Who Was William MacDuff?

**beloitpiper** · 13th October 08, 10:39 AM

Who was this man? I feel like there's a great story behind him.

X Marks is on the case!

**Cynthia** · 13th October 08, 10:46 AM

Great photos, and I love the one of him sitting under the tree!

**Highland Logan** · 13th October 08, 10:55 AM

I assume he might have been a ghillie at Blair Atholl, as your last picture shows him with a fishing pole and he seems to be in simple cloths. Kenneth McLeay did the last picture and it is listed under his Clans & Followings group for Murray of Atholl.

Frank

**Riverkilt** · 13th October 08, 11:22 AM

Here's some good stuff on the last pic.

http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/Univ...ocus/victoria/

Just don't know which guy, or both were at the Tay of Dunkeld, Perthshire 1867

Ron

**Highlander31** · 19th October 08, 03:22 AM

I wonder if in a hundred year or so somebody will be asking the same questions about any of us after finding our kilted photos.

**Wompet** · 19th October 08, 09:21 AM

Only photos of Hamish. Maybe Ron.

A quick Dogpile search came up with two links to XMarks, and a couple links to AskArt.com for a William MacDuff (1824-1881), painter. I haven't found anything else as yet.

**Nick the DSM** · 19th October 08, 09:55 AM

Kilted Gandalf?!

**BoldHighlander** · 19th October 08, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by beloitpiper

Who was this man? I feel like there's a great story behind him.

X Marks is on the case!

I posted this very same picture before, but for the life of me cannot recall the thread.

Anyhow, William Duff was the game-watcher (or games-keeper) for the Duke of Athole. He was mentioned as being a rather picturesque character whose usual unkempt appearance was tidied up by artist Kenneth MacLeay. MacLeay was commissioned by Queen Victoria to paint representatives of the principal clans in 1865. The men depicted were chosen by the clan chiefs themselves.