Highland Museum of Childhood ⋆ Ross and Cromarty Heritage

Highland Museum of Childhood

Attribution: unknown (The ruin of Free Church in Jamestown)

Highland Museum of Childhood

Located in a restored Victorian Station, built in 1885 in the Spa village of Strathpeffer, the Museum tells the story of childhood in the Highlands amongst hardworking crofters and townsfolk, where money and luxuries were scarce, and life followed the rhythm of the seasons; a way of life recorded by oral testimony, displays, and evocative photographs. Our own award-winning video “A Century of Highland Childhood” is also shown.

Explore the life of children, crofters and townsfolk and their customs and traditions.

Facilities on site are toilets, a garden and picnic area, plus ample parking with disabled parking bays and wheelchair access onto the platform.

There is a Coffee Shop which offers delicious home-made food, tea/coffee and baking to be consumed inside or at tables on the platform.

Several small units offer locally made gifts, crafts, food, original artwork, jewellery, cards, and more.

Image for Angela Kellie Doll and Toy Collection

Attribution: unknown

The Museum is also home to the Angela Kellie Doll and Toy Collection, displaying a changing selection each year. The museum has been commended for its child-friendly approach and offers plenty to do with quizzes, dressing-up and toys to play with, while accompanying adults, and children too, will appreciate the well-researched social history.

A welcome awaits school and other group visits to the museum and the education space – the Goods Shed. Booking should be made beforehand (tel 01997 421031). Information about the education and events programme can be found on the museum website. Click on the image below:

Highland Museum of Childhood
	The Highland Museum of Childhood is located in the old railway station in the spa village of Strathpeffer. Originally based on the doll and toy collection of former Strathpeffer resident Mrs Angela Kellie. It contains a collection of children’s toys, games, costume, books , photographs and much more.

Attribution: unknown

The story of "Tissie"

Tissie was one of the first toys received into the museum’s care when it opened in 1992. She was donated by local doll collector, Mrs Angela Kellie.

Tissie’s story begins in the mid-1800s when she was reputedly bought for the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Cromartie. During the Highland Clearances, the Cromartie family offered sanctuary on their land in the Loch Ussie area, re-locating families displaced from their homes further north.

The Countess and her daughter often visited these families and it was on one of these calls that they came across a sick little girl in one of the crofts. The Countess’s daughter gave Tissie to the little girl to encourage her to get well. The crofter’s family treasured the doll and generations of the family played with her until she ultimately passed into the care of Angela Kellie and then the museum.

Although Tissie has previously been on display in the museum, her fragile condition means that it is now critical for her to undergo specialist conservation to enable the museum to put her on permanent display for audiences to enjoy.

Attribution: unknown

View more photographs

Click on photo album to view thumbnails and then click thumbnail to see the full size images

Strathpeffer » Strathpeffer Places » Strathpeffer Commercial

Belgian Chocolate Factory

This building is now the Red Poppy restaurant.

The Craft Shop in Strathpeffer

Dunraven, Golf Course Road, early 1900s.

Dunraven, Golf Course Road, early 1900s. Dunraven dates from 1901 and was originally built by two sisters, Catherine and Aline Corbett, who saw the need to provide hotel accommodation for the many visitors who came to "take the waters" in this spa village. Following World War I the hotel became convalescent accommodation for wounded servicemen, and after World War II the Church of Scotland established it as a care home for the elderly until it closed in the 1970s and reverted to being a hotel. The building has been upgraded over the years and combines many original features with 21st century requirements.

Mackay's Hotel (2004)

The Pavilion after a 21st century refurbishment

The Pavilion after a 21st century refurbishment. It is now a venue for concerts, drama, art and food fairs, weddings etc.

The Pavilion - side view.

The Pavilion - rear view.

Adjacent to the Pavilion is the former Pump Room (open during the tourist season and staffed by volunteers).

Currently building is the Red Poppy restaurant

Peffery House, The Old Station Yard, Strathpeffer

Peffery House, The Old Station Yard, Strathpeffer. Peffery House is the purpose-built administrative headquarters of the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board. (HOST). The architectural firm of Matheson, Mackenzie and Ross, in Dingwall, was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Ross and Cromarty Enterprise to design and supervise its construction. Sited adjacent to the Old Victorian Station, the one-and-a-half storey building is designed to reflect and blend with the character of Victorian Strathpeffer. It was built by Morrison Construction of Inverness and was completed in May 1997. The 20 members of HOST's staff work in the areas of marketing, visitor services, research and personnel, using state-of-the-art computer and telecommunications links. http://www.host.co.uk

The Square, Strathpeffer.

