200 years of making North-east fiddles
June 2005
A Murdoch fiddle: Alex Murdoch was born in Glenbuchat, Strathdon, and many of his robust instruments are in regular use today.
by Alan Sim
The North-East has a long and well-documented heritage of fiddle playing which continues to the present day. The area has given us generations of fine players and composers including William Marshall (1748-1833), James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), Hector MacAndrew (1903-1980), the Hardie family, Bert Murray and Paul Anderson. If we extend our boundaries to Perthshire, we can also lay claim to Niel and Nathaniel Gow as part of this legacy.
What is less widely known is that a tradition of North-East violin making has existed alongside the playing tradition from the middle of the 18th century. Prior to this time, local carpenters made instruments based on the older viol and they also made kits, or pochettes, which were small portable fiddle type instruments used mainly by dancing masters.
The violin, as we know it today, evolved in Northern Italy in the towns of Brescia and Cremona in the period from 1550 to 1600. The violin makers craft was taken to its highest levels most notably by the Amati family, Antonio Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu. This flowering of the makers’ art peaked in the 1730s with the demise of Stradivari and del Gesu.
Modern style violins based on the Italian model had been made in London since the early 1700s. One of the first recorded makers of the modern instrument in Scotland is Robert Duncan of Aberdeen. He worked in Margaret Leith’s Court in Upperkirkgate around 1730-1780. He was the maker of the 1756 cello owned by the famous philosopher James Beattie. Beattie was professor of philosophy and logic at Marischal College and his Duncan cello is now in the collection of the University of Aberdeen.
Duncan’s work is tutored and has some of the characteristics of an Italian style of construction. He must have learned his craft somewhere other than Aberdeen. The most likely locations are London, Southern Germany or Italy. Given its location and heritage as a maritime trading port, it is not unusual for inhabitants of Aberdeen to have travelled widely, even at this date. Several of Duncan’s violins are still in existence. A Duncan violin dated 1742 has recently been discovered in North Carolina, which makes it the oldest recorded modern violin by a Scottish maker.
It seems likely that Joseph Ruddiman learned his trade from Duncan. Ruddiman, the son of a carpenter, was born in Aberdeen in 1729. He died on 28 February 1810 in Aberdeen and is buried in St Clements churchyard. He worked in the Cooperstown district of Aberdeen, which disappeared around 1808 when Holburn Street was constructed. The name continues to this day, but no original buildings remain.
Cooperstown or Cuparston was a small hamlet of artisans, approximately one kilometre south-west of the city centre. Fenton Wyness in City by the Grey North Sea attributes the name to ‘cappers toun’ – hamlet of the cappers, or wooden cup-makers. It may more simply have been coopers’ town, since a brewery sat opposite on the Hardgate for many years in the 18th century. Whichever derivation is preferred, the community in which Ruddiman was living was the home of skilled wood workers. Although Cooperstown was a distinct community, it was only a 15-minute walk along the Hardgate, down Windmill Brae and across the Bow Brig to the Green and the heart of the city.
In addition to violins, Ruddiman made cellos, violas and guitars. His violins have neat, delicately carved scrolls and are much sought after by players to this day.
During his lifetime, he enjoyed a considerable reputation and in 1784 Niel Gow travelled from Dunkeld in Perthshire to Aberdeen, a journey of over 70 miles, to have Ruddiman repair his treasured Gasparo da Salo violin which had been damaged following a fall on the ice.
Life for Ruddiman would not have been easy as he needed to work constantly, from an early age, in order to provide for his family. His daughter Margaret was born when Joseph was only 16 years old. His wife Isabella was 18 at that time. She gave him a son William, three years later. In spite of this, Ruddiman was literate and well educated with elegant, flowing handwriting which can be seen on some of his violin labels.
That he prospered at his trade is confirmed by the fact that his son William was a classics scholar at Marischal College from 1771-1774, where he undoubtedly studied the dissertations of our cello-playing Professor Beattie. William subsequently qualified as a doctor, and worked in India as physician to the Nabob of Arcot before returning to London. He was obviously affluent, as he subsequently became a benefactor of the university and erected a significant memorial to his parents in St Clements kirkyard. Aberdeen University has a portrait of William in its collections, in addition to a violin made by his father in 1778. Ruddiman violins are also held in the collection of Edinburgh University and in the Museums & Galleries collection of Aberdeen City Council.
