Glen Creran gardener

I recently came across this photograph of a Victorian gardener who worked in Glen Creran, Argyll. The photograph was annotated with the name of the gardener: Peter Rankin.

To me Peter Rankin looks rather puggled!  It is quite easy to imagine that he had worked hard that day! His hands do seem to reveal that he was a hard worker.

I tried to find out more about Peter Rankin but failed. After the lockdown I will go to Glen Creran  to walk and explore, and whilst there, I will re-imagine the life of Peter Rankin, the puggled gardener.

Update [3 June 2020]:
Thanks to a kind correspondent, who sent a message about her Rankin family, I now know a little more about Peter the ‘puggled gardener’

Peter was the son of Peter Rankin and Janet McLauchlan, born about 1808 in Morvern, Argyll. In January 1840 he married Jean Laurie in the Ardchattan parish of Argyll. He died 13th January 1885 at Claremont Villa, Oban, from disease of the bladder.

Peter Rankin was a gardener for the Campbell family of Balliveolan, Glen Creran. He lived there with his wife and young children, next door to his elderly mother and his brother Duncan.

The Campbell family of Balliveolan once owned the Island of Lismore:

Lismore Island was once described as ‘The Great Garden’. I have visited Lismore several times, taking the short Ferry from Port Appin. It is a special place for me. I last visited in September 2018 with my wife Sian [we are both keen gardeners] when staying at Kinlochlaich Gardens. I made this film about our time there:

The Great Garden:

To play this short film please click here or on the image above