| Administrative History | Alec. Innes, from Tarland, former pupil of Peter Milne [possibly the same Alex. Innes of Tarland who was responsible for instigating the monument to Milne in Tarland in 1932].
Peter Milne was born in 1824 in the village of Kincardine O'Neil. Milne earned the nickname of "The Tarland Minstrel" for his fiddle playing but, although he is associated most strongly with Tarland, he was in fact an itinerant fiddler who lived in a number of different places. He was also one of Scott Skinner's fiddle teachers. Milne died in 1908 at Aberdeen Poorhouse, Oldmill, Newhills.
James Scott Skinner was born in Banchory in 1843 and was a musical prodigy. He was already performing publicly on the violin when he was seven, and at the age of twelve he joined Dr. Mark's touring orchestra. For the rest of his life he was a touring musician and composer of considerable virtuosity and originality. He died in 1927.
Alexander Walker was born in Rhynie in 1819. He led the Castle Newe Band and many of his compositions reflect his life in the North-East. In 1870 he emigrated to America. Just four years later the Alexander Walker Collection was published in Aberdeen. He collaborated with Scott Skinner and the young Skinner may well have been influenced by Walker. |
| Custodial History | Items 1 -11 were originally owned by Alec Innes of Tarland, who was a pupil of Peter Milne. The manuscripts then belonged to an un-named member of the Aberdeen Strathspey & Reel Society who donated it to the Society many years ago. Item 12 was part of the Society archives but has an unknown custodial history. |