Finding Big Bob in Edinburgh Castle

The visit to Edinburgh Castle in 2025 provided another serendipitous discovery of a Buchan connection. This was my description of that afternoon.

Back to the castle. What a hot-potch. Wandering with Monica, my fellow medic, we agreed to see both the Prisons display (her choice, and it was very good), and the Scots Guards museum (my choice). You may remember that Big Bob, our relative, had joined the Scots Guards as a cadet and risen to become Commander-in-Chief at the time the regiment did two tours of Northern Ireland in the troubled 1970s. 

Unfortunately Monica had not agreed to me reading every display. But once we hit Northern Ireland, I was looking for him. I found him in two photographs, and, of course, on the Colonels-in-Chief honour board. General Sir Robert Richardson … actually we share the same middle name - Francis/Frances. Had my parents known something even then, without even knowing it?…





I would know that profile anywhere after reading his memoirs.

There is a very good reason he was called Big Bob. But it was also a recognition of his great heart, and his genuine care for his fellow military family.

Love the tartan trews. 






Cousin Bob was commander in chief when Princess Anne was made Colonel-in-Chief, so I feel certain this is him also.


Oh yes, there was Saint Margaret’s chapel, built in the 1100s and barely the size of a bathroom in one of our better hotels (actually the George where we currently are at the end of the tour, but I did not get my big bathroom again, sigh). Avoided the queues to the Crown Jewels. 

A big deal is the one o’clock gun. Initially begun to tell the sailors and others down in the Port of Leith 3 miles away, that it is one o’clock. We missed it being inside a building, or more likely, getting lunch inside a building.

There were a few gift shops where I succumbed to buying badges of the MacRaes, Chisholm and Matheson. There are NEVER Buchan or Bain, and we are NOT Buchanan.

If you are reading this in real time, so that is you Pete, we are having a private tour of Holyrood Palace tonight that includes champagne. To toast his majesty, no doubt.

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