Queen Victoria's Visit to Taymouth
The Illustrated London News
More a news magazine than a newspaper The Illustrated London News first appeared on the 14th of May 1842. Published weekly it made extensive use of wood engravings to provide pictorial content for its stories and from the outset grasped the potential of covering popular topics and including sensational subject matter in order to appeal to the widest market.
The first issue had covered the young Queen Victoria's costume ball and had immediately sold out and had to be swiftly reprinted to meet demand.
Victoria's Visit to Scotland
Illustrated London News coverage of The Royal Visit To Scotland begins with issue No.17, for the week ending Saturday 3rd September 1842 and continues with her arrival and The Queen’s Tour in issue No.18 and then No.19 for the week ending Saturday September the 17th 1842 and is concluded in issue No.20 For the week ending Saturday, September the 24th, 1842. Scotland and things Scottish continue to feature in the next two issues, No.21 and No.22, which was for the week ending Saturday, October the 8th, 1842.
In the original copies of the Illustrated London News the text coverage and illustrations are often out of order across the sequence of published issues, which is because producing the wood engravings for the illustrations took longer than writing the content did. Therefore the story may appear in a different issue to the pictures that accompany it.
Queen Victoria has returned to London while the Scottish reporting was continued with.
HER MAJESTY AT TAYMOUTH CASTLE.
Taymouth was a scene of the greatest bustle, animation, and excitement on Wednesday, the day of her Majesty's expected arrival. From a very early hour the population poured in from all quarters. Vehicles of every description, groaning with loads of passengers, and troops of pedestrians, were wending their way to Taymouth — many from very distant parts — from Greenock, Dumbarton, Inverary, Oban, Inverness-shire, Forfarshire, Banff, Aberdeenshire, and from the metropolis of Perthshire, the Fair City, in great numbers. At half-past twelve o'clock, the Breadalbane Highlanders were marched to the front of the Castle, and underwent a review; and a finer body of men, about 200, could not well be selected in any part of Scotland. They were divided into five companies. The first company, with their swords aud targets, had a very splendid appearance; while the light company were dressed as foresters, in shepherd tartan dresses, kilts of course, and had firelocks. This company was also much admired, as indeed were the whole corps, and especially the grenadiers, a giant parcel of men. At half-past two, a body of about sixty men, from the estate of Menzies, elegantly dressed in Menzies uniform, came forward under the leadership of their chief, Sir Neil Menzies of that Ilk, Bart., and took their stations on the lawn; and also about thirty men from Mr. Menzies of Chesthill's property, The different companies were liberally provided with pipers, fags, &c. The Menzies' company had two very elegant banners of white silk, one of which had the Menzies' arms, and the other "God save the Queen." There was an endless variety of designs on the Breadalbane flags. A company of the 92nd Regt., and a number of the 6th Dragoon Guards, were also on the ground. The target men were drawn up in a circular line in the front of the colonnade, and the dragoons were stationed at the west corner of the main body of the castle, immediately behind them. The marquees were to the left, and drawn out on both sides of the carriage-way. On the west side, in front of the new wing, were the foresters, while the 92nd were placed immediately opposite the main entrance and on the south of the square, and having the other companies of the Breadalbane men on their right and left. In this position they awaited her Majesty's arrival.
At five o'clock a flag was hoisted on the top of the Crag of Dule, as a signal that the Queen was approaching. At twenty minutes to six her Majesty entered the elegant triumphal arch at the front of the Castle, and, escorted by a party of the Carbineers, drove slowly along in her open carriage and four, followed by six other carriages and four, and several pair of single-horse vehicles. The cheering of the many thousands who lined the road along rolled on to the vast multitude who were assembled in the lawn, and who joined in the universal hurrah — nine times nine — to which the surrounding hills re-echoed. She alighted at the main door of the princely abode at sixteen minutes to six, when a royal salute was fired, and the royal standard — brought from England for the special purpose — was substituted for the Breadalbane flag on the top of the Castle.
The Breadalbane Highlanders were ranged on the lawn in front of the Castle, and the marquis stood in front, about 150 yards in advance of his men. As soon as the Queen approached, the marquis called out, "Highlanders, attention!" and all followed the marquis in giving the grand salute. When her Majesty entered the Castle, she was conducted to the balcony by the marquis, when the Highlanders gave nine hearty Highland cheers. Her Majesty and Prince Albert immediately made their appearance on the balcony, when the cheering was again resumed, and graciously acknowledged. She then retired within, and the vast multitude thereafter dispersed, to assemble again in the evening to witness the fireworks. dinner took place at eight o'clock, her Majesty and Prince Albert occupying the centre of the table, the Marquis of Breadalbane on the left of her Majesty, and the Marchioness on the right of Prince Albert. In front of the Castle there were platforms erected, where Highland dances took place by torch-light, and her Majesty witnessed them from the balcony. On the lawn were the words, "Welcome, Victoria and Albert," in transparent lamps, which had a magnificent effect. The fort on the hill, opposite the Castle, was covered with variegated lamps, and bonfires blazed on every promontory. Many of the trees were hung with lamps, which gave the grounds quite the effect of a fairy land. Mr. Menzies, Mr. Fox Maule, Mr. G. Campbell, of Front, and many other gentlemen, joined in the dance, which was on the occasion wholly confined to the kilted portion of the assembly, and to the reel of Hullachan principally, till twenty-five minutes past eleven o'clock p.m. The royal and noble company within witnessed the display from the windows above; and her Majesty, on being again recognised, was loudly cheered. On the word dismissal being announced at half-past ten, the crowd immediately dispersed, more than delighted with what they had witnessed. The weather during the whole after-noon was very auspicious, enhancing in no small degree the festivities of the occasion, which might otherwise, from their out-door character, have been considerably diminished.
1822 Map of the Highland Clans: ▸
First List of the Scottish Clans: ▸
Early List of Scottish Clans and Families: ▸
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