| Description | Business papers of Robert Rutherford and Sons, 1852-1939; Including cash and account books, 1853-1906; letter books, 1883-1889; National Relief Fund register, 1914-1915; Miscellaneous papers, 1852-1939
Papers re Gideon Rutherford and Margaret Rutherford, 1852-1877; Papers relating to Robert Rutherford, his sons Andrew and Richard Rutherford, and his grandson, Thomas Rutherford, 1841-1973; Papers re death of John Macmillan and Margaret Macmillan, 1867-1898; Papers re church matters, 1883-1904; Papers re Richard Rutherford, 1863-1899; Papers re John Rutherford and Thomas Houston Rutherford, 1873-2003; Papers re the 'Australian' Rutherfords, 1888-1991; Genealogical papers, n.d.; Papers re gold mining in Sutherland, n.d.; Maps, n.d. |
| Administrative History | Gideon Rutherford (c.1772-1869), a shepherd and his wife Margaret Brown (1784-1877) moved to Sutherland from the Borders in about 1808, in due course becoming tenants of Torrish farm in Kildonan. Their third son Robert Rutherford (1813-1889) began a coal importing business in Helmsdale around 1833. The business subsequently branched out into drapery and general merchantry, continuing as R. Rutherford and Sons when Robert was joined by sons Andrew Rutherford (1854-1924) and Richard Rutherford (b.1859). Andrew's son Thomas Rutherford was also brought into the business until his early death in 1935, after which the business was carried on by his widow Christian Proudfoot Rutherford (nee Russell, d.1973, who later became Sutherland's first woman county councillor), until its winding up in 1965. The bulk of the papers relate to the family and business of Robert Rutherford, along with some personal family and genealogical papers relating to Gideon Rutherford's 2nd son Richard Rutherford (1811-1899) who followed him at Kildonan farm, and Gideon's 4th son Dr. Thomas Houston Rutherford (1816-1902), who was a G.P. in Helmsdale. The Helmsdale family appear to have been highly respected and much involved with local community and church affairs, the letter books contain a good deal of information about the business and the community, including details of sporting visitors to the Strath, with whom they supplied with guns, clothes and dog licences amongst other items.
The remainder of Gideon and Margaret Rutherford's eleven children emigrated to Australia. Their 6th son John Rutherford (1824-1880), later returned to Scotland, where his will was administered by his brother Robert among others. The papers include some material relating to the 'Australian' Rutherfords, amongst their number Gideon's granddaughter, Christian Macpherson who was involved with the composition of the song 'Waltzing Matilda
|