Century-old Wester Ross graffiti sparks Highland Games' memories from Gairloch days gone by
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THE chance discovery of some Wester Ross graffiti dating back more than a century has sparked memories of colourful characters from days gone by.
Volunteers at Gairloch Museum, which has now re-opened in new premises in the heart of the village, has been clearing out objects from its former premises.
One of the last remaining objects is a stable stall that originated at Flowerdale.
The museum posted that as it was being moved, volunteers found some old graffiti on it, including the name of John Urquhart.
It said: "John was an estate worker at Flowerdale, born around 1885. He had three older brothers who also worked on the estate and they were all fit guys.
"According to one local story, John was keen to compete in a race at the local Highland Games, which at the time was held at Achtercairn. Setting off late, he ran all the way up from Flowerdale, arriving just in time to join in the race, which had already started.
"He overtook the other runners and won! He had never been in a proper race before, and when he reached the finishing line, instead of running through the tape he jumped over it."
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