Granddad (2nd from the right) at the Marine Garden Ballroom 1930

There has been music in my family for a long time. My grandfather, Jock Herbertson was a multi talented man and one of his talents was journalism.
Fortunately most of his published articles were on his boyhood in Dalry, Edinburgh and he mentions the fiddle playing of my Great grandfather.
I know that my Great grandmother would sing the family favourite "The Rowan tree" and the whole family would be expected to contribute to musical evenings, typical probably of many Scottish families.

Vida la Court

Jock Herbertson

Jock was a violinist who learned by ear. He played a multitude of venues from silent films to theatres and dancehalls. He even learned the English concertina at a late age and was capable of playing some very difficult pieces on it.

He married my Grandmother Vida La Court who had been on the stage in vaudeville since the age of 14. She was a contralto, a friend of Gracie Fields and accompanied Caruso on an Irish tour. She apparently had a beautiful voice.

My Mother

My Father

Live in Edinburgh

My father, a singer, learned the trumpet in the Harry James style, toyed with the clarinet, and saxophone and is a fine pianist. He has been playing regularly in clubs for more years than he cares to remember.

My mother never sang professionally but I always remember her singing beautifully when she was on her own.

Grandad Frederick Buglass, Black watch standing far right

Grandad Frederick Buglass, Black watch

Her father, Freddie owned a fiddle and one of the best collection of 78 records imaginable kept in the guests room in a tenement in Tolcross, Edinburgh. He was a sergeant in the black watch and fought in both world wars.

Family Buglass with Freddie Buglass in the middle

The Herbertson brothers wearing the familiy tartan (cheap and hired)

As far as I can establish my family on my father's side have been self taught musicians for generations and on my mother's side, the Buglass and Sandilands and Towers the folk and popular songs were part of the evenings entertainment doubtless for generations.

I remember at parties uncles and cousins singing Scots songs and popular songs. No one in my family on either side had any serious musical training. The music apparently has to come out regardless.

Craig Herbertson 2001

My oldest daughter plays the violin now and is the first in a long line of bemused fakers to get some decent lessons. She sounds great. Long may it continue.