Ratagan Forester`s House History by John Murray

RATAGAN HEAD FORESTER’S HOUSE
1. RATAGAN HEAD FORESTER’S HOUSE
The Ratagan Head Forester’s House, built in the late 18th/early 19th Century, is recorded
in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS).
Before being bought by the Forestry Commission1 the house and surrounding land were
part of a farm. In the 1920s the house was occupied by John Macrae and his family. The
fields were used as a nursery for plants. Murdo Macrae from Cairn Gorm remembers how
he used to accompany his mother when she delivered plants to the nursery.
Ratagan Head Forester’s House in 1978
2. THE FIRST RATAGAN FORESTER 1929-1949
In 1929 William Murray MM, then the forester at Strome Ferry was asked to establish the
Forestry Commission’s first forest in Ratagan. He was responsible for setting up and
planting the Ratagan, Glenshiel and Eilean an Reiach forests.
William Murray was born in Muie, Sutherland in 1896, the son of crofter John Murray, one
of the Muie Martyrs who were jailed for occupying land from which crofters had been
cleared. William Murray joined the Seaforth Highlanders at the outbreak of the First
World War and was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry while under fire.
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The Forestry Commission’s origins are in the First World War and difficulties Britain had meeting wartime demands
for timber.
Woodland resources had been declining since the Middle Ages, but reached an all time low after the Industrial
Revolution. With the outbreak of war, the country was no longer able to rely on timber imports and in 1916 the
Prime Minister Herbert Asquith appointed the Acland Committee to look at the best ways of developing woodland
resources. The Committee reported to Asquith’s successor, David Lloyd George in 1918. They recommended a state
organisation as the most effective way of co-coordinating a reafforestation plan to meet timber needs for the
foreseeable future.
On 1 September 1919 the Forestry Act came into force. This set up the Forestry Commission and gave it
responsibility for woods in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Eight Forestry Commissioners were charged with
promoting forestry, developing afforestation, the production of timber, and making grants to private landowners.
They met for the first time in November 1919. The country was split into ten Divisions with 29 Divisional and District
Officers and 110 Foresters and Foremen. Finance and administration were concentrated in London and Edinburgh,
with 59 staff. The majority (60%) of the Forestry Commission’s 7,720 sq kilometres of land is in Scotland.
Source: Forestry Commission history website.
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RATAGAN HEAD FORESTER’S HOUSE
William Murray MM
In 1923 William Murray joined the Forestry Commission in Borgie, Sutherland where he
became Forester. He left Borgie in 1925 and moved to take charge of Strome Ferry forest.
In 1929 he was asked to establish a new forest at Ratagan on Loch Duich. William Murray
carried out the planting of the beautiful and dramatic forests on Mam Ratagan and he
was particularly proud of the variety of species which included European Larch.
He remained in Ratagan for 20 years. In 1934 he married Mary Bell Macrae from Sallachy,
daughter of shepherd Duncan Macrae. They had three children, the first two born in
Ratagan, Mary in 1937 and John in 1941. Christopher was born in 1947 in Inverness
Royal Infirmary.
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William and Mary Bell Murray and their children in the front garden 1947
The Murray Family at the front door of their house 1947
William Murray moved to Milbuie Forest in the Black Isle in 1949, based at Mount High. In
1957 he was appointed Head Forester for the Black Isle as a whole, and moved to
Munlochy. He was awarded the MBE for services to Forestry on his retirement in 1960.
He died in 1976 at the age of 80 and was succeeded by his wife Mary Bell and children
Mary, John and Christopher.
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RATAGAN HEAD FORESTER’S HOUSE
3. AFTER 1949
After William Murray and his family left Ratagan, William Nicholson took over as forester.
He was in charge until 1957 when Bob Smith became the forester. Hugh Mackay, the last
Ratagan head forester left in 1978 to go to Shin Forest in Sutherland.
Subsequently Jimmy Grant, a Forestry Commission gamekeeper lived in the house.
WILLIAM MURRAY NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS
Press and Journal 1960: William Murray on being awarded the MBE
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RATAGAN HEAD FORESTER’S HOUSE
Presentation to William Murray on his being awarded the Military Medal
Old Newspaper Cutting from Rogart 1917
Source
Written by John Murray (May 2010)
John Murray was born in Ratagan Forester’s House in 1941 and lived there until 1949
For more information contact johnmurray@btinternet.com
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