Group photograph Dornoch Hotel Staff c 1956

Date Added: 04 November 2010 Year: 1956 Institution Name: dnhhl Cat No: ◀ | 2010_105_05 | ▶ Picture No: 9783

Monochrome photograph of the staff at the Dornoch Hotel about 1956, Tom Fraser’s wife, Annie Fraser is the third from the right fourth row back.

Dimensions: jpeg file

9 Comments

Front left seated is Sandy MacDonald, Ray's father. He was head porter. Bald man at back with tie is "Pussy" Macdonald, lived in Littletown.
Centre of the three chefs is "Smuddan" Matheson. His wife Ruth used to run the sweetie shop across the road from what is now the Spar. On his right in the dark sleeveless top is Willie Mackay, Birichen, head gardener and my uncle. Another uncle is Murdo MacLean, in brown coat peeping round the shrub at the other end. Murdo looked after the guests' cars and used to go to the station at Ardgay in the hotel shooting brake to take guests to and from the station. Comment left on 17 November 2010 at 12:09 by Bill Leslie

Sixth from the left second row is Trudi who later ran the cafe at the bottom of Golf Road, Alec and Willie Macdonald were brothers. Seventh from the right fourth row back is that Mrs Paterson, Mavis's Mother? I recognise other faces but cannot put names to them Comment left on 17 November 2010 at 20:20 by Dan Murray

"Smuddan's" name should be Johnny MacKay, pretty sure he was brother of Wulla Mackay, the postie.
On his left is Alastair Matheson (Borneo), pipe band stalwart. Comment left on 18 November 2010 at 12:35 by Bill Leslie

Dan, could your Mrs Paterson(?) be Lul from MacDonald Road?
Maggie Gunn, fifth from right in row three from front.
Note the hierarchy, management and reception, dining room, upstairs. kitchen and outside staff. Comment left on 24 November 2010 at 10:40 by Bill Leslie

Bill remember Willie MacKay making sledges for us in his gardening workshop Comment left on 24 November 2010 at 15:42 by Dan Murray

4th row 5th from right is my mother's first cousin Georgina Watt nee Fraser (Georjag aigh Laird) of 10 King Street, Embo and born there on 16/1/1908. She is the mother of Jenny, Annabelle and Eileen and her husband was Alan Watt. I suspect the Head Waiter next to the Head Chef (MacGill?)in the front row is Mr Bendle from the Liverpool area who worked at the hotel for several summers. There are many amusing stories that I could tell about Mr Bendle from my work days at the hotel but I must decline as I am not familiar with current British defamation legislation! I suspect that this photo was taken at the start of the season in May when the full staff complement had as yet not been employed. For example, my youngest brother George Mackay is not in the photo and I know that he worked there in the school holidays of 1955 as a commis chef wine waiter. There are also other relatives of mine who worked at the hotel that year but are missing from the photo. Comment left on 24 November 2010 at 19:53 by Kenneth Mackay

Front row to the right- this is my mother Mary (Sutherland) Mculloch Comment left on 31 December 2010 at 22:17 by Coleen Sutherland

I am pleased to see the mention by his nephew of Willie Mackay from Birichen whom I knew in the 1960s and 70s. He was a fine gentleman. His wife, I'm pretty sure, was from Caithness. He told me he had worked at what had been known as the Station Hotel. Comment left on 15 September 2012 at 00:52 by Donald MacLeod

7th from left 2nd row Chrissie Anderson ???
I have Thomas Hay with me in the office just now and Thomas worked at the Big Hotel in 1962...he spotted Chrissie and does anyone know where Rudi "the Pole" is buried? In Dornoch ?? Rudi courted Nan Murray (Bardachan) for a while ??? Comment left on 21 November 2013 at 10:38 by

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