The Aberdeen Journal of 7 March 1810 announced: “Mr Joseph Ruddiman has died in his eightyfirst year at his home at Springhill Cottage near Aberdeen”. Ruddiman was predeceased by his wife in 1804; his daughter Margaret died in July 1810 aged 65. William died in London in 1826.
Carrying on the tradition of Ruddiman were George Mollison and James Thompson, both Aberdeen makers, examples of whose work survive today. Other than the testament of a few instruments, however, they have left little other record behind. It is believed that Mollison may have worked as an assistant to Ruddiman around 1760-1770 and was a baker by profession.
Our next maker is Charles Crammond who worked from around 1800 until 1834. Records exist of his shop at 27 Netherkirkgate from 1822-1825, at which time he moved to 32 Yeats’ Court, Netherkirkgate. This shop at 32 Netherkirkgate was to be the workplace for three generations of violin makers and served its occupants for over 50 years.
Crammond produced good quality instruments, many of which are played today. A violin by Crammond is in the collection of America’s National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota.
Crammond emigrated to Canada in 1834 and settled in St John, New Brunswick, where he is believed to have worked as a gun-stock maker. Emigration was common around this time as the economic climate was becoming increasingly uncertain and many left Scotland to seek a more prosperous future overseas. Canada was attractive to many Scots because of the cultural ties and relative ease of transport (a journey of around four weeks by sea!). Newspapers of the time carried many articles and letters from émigrés extolling the virtues of their adopted country. Crammond had a son, also named Charles, who was born in Canada in 1842 and became a gunsmith.
It has been said that Crammond left Aberdeen because of his frustration with the number of amateur makers who were undermining his business. It is also likely that an influx of cheap German factory-made fiddles which were imported through Edinburgh had an adverse impact on his business. It is also equally likely that his departure was simply a case of wanderlust and a desire to secure a better life.
Working in Aberdeen at the same time as Crammond were James Shirreffs, who had a shop in Longacre during the period 1820-22, and Alex Taylor with a shop in Carnegies Brae around 1825.
Thomas Jamieson trained and worked as a wood turner. He may have learned to make violins from Crammond, as their work has many similar characteristics. As a turner, Jamieson is likely to have made tuning pegs for Crammond from his workshop in the adjacent street. He established himself as a violin maker at 12 Upperkirkgate in 1837, where he remained until he moved to 14 Upperkirkgate in 1849. He is recorded as being 30 years old at the time of the 1841 census. A cello made by Jamieson is held in the Museums & Galleries collection of Aberdeen City Council.
John Young was a contemporary of Jamieson and was born in Montrose on 18 June 1811. He died on 4 May 1866 in Aberdeen. He is believed to have learned the craft of violin-making from his father. He originally worked in Aberdeen as a snuff box maker, but then set up shop as a violin maker at 9 Barnetts’ Close (from Guestrow to Flourmill Brae) in 1833.
In 1835, Young moved into Crammonds’ shop at 32 Netherkirkgate, following the latter’s departure for Canada, and remained there for over 30 years until his death.
The lithograph showing the Netherkirkgate is dated 1840. Number 32 is on the corner on the right, where the street musician entertains the passers by. It is perhaps fanciful to imagine that the sign which can be seen advertises John Young’s shop. Number 32 was located around what is now the side door of the Marks & Spencer store in St Nicholas Street.
It is apparent from the details of his estate that Young was still working at the time of his death. The contents of his workshop were sold at a public roup and fetched £26/2/3. His wife Annie sold other goods from the shop in a private sale for £9/8/11. The most likely purchasers of his tools would have been John Anderson, James Taylor or Alex Bothwell, of whom more later.
The list of outstanding debtors at the time of Young’s death indicates that he was very busy and readily extended credit to many diverse customers from various parts of the country. Debtors included musicians, teachers, clergy, a gardener from London and a Corporal in the 78th Highlanders. A recurring debt of four shillings is noted against many of these – possibly for fitting new strings? Young was also active as a dealer. One entry in his accounts relates to the commission sale of a violin in London by Patrick & Simpson of Leicester Square on behalf of the Reverend Mr Pratt of Cruden.
He is fondly remembered by William Carnie the journalist and musician in his Reporting Reminiscences 1866: “The little shop in the Netherkirkgate that had so long known John Young, the fiddlemaker, would know him no more. I passed it one recent forenoon and the closed door and shuttered window told a mournful story. Dear, dear! what a host of kindly recollections, and ever-to–be-remembered hours of musical mirth and melancholy arise around me as I think on evenings long-gone-bye spent in a quiet corner beside John Young in his loved working sanctum! What touching wails of Scottish melody; what stirring Strathspey and reel strains I have there as a boy listened to – listened to and wept and laughed by turns. Ay, and older folks than your scribe, reader, were swayed and touched by the same influence in the same daft way. All the best masters of the fiddle bow, resident and visiting, found welcome to try John’s newest instruments or famed ones come in for repair.”
