| Notes |
- 1 - Peter inherited the family building business which his sons continued and according to his son Will, Peter purchased Loch Sloy Cottage from his uncle Jake and is seen standing in front of the cottage in the picture that accompanies this entry.
Towards the end of his life he was often to be found kilted and posing, with Ben Ledi in the background, for the benefit of amateur photographers.
The following obituary was contributed to the local paper (The Callander Advertiser) and pulished on May 24th 1963. It was probably written by his brother Archie, local Callander and Macfarlane historian.
'In loving memory of Peter Macfarlane, died 20th May 1963 aged 63 years.
This epitah, simplicity in itself, will no doubt be read by future generations of the Macfarlane Clan, not only by those in Callander, but by clansmen and women over a very much wider area.
But perhaps they will never know that behind these words lies a remarkable story of one of Callanders most colourful characters, a man whose dynamic personality could have elevated him to a much higher rank in life had he chosen it that way. But strangely enough he was content to play the role of the rustic, the unconventional, bordering almost on eccentricity.
Peter Macfarlane was no ordinary man. No high honours in education ever came his way, and his closet association with that noble seat of learning, the McLaren High School, was by virtue of the fact that he spent a lifetime only a stone throw from its portals.
But in another sphere he gained not only an honour of the highest degree and was acclaimed a local hero, though for many years he was an almost forgotten hero.
Amoungst his many treasured possessions was a silver watch presented to him for saving a boys life in the River Teith on 9th July 1919, and with it went the parchment scroll presented by the Royal Humane Society.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lays down his life for a friend". This may well have been the epitah to Peter Macfarlane on that summer day forty-four years ago; but he was spared to save the lives of nine others.
Not long ago a man whose life Peter saved when he was a youth had the good fortune to win £70,000 in the football pools. One might ask did he reward the hero in any way? Oddly enough the answer is no. It seems (whole section indesipherable) tions. Nature in all her moods held for him a strong fascination, and he was never happier than when roaming the hills and rivers.
His poaching days, he confided to his friends, were the happiest days of his life. The art of poaching had probably been inhertited from his ancestors, the "Wild Macfarlanes," who were conspicuous too in the days of clan warfare.
In the archaeological field he could well have become something of an expert; for he was instrumental in helping to establish , beyound doubt that the Romans were encamped at Bochastle. His 'finds' of pottery, bronze, and coins were often a topic for conversation when he and his cronies would meet. Peter loved to live in the past.
He had known too the horrors of war, for like the fearless youth he was, he ran from home to become a soldier, giving a false age. He was on the front line before his eighteenth birthday.
Peter was an ardent lover of the works of the poet Robert W. Service, and his renderingsof 'Dangerous Dan McGrew' made one feel he could well be sitting in the famous 'Malamute Saloon.'
Despite his ruggedness on the surface, Peter was kind and generous man and many of the wandering bodies of the highways were the better for having known him.
He knew full well the taste of the 'water of life', and he knew too that 'John Barleycorn' was a fickle friend.
His family records he could trace back to the late 1770's, and his slaters and plasterer's business founded by his great-grandfather.
Tragedy entered the happy life of Peter Macfarlane in January of this year, when his wife passed on, and he never overcame his grief in the loss of his life companion.
It is sad indeed that the time has come when his upright kilted figure will no longer be seen in Bridgend, and his daring deeds and exploits (and they were many) will now remain only memories.
2 - Used to compete at the Callander Highland Games at the tossing the Caber event. He wore a kilt constantly and his only pair of trousers was used for work.
3 - After sending you my last e-mail, my older sister (53) called and I asked her if she remembered Peter McFarlane in his kilt and she said he was a very good friend of our grandfather and she used to have to spend a lot of time round at their house on her best behaviour taking tea in the parlour! She also went for walks with him and our grandfather - both with their walking sticks! She said some of his children went to school with her and my other siblings (there are ten of us - I am the youngest) and suggested I speak to my brother Norman who lives in Callander still - he is 65 and will remember more. He and a couple of my other brothers had to live at Teithside in Bridgend with my grandparents for years as our 3 bed house wasnt big enough to accommodate us all!
[ e-mail from Val Roberts 14 Jan 2007 ]
4 - Callendar Perthshire, Scotland P.MacFarlane & Sons, Building contractors
Peter inherited business started by Grandfather, another Peter.
Saved ten people from drowning. - His bravery recognized by The Royal Humane Society.
Keen archeologist. - His archelogy finds helped establish that the Romans did have a camp at Callendar.
[Ancestry.com Vicky's Family Tree Owner: Vicky215]
5 - Pate The Homer. That's him he used to keep pigeons hence the name Pate the Homer. Homing Pigeons.
[Post by Alex Walker on Facebook page Callander Before & After https://www.facebook.com/groups/1800065823548723/]
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1899 - 1963 (63 years)
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