Description:Amongst the papers relating to George Granville Leveson-Gower is document entitled ‘Rejoicings in Sutherland in Celebration of the birth of an Heir to the Noble and Illustrious Houses of Trentham & Sutherland’ in 1829. The document provides an account of the festivities organised to celebrate the birth of George Granville's son George Granville William who would eventually succeed his father as the third Duke of Sutherland. The account reads ‘the birth of the Earl Gower’s son and Heir gave rise to spontaneous rejoicings in different parts of the Estate of Sutherland’. The event is described as ‘one which elated the hearts of all the tenantry to a romantic degree’.
The account begins by stating that ‘Monday the 12th of this month was devoted to festivity and as a day of general rejoicing’.
Celebrations were organised, including canon firing and ‘a club and shinty’ match which was held between ‘young men from the Parishes of blyne on one side and golspie and other Parishes in the county on the other side – each side furnishing 26 men’.
The account tells us about the preparations for the match and the events of the day in colourful detail. Describing the men participating in the match, the account refers to ‘the Golspie party’ who wore ‘distinguishing ribbons and badges’. The party ‘met above the village and headed by several Gentlemen marched with flying colours bearing an appropriate motto, and to the martial strains of three Bagpipes to the field where the game was to be contested’.
Describing the game itself, the account states that ‘nineteen rounds of cannon were fired at Dunrobin Castle…jointed with the animating appearance of the men and their decorations and flags’.
The account states that the day was one of widespread celebration, commenting that ‘it is impossible to particularise all the jollity and pastimes that ensued about Dunrobin and at Golspie’. A notable event of the day occurred in the evening, when the account tells us that ‘about 60 Gentlemen dined at Duncan’s new Inn. After dinner and after dedicating bumpers to the health of out Gracious Sovereign and to other loyal Toasts the health of the youthful “Viscount Trentham” was drunk’. The account states that the ‘immence cheering and the discharge of 19 guns…almost rendered inaudible “The Highland Paddie” that followed this toast'.