The Braemar Gathering Highland Games - Royal Deeside

The Original Braemar Gathering 5th September 1895

The Braemar Gathering Highland Games Royal Deeside - Each year the village of Braemar in Royal Deeside, Scotland invites people from all over the world ‘to come over the hills’ to attend the Braemar Gathering and Highland Games.

The Gathering is always held on the first Saturday in September and it is perhaps the most famous and best Highland Games anywhere. It features the finest Pipe Bands, pipers, Highland dancers, and athletes in a beautiful setting surrounded by hills. The patron of the Gathering is Her Majesty the Queen.

The Braemar Gathering has been regularly attended by members of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria first attended in 1848. Indeed, King Malcolm Canmore held games nearby almost 1000 years ago so there is a long ‘pedigree’.

Braemar Royal Highland Society

The Gathering, which predates the disastrous 1745 Uprising, was forbidden by law for over 30 years after Culloden, but by the year 1800 it was again up and running.

Braemar Royal Highland Society was born quietly and in humble circumstances as the Braemar Wright Society during the third week of July 1815, as a result of late 18th century enabling legislation, designed to encourage the formation of mutual assistance societies.

The foot races at the Gathering are the world’s oldest, having been organised on a regular basis by the same body since 1832.

His Majesty King Edward VII at the Braemar Gathering

Entrants had to pay 10/- (50p) initially, plus 1/- (5p) per quarter, in return for which there was provision for an annuity for members on reaching the age of 70; sickness and death benefit, and a widow’s allowance. Many such societies were formed during this period, but few survived for more than a few years.

His Majesty King George VI with the Marquis of Aberdeen and the Royal family at the Braemar Gathering September 1951

The Braemar Wright Society was formally constituted in 1816, six months to the day after the battle of Waterloo, and in 1817 was formally registered with the Clerk of the Peace as a Friendly Society – now the oldest surviving Friendly Society in the country.

In 1826 the name of the Society was changed to The Braemar Highland Society. This was at the suggestion of the then Deputy Master (Vice President), Charles Cumming, Earl Fife’s factor on Mar estate.

Fife was at that time President of the Society, and it seems likely that the idea of change originated with him.

September 1951: Queen Elizabeth and King George VI (1895 - 1952) (centre) with Captain Farqhuarson (right), the Marquis of Aberdeen (left) and Princess Margaret (1930 - 2002) at the Braemar Highland Gathering in Aberdeenshire.

At this time, wrights (both wheel wrights and square wrights or joiners) were very active in Braemar, and they had given their name to the annual procession culminating in what is now the Braemar Gathering. It was known as the Vrichts’ or Wrights’ Walk.

In 1832 the Braemar Highland Society decided to give £5 for prizes at the Gathering, and from that time on, the Highland Society organised the Braemar Gathering, which became its major undertaking.

The Royal Braemar Gathering 1950’s

The early Games were usually held on the last Thursday in August but occasionally delayed to early September. In 1848, however, the Games were delayed until mid-September to allow Queen Victoria, coming to Balmoral for the first time, to attend. Obviously she enjoyed the event because she became Patron and regularly attended the Games thereafter and was always consulted about the date. On occasion she hosted the Games at Balmoral Castle and donated the money to be used for prizes.

From the time of her first appearance at the Gathering in 1848, Queen Victoria took a close interest both in the Society and the Gathering, and in 1866 ordered that the title “Royal” should be added to the name of the Society.

In 1900 Queen Victoria requested that no Games be held out of respect for those who had died in the South Africa (Boer) War. There were no Games the following year for she herself died on 22 January 1901.

During Queen Victoria's reign the Gathering was attended by three neighbouring clans, representing the three large estates, the Balmoral Highlanders, Duff Highlanders (from Mar Estate) and the Farqharsons from Invercauld Estate. Other Highlanders such as the Forbes and Lonach Highlanders sometimes took part.

The site of the Braemar Gathering has changed regularly, with each local estate playing host. Sites have included The Royal Balmoral Castle, Mar Lodge, Braemar Castle and Clunie Park, close to Invercauld House. In 1906 , however, a site close to Braemar village was donated by the Duke of Fife of the Mar Estate for permanent use of the Braemar Gathering

In 1971, the Lord Lyon King of Arms granted Letters Patent to the Society, which thereby became armigerous, or bearing its own Coat of Arms. The Braemar Royal Highland Society has now no function other than as a Friendly Society.

Braemar Royal Highland Charity

This company was set up in 2006 to replace the Braemar Gathering Charitable Trust, and has ownership of all of the parent Society’s heritable property.

The objects of the Charity are, briefly, to provide or organise recreational facilities for members of the public and since 2011 to organise and run the Gathering; to foster and promote community development in the local area, and to promote the education of the public about the history, traditions, sport, language, culture and heritage of Scotland.

The current Braemar Gathering Pipes & Drums Parade

The Charity, funded entirely by accumulated past profits from the Braemar Gathering, maintains the 12 acre Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park as a public amenity, and in co-operation with a parents’ committee it runs the local Highland Dancing Class: with financial assistance from local businesses it organises pipe bands which play in the village in summer: it gives financial support to the independent Braemar Charitable Trust, and finally, it annually distributes money to eligible charities and others.

In order to provide a Highland Interpretive centre with an additional display of trophies, especially those won by Bill Anderson during his uniquely distinguished career as a heavy athlete; to provide up to date office and meeting facilities for the Highland Society as well as a local Registrar’s office, and to provide a venue for the Highland Dancing Class and summer dancing displays, as well as corporate hospitality on Gathering day.