599
	1914

Benachie Sawmill Squad, 1914

Bennachie Sawmill, 1914. Norman’s father, Frank Christie (age 20)is front right. He was a piper with the Black Watch during the Great War.

This photo courtesy of Norman Christie. Norman’s father, Frank moved from Fochaber to Birkhall in Deeside in 1927 as sawmiller for the estate. He was there from 1927 until 1937. He then moved to Balmoral as sawmiller, working on a water driven mill.

Bennachie covers quite a large area and the exact location of this mill at Oyne is unknown. Mills were very portable in the early days and dismantled and set up where ever larger areas of timber were being felled. It was usually easier to take the mill to the timber than the other way round. Abbie Gordon, Banchory, mentions the fact that his great grandparents were married in 1876 at Bennachie Sawmill, Keig and that his great grandfather was a labourer who may have worked in the mill.

Does anyone have any other stories or ideas about the possible locations of the Benachie or Bennachie Saw Mill (see picture no 602).
Picture Added on 30 June 2010.

If you found this interesting, have a look at the following groups of pictures.
Groups of people
Huntly Open Day
Northeast Scotland
Sawmills