Forthcoming talks
Four talks have been confirmed so far for 2025/26 (with others under discussion) and I plan to tailor each talk to the venue and audience:
The Grange Association, Edinburgh
Edinburgh, 18 November 2025
Ann, widow of Francis Grant of Kilgraston, purchased the White House estate after her husband’s death and much of the development of that section of The Grange was on the estate. The original White House subsequently became St Margaret’s Convent and then the Gillis Centre. Ann’s youngest son, General Sir Hope Grant, is buried in the Grange Cemetery. This talk will explain the background to the Grants’ wealth and focus on some of their lasting connections with Edinburgh.
Gullane and Dirleton History Society
Dirleton, East Lothian, 5 February 2026
John Grant of Kilgraston married Lady Lucy Bruce, the youngest daughter of the 7th Earl of Elgin (of the marbles fame) and his first wife, Mary Nisbet of Archerfield. One condition of the Elgins’ divorce was that Mary was not allowed to see her children until the reached majority. As a result, it was many years before Lucy got to know her mother. Once they had reunited the Grants spent many happy times at Archerfield and also at Biel House, near Dunbar, which was also owned by Lady Lucy’s mother and subsequently by her eldest sister. When Lady Lucy’s great-niece, Constance Nisbet Hamilton Ogilvy died in 1920, Archerfield and Biel Estates passed under the law of Entail to Lieutenant Colonel John Patrick Grant of Kilgraston. He sold Kilgraston and moved to Biel.
This talk will focus on the Grants connections with East Lothian established by John and Lady Lucy, Sir Francis PRA and Lieutenant Colonel Patrick.
https://eastlothianheritage.co.uk/gullanedirletonhistory/programme-lectures-events/
Friends of Perth and Kinross Archive
Perth, 19 February 2026
Ony four miles from Perth, Kilgraston House was home to the Grant family from around 1790 until 1920. This illustrated talk will touch on the family’s early history and the repatriation of wealth from Jamaica and then turn to some of the family members who left their mark in the 19th century:
Sir Francis, the only Scottish President of the Royal Academy of Arts
General Sir Hope, one of the foremost cavalry officers who fought in India and both China Campaigns
Charles, who served under the first Rajah of Sarawak, Sir James Brooke
Mary, who was one of the earliest female professional sculptors
https://www.culturepk.org.uk/archivelfh/perthandkinrossarchive/friends-of-the-archive/
Dunning Parish Historical Society
Dunning, Perthshire
Lying only a few miles west of Kilgraston Dunning village would have been very familiar to members of the Grant family. At Forgandenny, on the road to Dunning, was Freeland House, now Strathallan School, home to the Ruthven family and, from 1873, Collingwood Lindsay Wood. After the death of Wood’s infant child Mary Grant was commissioned to model a likeness which she found difficult. Reference to a sculpture of a sleeping infant is to be found in an auction list of items at Freeland but its whereabouts is unknown. Mary was also commissioned to model Lord Kinnoull’s children at Dupplin Castle and members of the Moncreiffe family at Bridge of Earn.
This talk will deal both with some of the history of Kilgraston and also some of the Grant family who left their mark in the 19th century and beyond.