The workshop must have been a popular meeting place for musicians, as John’s brother James was a well-known player and composer and was also leader of the orchestra in the Aberdeen Theatre Royal. James and his other brother, David, also worked as music teachers from their lodgings at 46 Netherkirkgate.
From a repairer’s label, in a 1766 Ruddiman violin, we learn that D. Henderson was working as a violin maker in Aberdeen 1846, but no other record of him seems to remain.
John Anderson, the son of a joiner, was born in Keith in 1831 and died in Aberdeen on 12 February 1883. John moved to Aberdeen to work as a journeyman joiner and made violins in his spare time. He was also known as a skilled player, having been a pupil of the renowned Charles Hardie who was a fellow carpenter in Aberdeen. In 1881, by now a widower with a grown son in regular employment, he established himself as a violin maker and opened a shop at 6 St Nicholas Lane. This was directly opposite the Prince of Wales public house, where it is likely that Anderson enjoyed many a dram and pipe of tobacco at the lang bar. He worked here until his early death two years later.
His son, also named John, was born on 25 December 1856 in Aberdeen. Census records for 1881 have him living at home at 10 Schoolhill with his widower father and working as a grocer. John the younger learned the craft of violin making from his father and he turned his back on his trade as a grocer, moving to Glasgow to establish himself as a violin maker and musical instrument dealer, around the same time as John senior set up his business. Aberdeen was obviously not big enough for two fiddle-making members of the Anderson clan! His labels bear the words, ‘John Anderson – Bon Accord Violin Maker,’ as a reminder of his birthplace.
James Taylor was born in Newhills in 1830. Little is know of him other than that he was working as a violin maker in 1868 with a shop at 34 Schoolhill. He remained here until he moved to 9 Schoolhill in 1874. In 1887 he moved again to a shop at 70 Schoolhill where he remained until 1891. An advertisement in the Aberdeen Directory of 1877 reads: ‘It is worthy of note that most of our makers have lived and worked in the courts, pends and tenements of the same old part of the city around Schoolhill, Upperkirkgate and Netherkirkgate’. This was to remain a feature as we move into the next century.
Thomas Dalgarno was married to Annie, who was the elder sister of James Scott Skinner the renowned traditional fiddle player and composer. Scott Skinner moved to Aberdeen in 1852 to attend school and lived with his sister and brother-in-law at 22 Frederick Street.
Dalgarno was a noted amateur maker of violins. He also made several cellos, which is a significant feat for any part-time maker. His occupation is given in trade directories of the time as stair rail maker working at 70 Wales Street. This skilled craft would undoubtedly have equipped him with many of the attributes required of a violin maker.
Skinner makes no mention of the prowess of his brother in law in his autobiography, My Life and Adventures. Skinner must not have been overly impressed. On reflection this is not surprising, as Skinner was rarely impressed by anything other than his own considerable talent! Dalgarno was born in New Deer in 1826 and died in Aberdeen in 1888.
We now meet Alex Bothwell, who was born in Rothienorman in 1815. Bothwell was the son of a miller and he worked at the mill with his father until he was over 50 years of age. He had been an amateur violin maker for many years, and around 1870 he made the break and moved to Aberdeen to set up in business.
In 1885 he moved to 32 Netherkirkgate, which had previously been the shop of John Young and Charles Crammond. This cramped workspace would once again be filled with shavings of maple and spruce, and the smells of glue and varnish.
Following Bothwell’s death on 4 May 1908, his obituary in the Aberdeen Free Press records: “He made a large number of violins in his time, most of them good quality, and highly spoken of, and several of considerable value. Besides making fiddles he did a large business in repairing. He was also a practical musician, and in this respect was able to test all his instruments. He retired from business in 1898, when he occupied premises in Netherkirkgate. He was predeceased by his wife and is survived by three sons and two daughters.” Despite what is recorded above, it appears that in his later years Bothwell actually worked from his home at 56 Wellington Street.
