Annotation:Mr. Beveridge
X:1 T:Mr. Beveridge C:J. Scott Skinner N:”Violin Maker Late of Tough.” M:C L:1/16 R:Solo Strathspey B:Skinner – Miller o’ Hirn Collection (1881, No. 121, p. 62) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Eb A2|(GB3) {d}e3d BG3GB3|A3c GB3 FB,3DF3|GB3 {d}e2c BG3GB3|A3F DB3 G[G,3E3][G,2E2]:| B2|e3g b_d3 c3fa_c3|B3ege3 de3 BG3|A3cfA3 G3B eG3|F3G=A2e2 d2B2 _A2F2| E3GB_D3 C3FA_C3|B,2E2G2B2 e2B2 G2E2|C3F (3A2F2_C2 B,3E (3G2F2E2|A3F DB3 G[G,3E3][G,2E2]||
MR. BEVERIDGE. Scottish, Slow Strathspey (whole time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "Mr. Beveridge" was composed by Aberdeenshire fiddler-composer and Scottish dancing master wikipedia:James_Scott_Skinner, appearing first in his Miller o' Hirn Collection (1881). William Beveridge (1821-1893) was a "violin maker, late of Tough," a village near Alford in Aberdeenshire. He is listed as plying a variety of trades in various census docments over the years, and was recorded as having been a violin maker, snuff box maker, woodcarver, artist, saw miller, museum curator, janitor, and farmer. He is considered, along with Alexander Murdoch and Alexander Williams, to be one of the finest violin makers in northeast Scotland of his time, with superb craftsmanship and attention to detail. He started making violins early in life, and, working in wood for much of his early adult life he had opportunity to select and collect fine raw material for his instruments. He is particularly known for his fine carved tailpieces.
There is a brief entry on him in Rev. W. Meredith Morris's British Violin Makers (1904, p. 108), which states:
He was a native of Craigh, Tough, Aberdeenshire, a man of strong intelligence, a keen student of nature, and an artist of refined tastes. He was for many years curator of the Free Church College Museum in Aberdeen, and made a number of violins in his spare time. The workmanship of the one and only example of his art which I have seen was beautiful, and the tone very good.
Skinner's tune "Miss Primrose" may be his nickname for a 'favorite Violin made by Mr Beveridge, Tough.'
