Beguiled by Black Meg

“Regarding the article on the recent unveiling of Hugh Watson’s memorial in Glamis Castle grounds,” emails J. Marie Bassett, “Hugh Watson was described as an intelligent, patient man of excellent judgment.

“His favourite bull, Old Jock, bred in 1842, was the first bull entered in the Scottish Aberdeen-Angus Herd Book. The entry for the first cow also came from Watson. She was Old Grannie, born in 1824.

“Watson wanted to determine a cow’s natural life span, so at the age of 29, having produced 25 calves, Old Grannie enjoyed a well-earned retirement. Her demise however was not natural. She was struck by lightning at the age of 35. Two days before her passing, her photograph was taken at the request of Prince Albert and sent to Balmoral.

“One of Old Grannie’s offspring, a four-year-old ox, gave Ireland its first glimpse of the Aberdeen-Angus breed when it won the Purcell Cup in Belfast. The ox ended up at the Royal Home Farm where it died at the age of 18 while ploughing. Such was the animal’s fame that its portrait was discovered pasted on a wall in a temple to Vishnu in India.

“The very first Aberdeen-Angus cow, Black Meg, resulted from the union of an Angus doddie and an Aberdeenshire humlie. She belonged to William Fullerton, Ardovie, near Brechin. Fullerton, beguiled by her beautiful jaw and ‘fine good-natured expression’, could look at her and ‘not weary for a whole hour’.

“Another breeder who enjoyed spending quality time with his cows was Thomas Smith, Powrie, who had an armchair installed in his byre. The stuffed head of one of his bulls graces the walls of the Aberdeen-Angus Hall of Fame in the USA.

“Smith commissioned paintings of his animals, one of which was used to illustrate an recent article on the Watson memorial dedication.”