Alex Murdoch was born in Glenbuchat, Strathdon, in 1815, the son of an agricultural labourer, and died in Aberdeen 26 November 1891. Murdoch was a very prolific, if somewhat uninspiring maker, and many of his robust instruments are in regular use today. He was originally in business with a partner as a musical instrument dealer with premises in the Aberdeen Market. Latterly his workshop was in Minister Lane, which ran from Kidd Lane to Skene Street.
John Marshall was born the son of a farmer in Methlick on 15 January 1844, and died unmarried in Aberdeen on 16 March 1919. Prior to becoming a full-time maker he worked as a hammerman at Broadford Works for 14 years. He was a close friend of Scott Skinner and was a maker of fine quality instruments. He was also a repairer of note and undertook work for Hill & Sons of London, who were the leading dealers and restorers of the day.
On some labels he used the inscription: Made of the garner’d relics of a tree/ In which, of old, a dryad of the lea/ Did live and die.
He had a shop in Belmont Street from 1889-1903. Thereafter he occupied premises in Rosemount Viaduct and Woolmanhill before moving to 88 Schoolhill in 1914 where he remained until his death. Marshall employed an assistant/apprentice by the name of William Glennie whose hand can be seen in the very distinctive scrolls found on some of Marshall’s instruments.
James Stuart is listed in the Aberdeen Directory as a bagpipe and violin maker. He worked from 1887 until 1916 at various locations, including College Street and Windmill Brae. Little else is known of him or his work.
Patrick Milne was born Aberdeen on 30 January 1873, the son of Peter Milne, master draper. Patrick worked for 10 years from 1901 at his shop in 10 Back Wynd before moving to Guild Street, where he remained until 1920.
Milne left Aberdeen at this time and moved to Glasgow where he established himself as a violin maker and instrument dealer. He died a bachelor, in Glasgow on 15 January 1949.
The Aberdeen Journal of 7 May 1927 reported that A. Strachan, violin maker of Belmont Street, Aberdeen had acquired the violin belonging to the late James Scott Skinner at an auction in the garden of Skinner’s former home at 25 Victoria Street. The 1690 Andrea Guarneri violin (repaired in 1873 by J. W. Briggs of Glasgow) fetched £78 and was purchased on behalf of a client living in the south of Scotland.
Strachan first set up in business in the premises at 88 Schoolhill previously occupied by John Marshall, so it is reasonable to suppose that he was trained by him and succeeded him in the business. We do not know what happened to his apprentice William Glennie at this time.
In 1923, the buildings at 82-88 Schoolhill were demolished to permit the construction of the Cowdray Hall and the War Memorial. As a consequence, Strachan moved to a shop at 13a Belmont Street, appropriately now a music shop. The BBC first established its presence in Aberdeen in 1926 at 15 Belmont Street, so Strachan would have had interesting neighbours. He worked in Belmont Street until 1936 when he moved out, but continued working from his home in Jasmine Terrace until 1939.
George F. Watson is recorded in the Aberdeen Directory as a violin maker with a shop in Skene Street from 1928 to 1937, and thereafter in Belmont Street until 1940.
In addition to these makers who worked in the city, many local craftsmen, carpenters in the main, made fiddles across the North-East. Many of their instruments are still in use today, but remain largely anonymous. We do, however, know a little of some of these men.
One of these was William Blair who was born in Crathie, Ballater, in 1793. He worked as a house carpenter and made violins in his spare time. He was also a noted player, having been taught by the famous Peter Hardie of Dunkeld, who would also have given him direction as a maker.
Hardie was a pupil of Niel Gow and had learned to make violins at the bench of his uncle, Matthew Hardie of Edinburgh, who was one of the most gifted of Scottish makers. Blair was indeed fortunate to share such a heritage. His skills as a player gained him entry to Balmoral and he was dubbed ‘the Queen’s fiddler’. He died in at his home in Crathie of bronchitis in 1884, aged 90.
Since 1940, Aberdeen has not been home to any full-time violin makers, although several enthusiastic and talented amateurs have continued the tradition, creating fine instruments for local players. Among these was the gifted George Webster who was born in Edzell and worked as a gamekeeper before moving to Aberdeen.
Eddie Grant of Inverurie continues today to make excellent instruments which are played by players of the standing of Jean-Ann Callender.
Perhaps understandably, eminent players of the past have favoured instruments made by the great masters. Marshall played a Stainer, Gow owned a Da Salo and Skinner a Guarneri.
Scottish makers did however produce many excellent instruments which were instilled with the spirit of the country of their birth and perhaps, in an attic somewhere, an instrument by one of our Aberdeen makers is languishing with a sound to rival the very best. Let us hope it is discovered by a player with the skill to make it sing again!
