Benefactor
Isabel Hunter
Nothing is known of this woman, other than that she was the widow of John Dawson, and that she left a bequest to assist plague victims.
Unlike many of the mortification boards, Isabel Hunter's board displays no crest. She was not part of the aristocracy.
Margaret Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone
She was the daughter of Robert Dalrymple-Horn-Elphinstone and Mary Elphinstone. She married Sir Robert Burnett of Leys in 1785. Their family home was Crathes Castle. They had nine children. Sir Robert died in 1837.
In 1838, Lady Burnett founded a school in Banchory, which had an average attendance of 65 pupils.
She died in 1849.
Elspet Donaldson
Elspet Donaldson married James Milne, merchant burgess of Aberdeen on 8 July 1641. He died 14 Nov 1677. She died 9 July 1685. They are buried in St Nicholas graveyard.
Katherine Rolland
Katherine Rolland was the youngest of five children of John Rolland of Disblair and Nanse Duwe. In addition to the family home at Disblair, the Rolland family owned a twin gabled house in Castle Street, Aberdeen. This building, known as Rolland's Lodging, was demolished in 1935.
Isobel Donaldson
She was married to John Duncan and had the following children; Isobel, baptised 1639, Jean, baptised 1643, Bessie, baptised 1649, Rachel, baptised 1653, John, baptised 1658, all in Aberdeen. Her husband predeceased her.
Isobel Couts
The executor to her will was her sister's son, Patrick Dovie, burgess of Aberdeen.
There is a reference in her will to the Jaffrey family, to which she may have been related.
Katherine Mar Fairburn Bibby
The wife of Herbert Carless Bibby, Katherine Mar Fairburn Bibby gave her house Blackfriars Haugh to Elgin when the family moved to Mombasa, Kenya. It was used as a pre-nursing centre, but is now a hotel, the Mansion House Hotel.
Mary Elmslie
Mary Elmslie was left a wealthy widow in 1833. She purchased two acres of land on the west side of Aberdeen, and built and endowed the Aberdeen Female Orphan Asylum. This institution housed fifty girls, who were trained for domestic service.
Janet Wallace
Janet Weir was the daughter of John Weir, farmer, Dunbeath and Janet Baird. She was born on 1st September 1835 at Old Monkland, Lanarkshire. She had a twin brother, William, who may have died in childhood.
Janet Weir married David Wallace on 23 April 1857. The couple had five children, one of whom died in infancy. David Wallace purchased the Glassingall estate in 1875. Janet was widowed in 1877. Between 1889 and 1893 she was the driving force behind the restoration of Dunblane Cathedral.
She died in 1902.
One of her grandsons, Euan, was the first husband of Idina Sackville.
Katherine Duff
Katherine Duff was the daughter and heir of Adam Duff of Drummuir. However, when she inherited the estate it was burdened with debt. The Duff family encouraged her marriage to Alexander Duff, who paid off the debts. Alexander Duff served as M.P. for Inverness. The couple had a large family. Alexander Duff died in 1726. Their eldest son, Robert, was weak-minded, and Katherine Duff managed the estate on her son's behalf.
Lady Drummuir was noted for her charity and carried a purse full of coppers to give to the poor.