Thanks to the benevolence of a scion of Scottish nobility and her husband nearly a century ago professional people in need of a break from the pressures and stress of modern working life could enjoy a holiday in Scotland at a remote Perthshire mansion, which can be reached only by a single track. For nearly 60 years, Tirinie House [image © Copyright Russel Wills] provided a blissful retreat for stressed-out ministers, doctors and lawyers after it opened in 1938 as a home for rest and change of air for the professional classes.

Lady Helen Stewart-Murray was a daughter of the 7th Duke of Atholl. She married a sculptor named David Alexander Tod and in 1929 the philanthropic couple created the Tod Endowment Trust. This established a Home for Rest and Change of Air. It was located at Tirinie House, an isolated mansion in a 60 acre estate in the Perthshire hills about two miles from Blair Atholl. A contemporary postcard shows the dining room, library, drawing room and billiards room. The establishment was designed to benefit and refresh members of four professions, namely doctors, ministers, lawyers and, rather more colourfully, artists. It is unclear whether the guests mingled or kept themselves amongst their own kind to discuss fascinating ailments, sermons, ex facie absolute dispositions, alfresco sketching and the like.

Sadly, Tirinie House closed in 1995. It was sold three years later, yielding proceeds of around half a million pounds. [The Court of Session ruled that Tirinie House must be sold before its decay became irreversible]. In 2006 the trustees applied to the Court of Session for approval of a scheme for the variation of the trust purposes. They considered that “it would best accord with the spirit of the original trust that the trustees continue to hold the trust funds…. In order that they might distribute the net annual income to several charities who assisted these four professions in order that the distributed income may be used for the purpose of providing holidays in Scotland” and that “in this way, the assets of the Trust will continue to be used for the purpose of providing rest and change of air”. The proposal was that “the purpose of the grant be for taking rest and recuperation in Scotland”. The scheme for variation was approved by the court that same year.

As regards the legal profession, funds from the Tod Endowment Fund are channelled through the Scottish Solicitors’ Benevolent Fund and it is to the latter that applications must be made. Anyone seeking to apply should contact Andrew Stevenson, secretary of the Scottish Law Agents Society for further information: scottishlawagentssociety@gmail.com.

David Alexander Tod (1859-1933) married Lady Helen Stewart Murray (1867-1934), daughter of the 7th Duke of Atholl in 1916 at Blair Castle. They lived at Tirinie House overlooking Blair Castle. He and his wife are buried at "The Sanctuary," located on the property of Tirinie House.