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David Carnegie
David was a member of the Earl of Southesk's family and made his millions from brewing and sugar refining in Sweden. One of his ancestors had fled there after supporting the Jacobites at Culloden, and had prospered greatly as a merchant.
In 1850, according to the Census Report, sixty five males and three females, all strangers, were resident temporarily in Balquhidder, building Stronvar House, draining the estate and rebuilding and slating all the farm buildings. The old mud and thatch houses now became neat stone and lime and slated dwellings. For a whole year carts brought stones for the building from Balquhidder Station. Beautiful Gardens were laid out, hillsides behind the house were planted with azaleas and rhododendrons and woods on the north side of Loch Voil and Loch Doine. The Glen was given its present little Church up on the hill as well as its school and schoolhouse.
David Carnegie's first wife, the daughter of a Judge of the Supreme Court of Copenhagen, died in childbirth, two years after marriage, the baby about a year later. His second wife was his cousin Susan. Susan enjoyed Stronvar for only nine years. She died at the age of forty and had been 'constant in quiet works of charity and kindness'.
James Carnegie
When David died in 1890 at the age of seventy seven, he was succeeded by his only son James. James, educated at Eton and Cambridge, was also in the brewing business and also married his cousin - Mary Bethune Gillespie. They had no children.
There were lots of dances in the House. The band, with its blind pianist, came from Stirling and played all night until it was time to catch the first train from Kingshouse Halt at 8am. From 10.30pm until midnight Mr and Mrs Carnegie graced the proceedings, watching with an eagle eye the footwork of the dancers, who strove to meet the high standard expected of them.
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There were Christmas parties and summer picnics for the whole estate. In summer, house guests were often taken out on the loch in boats, the ladies wearing long dresses and large picture hats, the staff in black trousers and red jackets.
For the women of the glen there were Work Parties in the house once a week. The women sewed or knitted industriously while Mrs Carnegie read them improving literature.
Outside there were peacocks on the lawn, marble statues, in rose covered arbours, a tennis court, a walled kitchen garden at a discrete distance, an ice house built into the bank down by the loch, where blocks of ice cut from the loch were stored between layers of sawdust. There was a curling pond with a rustic hut nearby, where mouthwatering picnics were provided.
The Carnegies kept a coach and four in the nearby coach house, later to be superseded by a Daimler which was a sore trial to the coachman who had to learn to drive it.
James Carnegie died in 1925 at the age of seventy eight. His widow lived to be ninety two. She had always kept a sharp eye on the doings of her tenants, making sure that the estate was kept immaculate. There is a story that they weren't allowed to have visitors to stay without permission. But Carnegie tenants could be sure that their needs would always be taken care of and it was a busy and happy estate. |
George Fullarton Carnegie
When James died his heir was George Fullarton Carnegie, a direct descendant of the George Carnegie who had fought at Culloden. The new Laird was in the Diplomatic Service. His health was not good and he died in 1937 at the age of forty three. His son, another George, was the heir, but it had been stipulated that he should not take over the estate until he was twenty five. Meantime it was run by his mother with the help of a factor.
Finally, in 1952, they sold the estate lock, stock and barrel. Sitting tenants were allowed to buy their houses at bargain prices and those who had worked on the estate were particularly favoured.
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