Almost 80 years after he was first  revealed to the public in Culter, Rob Roy MacGregor was, once again, guest of honour at his “coming out” ceremony last Friday .  After months of painstaking conservation, the 9 foot wooded statue was centre stage  as St Peter’s Heritage Trust Chairman , Allan Pennie, honoured Rob before a packed audience.  Mr Pennie congratulated the conservation team headed by Ian Reid and Jimmy Milne of the Balmoral Group (pictured here with Rob Roy) . He paid tribute to the work of the late George Shaw, who had maintained and re-painted the statue, in situ, high above the Culter Burn for many years. This work has now been continued by local painter Danny Laing, aided by four apprentices from Aberdeen College- Wayne Duncan, Ross Divers, John Morris and Aaron Anderson- who have painstakingly re-created the paintwork.

 

 This was the culmination of a campaign to retain the statue of Rob Roy, by the people of Culter, after it was controversially put up for sale in 2002.  Mr Milne had been one of several local businesses, including Harvey Aberdein of Aberdein Considine, and whisky makers Morrison Bowmore ( makers of Rob Roy Deluxe) who had financially assisted locals, in meeting a hammer price of £8360, at an auction held at the former Gordon Arms Hotel in Culter.

 The evening continued in Heritage Hall with the showing of two DVD programmes - one following the day in 1991 when the statue was winched off the rock and replaced by the “new” Rob Roy; the second from 2002  following his journey from the Hotel to  St Peter’s Heritage Centre. This was the unfortunate occasion when he nearly lost his head- something even the English Armies had not managed in his own lifetime!  The evening was completed by an opportunity to dance and sing-a-long with Charlie Kidd and his band.

 

Rob first made his appearance on Saturday 3^rd July 1926. This was the  third statue to be placed above the Culter Burn. First brought out to Culter by Mill employee David Anderson in the 1850s, the former ship’s figurehead  was replaced by a second version in 1865. He was bought through public subscription , amounting to around £100, and unveiled by Miss Jessie Thomson. She was the daughter of mill employee John Thomson who had unveiled the second Rob. The surplus of this subscription became the Rob Roy Preservation Trust which still exists to maintain the current, fourth, incarnation which stands above Rob Roy Bridge today.  The Heritage Centre is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 2-4pm.