Major General Sir Hector Macdonald, KCB, DSO ⋆ Ross and Cromarty Heritage

Major General Sir Hector Macdonald, KCB, DSO

Attribution: unknown (Greenhill street in Dingwall looking North)

Major General Sir Hector Macdonald, KCB, DSO

Although born at Mulbuie, on the Black Isle, Hector Macdonald was greatly revered by the people of Dingwall and on 11 May 1899 he was awarded the Freedom of the town. The photographs which follow are in the ownership of Ross and Cromarty Heritage Society.

Major General Sir Hector Archibald Macdonald, KCB, DSO

General Sir Hector Macdonald. Photograph may have been taken at Lemlair House.

Attribution: In ownership of RCHS.

Birthplace

In August 2019 Mr Ian McNeish gave permission for RCHS to reproduce this postcard, which he owns, showing the birthplace of Sir Hector Macdonald in the early part of the 20th century.

Rootfield near Dingwall, birthplace of Sir Hector MacDonald

Attribution: Ian McNeish

Freedom of Dingwall

On 13 May 1899 Sir Hector Macdonald was awarded the Freedom of Dingwall. The town was thronged for the occasion. This photograph has been taken outside the Masonic Hall (later the Picture House) and the building facing is the gable end of what is now Deas’ tearoom.

Freedom ceremony luncheon for Sir Hector Macdonald

Inside the Masonic Hall for luncheon. The Provost standing alongside Sir Hector Macdonald and Lady Macdonald in foreground.

Attribution: In ownership of RCHS.

General Sir Hector Macdonald awarded the Freedom of Dingwall

The crowd in Dingwall when Sir Hector Macdonald awarded the Freedom of Dingwall.

Attribution: In ownership of RCHS.

Shako and Freedom Casket

Sir Hector’s shako, or ceremonial hat, and the Freedom casket, both of which are in Dingwall Museum.

Freedom of Dingwall casket presented to Major General Sir Hector Macdonald in May 1899.

Attribution: Image in ownership of RCHS.

Sir Hector's shako, or ceremonial hat, decorated with ostrich feathers.

Attribution: Image in ownership of RCHS.

Minature Railway

When in due course the residents of Dingwall decided to honour Sir Hector by building the Macdonald Memorial on Mitchell Hill, this was a photograph of the miniature railway used to convey material to the top. The photograph can be seen in Dingwall Museum.

And a photograph of the miniature railway used in the construction of the Macdonald Memorial on Mitchell Hill.

Attribution: In ownership of RCHS.

The Sir Hector Macdonald Memorial on Mitchell Hill.

Attribution: In ownership of RCHS.

View More photos of Sir Hector and other famous Dingwall people

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Dingwall » Dingwall Places

11 Dingwall Places

Territorial Army building on Ferry Road.

10 Dingwall Places

Territorial Army building on Ferry Road.

13 Fingal Lodge

Freemasons Lodge at west end of Dingwall.

21 Dingwall Places

Aerial view of Church Street.

16 Dingwall Places

Nicol's Court

06 Dingwall Places

Hill Street

02 Dingwall Places

Dingwall and the Black Isle from Dochcarty. [Photo Dingwall Camera Club]

Dingwall Places

A snowy Ferry Road.

22 Dingwall Places

Church Street at ground level, looking towards High Street.

27 Dingwall Places

In Tulloch Street, across the road from St Clement's, stands the Old Academy complex and in this building is the Community Centre.

07 Dingwall Places

Park Street with Free Church in background.

08 Dingwall Places

Railway Station

15 Dingwall Places

Older properties include Lochiel Place.

31 Dingwall Places

At the start of Craig Road is the canal built by Thomas Telford.

28 Dingwall Places

"Over the fence" from the Old Academy lies the site of the former Dingwall Castle including its Doocot, seen here surrounded by scaffolding and awaiting repairs to its structure.

33 Dingwall Places

A short distance away, on your left, is Pefferside Park and boating pond, gifted to the town by Dingwall Fire Brigade Club.

29 Dingwall Places

A short distance from the Doocot is the Episcopal Church.

25 Dingwall Places

St Clement's Church

26 Dingwall Places

St Clement's church adjacent to the marts' site, now Tesco.

04 Dingwall Places

Towering above Dingwall is the Macdonald monument, built to honour Major General Sir Hector Macdonald, a local man who rose from Private through the ranks of the British Army. He was victor of the battle of Omdurman in the Sudan war. His monument is surrounded by the local cemetery known as Mitchell Hill.

03 Dingwall Places

Macdonald Memorial.

30 Dingwall Places

At the top of Tulloch Street is the Bank of Scotland.

37 Dingwall Places

To the left of Tulloch flats is Dingwall Primary School, originally part of Dingwall Academy but now a separate building.

36 Dingwall Places

On the road to Tulloch Castle hotel are the Tulloch flats, once known as Mackay Hostel, the home of boys from the west coast who attended Dingwall Academy.

14 Dingwall Places

Houses in Boggan Bank, opposite Fingal Lodge.

18 Dingwall Places

Looking down the "close" adjacent to Munro's butcher's shop towards the windows of Dingwall Camera Club's base.

19 Dingwall Places

The mechanism of the Town Clock, now redundant following renovation of the town hall tower.

01 Dingwall Places

Ben Wyvis 3432 ft (1046m) as seen from south entrance to Dingwall. Petrol station forecourt no longer exists and the building formerly known as The Park (out of sight) is now a local authority office. [Photo J W Bruce, 2001]

34 Dingwall Places

Behind the pond could be seen Dingwall Academy, opened in 1939, with its extensive playingfields in front, on which the "new" Dingwall Academy now stands.

23 Dingwall Places

Reith & Anderson's auction mart at the foot of Church Street with Ian Tolmie on the rostrum.

32 Dingwall Places

A less attractive photo of part of the canal with the Cromarty Firth in the background. [Photo source unknown]

24 Dingwall Places

At the foot of Church Street, Hamilton and Reith & Anderson auction marts, now combined and operating on a site outwith Dingwall.

20A Dingwall Places

Beside Dingwall Museum is Eagle Close, above which is the headquarters of Dingwall Camera Club.

03 Dingwall Places

The Cromarty firth and Black Isle taken from the old ferry crossing Dingwall - Alcaig.

05 Dingwall Places

The Macdonald Memorial in course of construction [F W Urquhart photograph]

12 Dingwall Places

Police Station, adjacent to Fingal Lodge.

20 Dingwall Places

For a few years the Mercat Cross was sited outside the Towh Hall but due to deterioration it was moved into Dingwall Museum.,

02 Dingwall Places

The Black Isle from Cluny Hill.

35 Dingwall Places

At the foot of 'Kinnairdie brae' the home and garden of Mr William Logan whose construction firm built the Tay Road Bridge, several of the hydro dams and power stations around the Highlands. His firm employed mainly local labour.

17 Dingwall Places

Across the High Street from Nicol's Court was Woolworths store which closed, nationally, in 2008 and became the Factory Shop in 2010.