The Strange Plate
The New Printing of Jacobite Banknotes from "The Strange Plate"
The West Highland Museum Fort William has had printed, from the original 275-year-old copper Plate, twenty-two prints of the Jacobite Banknotes commissioned by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746.
In February 1746 on his retreat from Derby Prince Charles Edward arrived in Inverness very short of funds. In his view, as a future King, and as a key symbol of the potency of the intended Stuart government, he determined the right to have printed paper money to pay his troops. Perhaps an early attempt at "Quantitative Easing!"
He called upon Robert Strange, an Orcadian Artist and Engraver to produce bank notes of different
denominations. Strange described in his diaries how difficult this was with limited materials. However,
he had a printing press constructed, engraved the Plate, and was probably about to start
production, when on 16th April 1746 the Battle of Culloden saw the destruction of
the Jacobite Army and the end of Prince Charles Edward's attempt to regain the British throne.
The Plate disappears from history for 90 years until it was discovered close to a ford on the
River Spean in about 1835. BPC had crossed and recrossed that ford in August 1746 during his
flight after Culloden. We can speculate that it was lost from his baggage about that time. We know
that the Plate came into the possession of the family of General Hugh Ross of Glenmoidart and that
he gifted it to Cluny Macpherson just before the General's death in 1864. It first reached public
notice in an academic article in 1864, and probably in the 1890's, a handful of prints was made from
the plate by the Jacobite scholar Walter Biggar Blaikie.
The Plate was acquired by the Museum at the Sale of Cluny's effects in London in 1928. The Scottish
Artist D.Y. Cameron was instrumental in raising funds to purchase the Plate and he printed 52 numbered
and signed prints in 1928. These prints were sold for 10/6 each to raise funds for the museum. No other
prints were made in the last century.
Alastair Clark, Studio Director at Edinburgh Printmakers, has advised throughout the process of printing
and has produced 22 prints to celebrate our founding in 1922, perfect for our centenary.
A top-grade etching paper was selected with the retention of the deckled edge on the sheet. The prints were
struck by Alastair in April 2021, and they look extraordinary. Imagine handling the actual banknotes created
for the anticipated Jacobite world of the mid-18 th Century.
The first of this numbered series will be sold by Public Auction at Messrs Lyon & Turnbull in August this
year. No will be unique as the first of the print run and that it is being framed in beechwood sourced from the
famous Beech Avenue at Achnacarry, the seat of Clan Cameron.
In 1745 as Bonnie Prince Charlie arrived to raise his standard at Glenfinnan, Cameron of Lochiel was in
the midst of planting saplings for an avenue of beech trees near Achnacarry Castle alongside the River
Arkaig. He left these bunched closely together and never returned to space them. These trees are now at the
end of their natural lifespan and are in decline. By permission of Donald Cameron, the present Lochiel and
Chief of Clan Cameron, we have sourced some beech wood from the 1745 avenue to frame the print.
The wood has been milled and fashioned by master cabinet maker Peter Davis in his workshop and has been framed by Gillian Sloan, both locally in Fort William.
A short film by the Glasgow based film maker Jen Martin tells the story of the Plate and the prints production. It lasts 7 minutes and is available on the Museum website
The full story of the Plate, its printing and much associated information was the subject of a 2-hour webinar "The Strange Plate of Bonnie Prince Charlie". This was hosted by the University of St Andrew's Open Virtual World team and held on Thursday 15th July. There were contributors from Scotland, London and New Zealand. That video can be seen one the Museum's YouTube channel.
How to obtain a Print:
22 Prints have been made - the Museum will be retaining 5 prints for our own purposes.
- Print Number 1
- Raffle
- In cash or by using the contactless card facility at the West Highland Museum.
- By PayPal or card using the red
button in the header of any page on the museum's website. - By bank transfer to : Branch Code 80-22-60 Acc No. 17103962. If you use this method, please e-mail us with your contact details.
- A cheque made out to the West Highland Museum and posted to "The West Highland Museum", Cameron Square, Fort William, PH33 6AJ. Please include your contact details.
- Sale of the Remaining Prints
This unique print, framed in wood from the famous Beech Avenue at Achnacarry, was sold for £6250 (including commission) as Lot 299A by Public Auction at Messrs Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh at their "Scottish Works of Art & Whisky" on Wednesday 18th August.
One unframed Print will be raffled. Virtual Tickets will cost £10 and can be purchased in multiples. Due to Covid restrictions there will be no paper raffle ticket issued.
Payment for the Raffle, which will be seen as a donation to the museum, can be made:
Please be sure to leave your name and email address as a reference. *
Whilst the Raffle is in progress, all donations of £10 or multiples thereof through the website will be entered into the Raffle for the Print.
If you are unable to pay using these methods, please contact the museum.
E-mail: info@westhighlandmuseum.org.uk, Telephone: 01397 702169
All donations will be acknowledged, and a ticket number emailed to you.
The Raffle will close, and the winning number established by an automatic number generator on Tuesday 7th September at 12 noon at the West Highland Museum.
This Raffle is registered under the Gambling Act 2005 Small Societies Lotteries with the Highland Council through Voluntary Action Lochaber, this Draw is conducted in
accordance with the conditions of the Act.
Promoter: Voluntary Action Lochaber, An Drochaid, Claggan Rd, Fort William, PH33 6PH.
Company Number:179048. Scottish Charity Number: SC020740.
The 15 Prints are available for sale at a price of £1745, which can include insured postage.
The list of prospective buyers is now closed to further aspirants.
Applications for purchase are oversubscribed.
Successful purchasers will be draw at random at midday on Tuesday 7th September at 12 noon. Successful and unsuccessful purchasers will be informed that afternoon.
Payment must be received before Tuesday 14th September.
The prints will be dispatched by post in a wide tube (or available for collection at the Museum) in the week beginning 13th September.
All proceeds from the sale will go to support the West Highland Museum.
* We would like to hold your email address to inform you of occasional events and opportunities at the West Highland Museum.
After the sales, we will email you to confirm your willingness to be contacted by us in specified circumstances.
If you do not wish us to do this, please let us know.