Spa Petrol Station, now closed to the public (Oct. 1999) owned by Spa Motors.

Spa Motors (Coach Hire)

Founded in 1963 by Norman MacArthur as an Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering Business, in an old farm steading in the Kinettas area of Strathpeffer. In 1970 the business took a change in direction, the purchase of its first coach (a Bedford SB), and a service contract to convey school pupils from Achiltibuie/Ullapool to Dingwall Academy Hostels Nowadays transformed into a family partnership with a 26 vehicle fleet. Operations include - school, service and works contracts, Day Tours, British and European Holiday programmes. Also excursion programmes for Cruise liners berthing at local ports, Clan Gatherings and Conferences.

Afternoon tea at the Highland Hotel.

The Highland Hotel

The Highland Hotel occupies a prominent position overlooking the village square. It was built in 1911 by the Highland Railway Company to encourage passengers to use the Perth to Inverness railway line. During the First World War it was used as a convalescent home for wounded service men. In 1923, under the Railway Grouping Act, ownership of the hotel passed to the London Midland & Scottish Railway Company. During the Second World War the hotel was used as an army billet and for some years afterwards as army married quarters. In the 1950s the hotel was sold by British Railways and has had several owners since then. The current owners are part of the Shearings Coach Group and the hotel is now mainly used for touring coach parties.

The three pupils of Fodderty Primary 7

The three pupils of Fodderty Primary 7, who took the photographs in this section. Ruaridh McCready, Martin Gray, Kieron Wallace. Sept. 1998

The Strathpeffer Hotel (1998)

The Ben Wyvis Hotel (1998)

"the paper shop"

Known locally as "the paper shop" this building has served the village in many guises over the years, housing at different times the Post Office, a hairdresser's and a draper's, while the rear of the building provided accommodation for at least two families (complete with outside toilets which are still in situ). A traditional village shop selling everything from a needle to an aspirin but also providing for modern needs with video rentals, gifts and tourist souvenirs, Clan Heritage Tartan Scroll printing and, essentially, a National Lottery terminal.

Spa Pharmacy (left) and Hairdresser and Strathpeffer Crafts (right)

Spa Pharmacy (left) A traditional Pharmacy which contains many original features. It was originally two shops, the left hand side being the butcher's shop. It was opened as a Pharmacy around the early 1880's by a London Drug Firm, possibly Allen and Hanbury's. The appointed manager, Mr. T. Wellwood Maxwell, finally bought it in 1890 and remained there until 1936. Bought by the present owner's family in 1958. Mrs Margaret Spark has been the popular pharmacist for many years. Hairdresser and Strathpeffer Crafts (right) As with the rest of the Square Shops, these two were built in the 1840's as the spa began to develop. Has been both a Fruit Shop and a Sweet Shop. During the 1930's there was a small Sweet Factory behind the present building which supplied Confectionery. Originally there was accommodation above each shop but, apart from the Newsagent, all upstairs space is now for storage.

The Tourist Office in the Square.

The Tourist Office in the Square. The present tourist office opened in 1988 and stands in the village square. There is a staff of two and it is open from Easter to Mid-October. It is a busy office and gets many enquiries from quite far afield; the people who come into the office are mainly looking for accommodation. There are lots of pamphlets covering a wide range of places to visit and things to do in Ross and Cromarty plus many more for a wide surrounding area. They also have books and postcards for sale. It should be noted that the building is now (2015) occupied by "Square Wheels" a popular venue for the cycling fraternity.

The Shieling

Mackay's Spa Lodge Hotel (2004)

Evolution pillar in course of construction.

Wood carver's shop, Old Station.

Wood carver's shop, Old Station. For a number of years Mr Alistair Brebner had his wood carving premises here, creating memorable sculptures. His outstanding sculpture is the Evolution Pillar which remains beside these premises although Mr Brebner has retired from business. [See 'Features' to view more of Mr Brebner's work.]