Henrietta Gilmour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Henrietta Gilmour
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'Curling at Carsebreck by Charles Martin Hardie – Henrietta Gilmour appears on the far right
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| Born |
Isabel Brodie
1852 Quebec, Canada
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| Died | 2 January 1926 (aged 73–74) Denbrae House, by Cupar, Scotland
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| Nationality | Scottish/Canadian |
| Known for | First female photographer in Scotland |
| Spouse(s) | Sir John Gilmour, 1st Baronet |
Henrietta, Lady Gilmour (1852 – 1926) was an amazing woman who was a pioneer in two exciting fields: photography and winter sports. She was one of the first female photographers in Scotland! She also loved the sport of curling.
Her incredible collection of 1500 photographs and 145 lantern slides (like old-fashioned slides for projectors) is now kept at the University of St Andrews. This collection helps us see what life was like in Scotland over a hundred years ago.
Contents
Her Early Life and Marriage
Henrietta Gilmour was born in 1852 in Quebec, Canada. Her father, David Gilmour, was part of a big shipping company that had strong ties to Canada.
When she was older, she met her cousin, John Gilmour. They fell in love and got married in 1873. After their wedding, Henrietta moved with him to Scotland. They lived in a beautiful home called Montrave House in central Fife, not far from Cupar.
A Passion for Curling
Henrietta's husband, John, was a huge fan of curling. This love for the sport quickly rubbed off on her! She became a very skilled curler herself. In fact, she was one of the first women ever photographed playing curling on the ice, back in 1895.
In 1885, Henrietta and John started their own curling club called the Lundin and Montrave Curling Club. They even built their own curling pond on their estate. What was special about their club was that it welcomed both men and women as members. This was quite unusual for the time! Henrietta became very active in the club after her last child was born in 1889.
Pioneering Photography
Around the same time she took up curling, Henrietta also discovered photography. She is known as the first identified female photographer in Scotland. Her photographs show many different parts of Scottish society. She captured images of her family, their estate, their farm animals, and lots of sporting events.
Her grandson later donated her amazing collection of photographs to the University of St Andrews in 1978. Another 600 of her photo negatives are kept at the National Museum of Scotland. These collections give us a personal look into what life was like in Scotland in the late 1800s.
In June 1897, her husband received a special honor from Queen Victoria. He became a Baronet, and from then on, Henrietta was known as Lady Henrietta Gilmour.
Lady Henrietta Gilmour passed away on January 2, 1926, at Denbrae House, near Cupar. She is buried with her son Harry in Cupar Cemetery.
Her Family
Henrietta and John had seven children:
- Allan (1874–1878)
- John (Jack) (1876–1940)
- Harry (1878–1925)
- Maud (born 1882)
- Henrietta (Netta) (born 1884)
- Ronald (1888–1888)
- Douglas (born 1889)
Featured in Art
Lady Henrietta Gilmour was so well-known in the curling world that she was even included in a famous painting! She appears as one of only two female curlers in a large painting called Curling at Carsebeck. This painting was created in 1899 by Charles Martin Hardie for the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
