History of the Strathspey
Angus Cumming Signature
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Angus Cumming, piper and fiddler for Sir James Grant of Grant, unfortunately did not live to see publication in 1780 of his Collection of Strathspey or Old Highland Reels. That he was not alive then is attested by a receipt dated 30th October 1779 and signed by his son John for “the Wages allowed his deceast Father from Marts 78 to Marts 79”: Martinmas being the November quarter day and Angus was plainly dead by October 30th 1779. Despite this we find his signature almost a year later on receipts dated 6th April 1780 for subscriptions to his book. Whilst the book was published posthumously we must assume that the, genuine, signatures, were “ante mortem” in anticipation of the subscriptions later completed. Such supporters were, for example, Lewis Alexander Grant of Grant Son of Sir James and Anne Margaret Grant for whom the fiery cross was raised for the last time in the Highlands resulting in the Grant Raid on Elgin in 1820.
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The Cumming or Cumine family had a long history as hereditary pipers and fiddlers for the lairds of Grant. William Cumming’s fame is secured through the iconic Richard Waittfull length 1714 portrait now hanging in the National Museum in Edinburgh. Angus, himself took part in the ’45. Sometime prior to 1769 he moved to New Grantown (founded 1765) to Lot 18 South Side where the Grandview care home now stands. The lot was “set to Angus Cummine, Musician in Grantown who built thereon …” In July 1770 his young son, John Cumming, was sent by James Grant of Grant to be “finished” as a piperat the McArthur College of Piping at Kilmuir in Skye. His chief paid for his tuition, board and lodging and other expenses for a period of four and a quarter years, in order to encourage the finest piping in Strathspey upon his return. A set of six contemporary accounts, unique of their kind in the history of Highland music chart the costs of this training from tuition to tartan for a short kilt.
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Disbursements for John Grant for his teaching, 1770
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