Margaret Cruickshank

Huntly Express January 14 1955

HONOUR FOR FORMER GLASS RESIDENT

About fifty-one years ago a young domestic servant left Glass to seek her fortune in America. She was Margaret Cruickshank and her father was at that time a gamekeeper on the Blairmore estate, Glass.  Many of our older readers will remember her, for Margaret was a gifted young lady. Not only was she a talented piper, but she could compose bagpipe music, a gift seldom found in one of her years.  A number of her tunes were very popular, notably “Blairmore House” and “Stobbs Castle”.

On emigrating, Miss Cruickshank took up a post as a nursemaid, but in a few years’ time she was able to gratify a life-long ambition by taking an advanced education and becoming a teacher. Her career in the teaching profession was marked with success and in course of time she was appointed Superintendent of Schools for the Phillips County of Montana, U.S.A.

Recently a newspaper cutting came into this office which gave details of a signal honour having been conferred on her by the Business and Professional Women’s Club, in the town of Malta, Montana. At a function organised by the B.O,W. Club, featuring a Scottish programme in Miss Cruickshank’s honour and attended by one hundred and fifty people, she was made the recipient of several beautiful gifts.  She has been chosen by the Club as its nominee for the title “Woman of the year” from the State of Montana. The Club has also arranged to have her name permanently inscribed in a building which is being erected in Washington, D.C. for the National Federation of B.F.W. Clubs.

Friends of Miss Cruickshank, in Glass and Huntly, who remember her in those far-off days, will rejoice with her in her well-deserved success, which is a fine example of what grit and the will to succeed can achieve.

During their stay in Glass her parents lived first at Asswanley Croft and latterly at Invermarkie Kennels.