ALAN SIM was born and educated in Aberdeen. Following a career in the oil industry, he became BP professor of engineering at RGU. He joined Scottish Enterprise, taking early retirement in 2001. He now makes and restores violins.
This is an article from the June 2005 edition of Leopard Magazine. To read much more like this every month, see our subscription details.
While he was not a part of my family, he was directly involved with it.
His adopted daughter Jane was the niece of his wife Jean/Jane Stuart. She was born Jane Scott Skinner Stuart, Moss Cottage Aberlour, Banff, Scotland. Her mother is listed as Helen Stuart, younger sister of Jean/Jane.
Her death in 1923 also lists her mother as Helen Stuart but a problem with her marriage to Francis William Sutherland lists her mother as Isabella Stewart. Isabella Stuart was born 10 Feb 1856 and was her aunt.
Perhaps this might prompt further research as James Scott Skinner was probably one of the more famous or infamous, depending on your view of his personal life, people in my family tree.
Regards,
Mal Garden
— Mal Garden 29 August 2005 #
I read your article whereby you had mentioned that James Young was a composer and musician, son of the maker Jamieson Young as I recall. Please be advised that I own a 7/8 cello which is marked in pencil on the inside, James Young, Montrose 1829. In your article, you had failed to mention that James Young was also a maker or that he too was trained in the Luthier’s craft. This may be that perhaps it was overlooked or otherwise, but I thought it important for your information in the event that such information was previously unknown about the musician/composer and son of a luthier. Please also note that this ‘cello was found in what I understand was a Windsor Castle in Montrose. It is a very prominent instrument in its overall appearance and character despite its slightly smaller size. In addition, it has characteristics which deviate quite considerably from what one might consider traditionally Cremonese such as its scroll which is more bold and larger in character than most, original to the instrument as I have been advised. Also, particularly peculiar is an elongated “nut” which has a vertical extention or rather elongation attatched to the
vertical string “slots.” The upper and lower bouts are thick as the instrument is unusually wide. The sound of the instrument is described as that of a cello perhaps similar to a “court” instrument, though some contend it to be much too “loud” to be considered such. I am presently offering the instrument for sale as I am also a violinist and my Josef Guarneri is enough responsibility and besides, I am in the market for a smaller instrument more suitably parallel to the size of the violin as my strength in my less younger, less healthier years is limited. The cello has been appraised at $60,000 US and offers are being considered, though it stands firm at no less than $50,000 given its possibly rare status as perhaps only one of its kind due to James Young’s repute as exclusively that of a musician only rather than one trained and one who may have practiced as a “casual” yet nevertheless duly skilled in the craft of a luthier. You may reach me at my e-mail for further comment.
Thank you.
Tracy S. Rutchik
— Tracy Rutchik 25 October 2005 #
thank you for your time.
Kathryn
— Kathryn Freeman-Pogue 18 February 2006 #
Hi, I have a George Duncan (glasgow) violin made in 1874. can yu tell me anything about him
— ian.whyte 17 March 2006 #
Hi, I have been left in my great aunts will a 1910 John Marshall violin still in fine working order. Can you tell me a little more about what I’ve inherited, and what its worth would be.
— Paul Findlay 13 November 2006 #
Wonderful article. I came across a ‘cello with a label designating the maker as W. Young 1795. It is small with a 71cm back length. The back appears to be made of slab cut poplar. You mentioned that John Young was trained by his father. Wondering if this might be the W, Young in question. I am a ‘cellist in New York and had the good fortune to spend some time last year in Aberdeen as a guest of the University playing concerts with the Bach Ensemble. I wish I had been aware of Aberdeen’s rich violinmaking history. My wife plays a violin attributed to Thomas Hardie, Matthew’s son and a colleague of mine owns a beautiful Matthew Hardie ‘cello so I was aware that violinmaking was alive and well in Scotland.
Thanks,
Myron Lutzke
— Myron Lutzke 19 November 2006 #
Really interesting article. Just wondered if you could help with any info about my violin. It is stamped on the back W. Mortimer and signed and dated (1884) in pencil on the inside. Could you please tell me if this maker is Sottish and any other info you might have.
Thanks very much for your time.
— Vikki Leith 29 December 2006 #
Hi, Very interesting article. I have a violin with a label inside which reads “John F. Marshall, Violin Maker, Aberdeen 1908 JM” Any idea how much it could be worth?
— Martin D'Agostino 19 January 2007 #