Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745. Volume I.

A rare and thorough collection of personal testimonies, this work brings together the voices of those who lived through the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745. Drawing on letters, diaries, and family papers, it offers biographical sketches of the men and women who rallied behind the Stuarts, shedding light on their motives, loyalties, and the everyday hardships they endured. The author strives for an even‑handed view, weighing heroic ideals against the more ordinary, sometimes contradictory, human traits that shaped the movement.

Among the most vivid material are the letters of the Earl of Mar, written in his own hand and relayed through his Edinburgh agent, which read almost like a day‑by‑day journal of the campaign’s early days. Contributions from descendants of notable Jacobite families add further depth, revealing private details of household life, clan dynamics, and the personal costs of rebellion. Listeners will find a nuanced portrait of a turbulent era, told through the very words of those who experienced it.