered Clearances of varying ferocity. They began long before the Sutherlands were Dukes. The period starting when they did become Dukes should narrow the period under discussion.

Clever Uncle Google and his family gives a dictionary definition of the term “Factor” and a few lines on Factor Sellar, which was not the answer to my appeal for help.

Your lead, however, Sue, sounds very promising. Thank you for that.

Regards,

Crofter.

[Sue Mackay]

Crofter

You may get some information from the following. Some have commercial links, so put www before all the URLs

countysutherland.co.uk (click on Site Map)

ambaile.org.uk/

The Statistical Account for Scotland (on Internet Archive)

Anything by Malcolm Bangor-Jones, who writes for Am Bratach
(bratach.co.uk)