Inventory of Whitehill dated 1907

Colonel Wardlaw Ramsay drew up a detailed inventory of house contents for Mssrs J.&T. Scott, Edinburgh insurers. This document shows that the house was filled with fine furniture, ornaments and pictures. The family portraits were all displayed in the enormous dining room in Whitehill House. Indeed, the older portraits appear to have been cut down to match the later three-quarter portraits. Sadly, we have no photo to show to how they were arranged, though the list starts ‘Left of front window’. This website aims to bring them all together virtually, at least. The full length portrait of Balcarres WR by William Geddes is missing, and efforts are being made to locate it. Balcarres relates how this portrait was exhibited in the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1842. As the oldest Academician, Geddes’ portrait was given the best place, which elicited some ribald comment, with Punch magazine asking why this unknown man with four unpronounceable names had been given such prominence.

Inventory of portraits. The “Man in armour” is attributed to Knilber.