A question for Mark. The younger girl in this picture is from Australia and in 1914 she along with the older great uncle in the picture and his wife and the younger man which is her father all went by ship to Scotland. Before they left the girl was being sent good clothes from the British Royalty at the time as you can see by the way she is dressed. A copy of this picture had been sent on ahead of her going. She was groomed to be I think what they call a Lady in waiting to the Queen. She stayed on in England after the war. Her father joined the British Army and did survive the war.

What can you tell me about what she would be doing there.

A lady-in-waiting was/is a female assistant or companion to Royalty, usually on official occasions, less so in private. I assume back in 1914 she would have been attached to the Court of Queen Mary or possibly Queen Alexandra, the widow of King Edward VII. They worked on a rota, so would not have been "on call" all the time.   

9 May 1645 - The Battle of Auldearn.

One of the Marquess of Montrose's remarkable victories against the odds in the Scottish theatre of the English Civil War.

Montrose was tasked by King Charles to keep the Scots occupied and out of the war in England in 1644. With fewer men and resources he defeated every army sent against him. In the spring of 1645 the latest Parliamentarian commander to take him on was Sir John Urry. He devised a strategy of luring Montrose away from areas where he would find support into the far Highlands, unfriendly territory. So Urry with 3900 men fell back before Montrose's advance as far as the village of Auldearn near Nairn where on the morning of 9 May he launched a surprise attack on Montrose's camp. However Montrose the master tactician, aware of likely developments, was ready with his 1550 men deployed around the village.   

Even so it was a close run thing. Montrose's infantry were on the verge of defeat until the cavalry came to their rescue and drove Urry's men from the field with heavy casualties.  

One of my historical heroes - James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. The greatest commander in the field the Royalists possessed, if he had fought in England the war could have gone quite differently. 

10 May 1857 - Uprising at Meerut, the Beginning of the Indian Mutiny.

Tensions within British India had been simmering for years, 1857 was seen as a important year for India - a century since the British took over much of the north thus beginning the expansion across the sub-continent. Also rumours about the introduction of new cartridges laced with pig fat were rife among the sepoys or Indian soldiers who made up most of the army in India.

In April 85 sepoys of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry at Meerut were court martialled for refusing to parade for the issue of the new cartridges. The morning parade on 10 May erupted into revolt when the men attempted to release their imprisoned comrades. Many European officers were killed before the rebellious soldiers poured into the town killing and looting, many Indians who tried to protect the British were also murdered, By nightfall around 100 lay dead as the rebels headed for Delhi 40 miles away. The Indian Mutiny had begun.