The Broomhall House Collection: Indian photographs  

This is a wonderful photograph of Princess Jahan the Nawab Sultan Kaikhusrau Jahan Begum (1858-1930) as a child, who ruled as Begum of Bhopal (1901-1926). The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal , was one of the few Princely States of India which was ruled by a female dynasty. This matriarchal period of rule began in 1819 on the succession …

English Lessons from Scottish Writers

In the library at Broomhall House, are some important books written by eighteenth century Scottish writers: Hugh Blair’s Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres and Tobias Smollett’s Expedition of Humphry Clinker. Hugh Blair (1718-1800) was the first academic to teach English Literature as a stand-alone subject. For Scots seeking to take advantage of the Act of Union (1707) to travel …

The Bruce Family and Britain’s armed forces

Over several centuries prominent members of the Bruce Family have served the British armed forces in a variety of roles. Raising a regiment In 1794 Britain was plunged into war with revolutionary France. Landowners responded to the emergency by raising regiments. Thomas Bruce (7th Earl of Elgin) raised a Fencible regiment of 300 men. They were garrisoned in Ireland where …

A group of people standing next to a car in front of a country house

Polar Academy award ceremony at Broomhall House

Broomhall House was honoured to have recently hosted Polar Academy’s special awards ceremony where Craig Mathieson, Scotland’s greatest living Polar explorer, presented young Arctic explorers from Fife with the prestigious medal. Polar Academy founder Craig Mathieson said: “These pupils have achieved the extraordinary by pushing themselves physically and mentally to the limit. Their rekindled sense of self-confidence is evident to …

Driving Scotland visit Broomhall House with thirty supercars

Spectacular journey’s end for supercars at Broomhall House

Setting forth from West Fife’s Knockhill Racing Circuit on a glorious spring morning, around thirty privately owned sports cars were welcomed to Broomhall House by Lord Bruce and his father, the Earl of Elgin. Organised by Mark Ryan, the founder of Driving Scotland, the tour featured two of Scotland’s top emerging destinations for supercar owners –  Knockhill and Broomhall – …

Family Business United visits the Bruce Family at Broomhall House

Taking a tour of Scotland in March, Paul Andrews, CEO of Family Business United visited around 20 well established family firms including Johnstons of Elgin, Apex Hotels, and Little’s Chauffeurs. Completing his journey at Broomhall House, Paul together with Susannah Simpson, Private Business Partner at PwC, was welcomed by Charles Bruce and Sophia Bruce, and given a guided tour of …

Broomhall House, a target destination for top US travel advisors

Despite the arctic weather, a warm welcome was extended to an intrepid party of Destination and Travel Consultants drawn from all over the United States, who visited Broomhall House recently. Arriving at Broomhall on the last leg of their Scottish trip, the party was given a personal tour of the house and its collection by Lord Bruce. In anticipation of …

Discovery of tomb of King Robert the Bruce commemorated in Dunfermline Abbey

Attending the 200th anniversary of the discovery of King Robert the Bruce’s bones in Dunfermline Abbey, Lord Bruce and Benedict Bruce joined the congregations of the Abbey Church and St Leonards Church at a special service on 18th February 2018. The body of King Robert was disturbed by workmen clearing the rubble of the collapsed Abbey tower in 1818. It …