A Jacobite Library        

 

 

Over the sea to Skye (piano version)

At the 2006 Annual Gathering of the 1745 Association it was suggested that the website might have a page listing books that are relevant to the association's aims and objectives 

Where to start?  I am conscious that this website will be visited by many who know a great deal about the Jacobites and perhaps have extensive libraries of their own. However, I am hoping that the site will be visited by lots of people who may not  be quite so knowledgeable but who are interested to know more.  

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of books on various aspects of Jacobitism. Prince Charles Edward Stuart or Bonnie Prince Charlie as he is frequently known is inextricably entwined with the Jacobite Rising of 1745-6 and there are many books on this subject alone.

Many books are out of print and of those some are difficult to find. The very old ones are pretty expensive as well. Others are easily obtainable from bookshops and still more from public libraries.

My plan, therefore is to provide visitors  with a list of books pamphlets etc, authors, publishers and date of publication without critical appraisal or even much recommendation. You may figure out from the date of publication the degree of difficulty that may be encountered in obtaining the book. Some books have run into several editions with differing years of publication so if I get a date wrong you will forgive me I hope! The date of publication is not necessarily that of the first edition but simply an indication of whether the book may be easily available or not. 

The books are all non-fiction and (as far I can tell) are published initially in hardback (perhaps later in paperback) unless indicated by:

PB (paperback), PM (pamphlet) or CAT (Catalogue) in the Publisher column.

There are also numerous works of fiction (based to a greater or lesser extent on truth). Perhaps some of those might be listed at a later date.

I welcome additions to the list. The only stipulation I make is that whoever suggests a book to add to the list has read it (but does not necessarily own it). I ask this only because there are some books that are close to impossible to get hold of. You may disagree of course and I will listen to suggestions with close interest.

There are also many books that may be read on-line listed on our Favourite Links page. 

Title Author Publisher and Date Comments
The Lyon in Mourning Collected by Rev Robert Forbes Editor Henry Paton 1895 & Scottish Academic Press/ Scottish History Soc. 1975 Three volume  source of primary material on the '45. Expensive and not easy to find.
The Itinerary of Prince Charles Edward Stuart Walter Biggar Blaikie 1897 and  Scottish Academic Press/Scottish History Soc 1975 Compiled from Lyon in Mourning. Difficult to find
History of The Rebellion Andrew Henderson     1753 A. Millar Westminster Hall London Hard to get and dedicated to "his Royal Highness" George Prince of Wales
A Compleat History of the Rebellion    
James Ray  1750 S & F Farley Castle Green Quite rare. Written in very self effacing way by a strong anti papist

Some Remarkable Passages in the Life of the Honourable Col. James Gardiner

 Philip Doddridge 1747 First published . Gardiner was slain at Prestonpans Book still in print (try Amazon)
The Pretenders and their Adherents       
John Heneage Jesse  1901 George Bell & Sons London Part of Bohn's Historical Library publications. Very proper account

Culloden Papers: Comprising an Extensive and Interesting Correspondence From the Year 1625 to 1748

  Duncan George Forbes
 1815 T. Cadwell & W. Davies  Expensive
Le Dernier des Stuarts J.J.E.Roy 1857 A. Marne ETC Imprimeurs-Libraires Tours    
Pickle The Spy Andrew Lang 1897 Longmans Green & Co
Sir John Cope and the Rebellion of 1745 General Sir Robert Cadell K.C.B. 1897 Wm Blackwood & Sons London &n Edinburgh

Memorials of John Murray of Broughton

 John Murray Ed Robert Fitzroy Bell 1898 Edinburgh University Press Sometime Secretary to Prince Charles
The Whitefoord Papers Col. Charles Whitefoord Ed W.A.S. Hewins,  1898 Oxford : Clarendon Press Supplied written testimony at Gen Cope's Inquiry 
English Jacobite Ballads Alexander Grosart 1877 Transcript of an anthology of poetry written 1745-1748. Compiled by the Towneley family & includes Towneley's Ghost in memory of Francis Towneley.
Bonnie Prince Charlie in Cumberland I.A. Wheatley 1903 Chas Thurman & Sons Carlisle
Bonnie Prince Charlie in Manchester Beppy Byrom W.E. H.E Thomson Manchester Diary
Origins of the Forty-Five Editor W. Biggar Blaikie 1916 and Scottish Academic Press/Scottish History Soc 1975 Well worth reading but difficult to find
History of the Rebellion John Home T. Cadell, Jun. & W. Davies 1802 Home fought in government lines at Culloden. Expensive and difficult to find
The Jacobite Attempt of 1719 William Kirk Dickson Scottish History Society 1895 Letters from The Duke of Ormonde
The Life and Adventures of Prince Charles Edward Stuart Drummond Norie Caxton C1903 4 volumes. Some great pictures. Not cheap!
A Short Account of the Affairs of Scotland David, Lord Elcho David Douglas 1907 Worth finding but not easy to do so
William Augustus Duke of Cumberland Evan Charteris 1913 Hutchinson Early life and times
Transactions in Scotland 1745-1746 George Charles George Charles 1817 Two vol set Not easy to get hold of
Transactions in Scotland 1715-1716 George Charles George Charles 1817
History of the Rebellion of 1745 Robert Chambers W&R Chambers Ltd 1827 Reprinted lots of times. Mine is the 7th ed 1869

