Page 127 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

Compton moved to Aberdeenshire to assume the role of chief and become the 16th laird of Invercauld.
He was confirmed in the style “MacFionnlaidh” by Lyon Court in 1949. Having taken the name Farquharson, the new chief applied himself to the stewardship of the estates, which extended from Aberdeenshire to Perthshire and included the Torloisk Estate on the Isle of Mull, which he inherited from his father. Frances Farquharson threw herself into the project with equal vigour, designing a magnificent wardrobe of tartans to wear to the Braemar Gathering and opening the Invercauld Speciality Shop devoted to Scottish tartans and tweeds.
A slightly built and modest man, Farquharson was known affectionately by tenants and staff simply as “The Laird”. And as laird of Invercauld, he was the nearest neighbour of the Queen at Balmoral.
As clan chief, he had many visitors from distant parts. He enjoyed regaling clan members with stories of Farquharson genealogy and heritage, and in 2014 gave permission for the re-raising of the Invercauld Highlanders, guard of honour for the Farquharson chiefs.
In 2007 he leased Braemar Castle, the clan home, to the community of Braemar, which now runs it as a visitor attraction, and retired to Norfolk. His role as Scotland’s oldest and longest-serving clan chief was recognised in the Iconic Scotland exhibition, the first in a series of visiting exhibits to be housed alongside the Great Tapestry of Scotland in a new purpose-built visitor centre in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.
Alwyne Farquharson was a justice of the peace and vice-patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering. In more than 70 years as chieftain of the Ballater Highland Games he never failed to attend the event, marching in procession on to the field every year including his last Games in 2019, on reaching his cen- tury. The occasion was celebrated with massed pipe bands and the attendance of the Lonach Highlanders and the Balmoral Guard. Evan at the age of 100, he was still able to make eloquent, unscripted speeches.
Alwyne Farquharson died on 6 October 2021. There was a funeral service in Norfolk and then a Thanksgiving Service at Crathie Kirk on 13 November where the Association was represented, a regimental wreath was laid and Pipe Major Duncan played at it.
Captain Graeme Murray Walker OBE
Murray Walker OBE
Graeme Murray Walker, better known to the wider world for his enthusiastic commentaries with memorable humorous verbal gaffes at Formula One events, served with the Royal Scots Greys at the culmination of the Second World War. He was born in Birmingham on 10 October 1923 and raised in Enfield, Middlesex
as the only child of Elsie and Graham William Walker. His father’s passion for motor-cycles influenced Murray’s future interests, for Sergeant GW Walker had been a Royal Engineer despatch rider in the Great War, followed by competitions management for top companies based in the Midlands and winning ump- teen Grand Prix events including the 1931 Manx TT.
After preparatory school Murray followed his father to public school at Highgate from 1936-41, being evacu- ated aged 15 to Westward Ho! North Devon. The fam- ily had been on holiday in Austria in August 1939 enjoying the prestigious Six Days Trial but had to dash home through France just before Neville Chamberlain announced the outbreak of war. In his first two years he had learned the bugle in the School Corps, become a Prefect and mastered Fives. He lacked ability at soccer and cricket due to abysmal hand and eye co- ordination, despite which he was a first class .303 Lee Enfield rifle shot and later Captain of Shooting, competing annually at Bisley. As a Corps Company Sergeant Major, he also enjoyed instructing the Local Defence Volunteers - forerunner of the Home Guard - how to use the Lewis machine gun. To compensate for incompetence in Maths, Murray added a Distinction in Divinity to his range of School Certificate Credits (equivalent of A-level). His mother had bet him that he would be smoking by 17 - she lost, and he never adopted the habit His years on the Devon coast were enjoyable and was awarded a scholarship by the Dunlop Rubber Company.
On leaving Highgate aged 18 Murray decided to vol- unteer rather than waiting for the uncertainty of where conscription would send him. Poor sight ruled out the dream of being a fighter pilot and he opted for tanks. He was accepted but told to wait for the right equip- ment for training. Over the next year he was one of the Dunlop scholars in Birmingham as they underwent an invaluable business grounding.
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