F for Frederick

Another beautiful sunny day for guiding at Hill of Tarvit. The number of visitors was high from the beginning and again visitors came from many lands.

Frederick Sharp, who built the Mansionhouse was a man who liked his initials on various together with dates. There is enough of these to create a presentation on dates and initials alone.

The main entry shows F and S on the section of the plaster ceiling in the dining room. Although these are about 25 cms in font height many of our visitors find them difficult to see.

I spent some time today in Fred’s ‘man cave’ which is my nickname for the Billiard Room.

Visitors are encouraged to play billiards and today I witnessed two closely fought games. One was a man and wife and the second was two men.

Everyone enjoyed the games including me. The extra shows the two portraits of Frederick looking down on the billiard table.

The one on the left hand side is a younger Frederick apparently in a red hunting jacket with white shirt and a bow time.

The portrait on the right hand side is of a 65 year old Frederick Sharp in evening dress by the Edinburgh Portrait artist, Douglas Gordon Shields.

Writing this I realise that Fred is 9 years younger than I am now! I see an elderly man. I certainly do not consider myself an elderly man.

I have just checked my spectacles and they are not rose tinted.

Our last group of visitors arrived just before closing time. A group of 28 calling themselves ‘The Odd Fellows’.

A group that size, unannounced is difficult to manage, however manage we did by splitting them in two groups of fourteen, one starting on the first floor and one on the ground floor.

Even so, fourteen is a large number in any of the rooms, especially as there were other visitors.

We did our best, but with forewarning we could have arranged a proper guided tour.