Jacobite Memoirs of the Rebellion of 1745

 Robert Chambers 1834 W.&R. Chambers Edinburgh Edited from manuscripts of Rev Robert Forbes includes George Murray's Marches of the Highland Army
Prince Charlie Meredith Johnes  W. Kent & Co 1840
The Highlands & Highlanders of Scotland     
James Cromb   1883 John Leng & Co Dundee

(also Edinburgh by John Menzies & Co)

 A nice look at the Gaels
London in The Jacobite Times Dr Doran Richard Bentley & Son, London 1877 Two Vols
Prince Charles Edward Andrew Lang Goupil & Co 1900 Ltd ed of 1500 Reprinted a number of times
A Memoir of the Forty-Five Chevalier de Johnstone Folio Soc 1958 and 1970 Not difficult to find. Lacks accuracy at times Good read all the same
The Stuart Papers at Windsor A. & H. Tayler John Murray 1939 Archive material. Excellent
Jacobites of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire in the '45 A. & H. Tayler 1928 Milne & Hutcheon
More Culloden Papers Duncan Warrand (ed.) 1923 -30 Robert Carruthers and Sons Five vol. set Expensive
Wade in Scotland J.B. Salmond Moray Press 1934 Lovely photographs
1745  and After A. & H. Tayler Thomas Nelson 1938 O'Sullivan's narrative and more
Jacobite Epilogue Henrietta Tayler Thomas Nelson 1941 More from the Windsor archives
Charles Edward Stuart David Daiches Thames & Hudson 1973 One of many modern accounts but worth a read
Aygyll in the Forty-Five James Fergusson Faber & Faber 1951  
The Forty-Five Charles Sanford Terry Cambridge University Press 1922 Interesting "Table of Persons" at the back of the book
The Prisoners of the '45 Bruce Gordon  Jean Gordon Arnot 1928 Edinburgh: University Press 3-vol set.  Jacobite prisoners
Bonnie Dundee     
Magnus Linklatter & Christian Hesketh 1992 Canongate Press Edinburgh PB 1688 This is really where it all started and this lad was a real character
Lord George Murray and the Forty-Five Winifred Duke 1927 Milne & Hutchison Letters etc written by Murray right up to his death
Scotland's Royal Line        
Grant R Francis 1928    John Murray London A most sympathetic writer of Stuart History
Romance of the White Rose       
Grant R Francis  1933    John Murray London Tales of important people involved in the Jacobite movement
Prince Charlie William Power Morrison & Gibb 1912 Nice "loose leaf" colour illustrations
Bonnie Prince Charlie Clennell Wilkinson George G. Harrap 1932  
Lovat of the Forty-Five W.C Mackenzie  1934 The Moray Press 
Duncan Forbes of Culloden George Menary 1936 Alexander Maclehose Life and times
The Young Adventurer Donald Nicholas Batchworth Press 1949 Wanderings -based on Blakie's Itinerary
The Rash Adventurer Winifred Duke Robert Hale 1952  
In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie Winifred Duke 1953 Rich and Cowan
Intercepted Post August to December 1745 Donald Nicholas M.A. F.S.A. (Scot) 1956 Bodley Head London Letters Written at the Time of Prince Charles Edward's Descent Upon the Lowlands of Scotland
Prince Charles Edward & the Forty-Five Winifred Duke Robert Hale 1938  
Bonnie Prince Charlie MorayMcLaren Rupert Hart-Davis 1972  
The Young Adventurer Donald Nicholas Batchworth Press 1949  
Death of a Legend Peter de Polnay Hamish Hamilton 1952  
Lord Lovat of the '45 Moray McLaren Jarrolds 1957 The Old Fox himself
Ships of the '45 John S. Gibson Hutchinson & Co 1967 It does what it says on the cover
Inglorious Rebellions       
C Sinclair- Stevenson  1973 Panther Books Herts PB The forgotten rebellions of 1708 and 1719 plus the '15
Culloden John Prebble  Martin Secker & Warburg 1961 What more can I say!
Highland Scots of North Carolina Duane Meyer 1963 Carolina Charter Tercentenary Commission Migration to America
Glencoe John Prebble  Martin Secker & Warburg 1966 You all know
The Highland Clearances John Prebble  Martin Secker & Warburg 1963 these three
A Wife for the Pretender Peggy Miller George Allen & Unwin 1965 Clementina's journey to Rome
The Clan Ranald of Knoydart & Glengarry Norman H.MacDonald 1979 Dryden Printing Company History of the clan
Edinburgh in The '45  John S. Gibson The Saltire Society 1995 PB An interesting slim volume
France and the Jacobite Rising of 1745 Frank McLynn Edinburgh University Press 1981
The Jacobite Rebellions 1689 - 1745        
M Barthorp 1982 Osprey Publishing Ltd Good illustration of arms and uniforms
The Jacobite Army in England 1745 Frank McLynn John Donald 1983
The Last Stuarts James Lees-Milne 1983 Chatto and Windus
The Jacobites Frank McLynn Routledge and Kegan Paul 1985
The Love of a Prince BPC in France 1744-48 L.L. Bongie 1986 University of B.C Vancouver
Charles Edward Stuart-A Tragedy in Many Acts Frank McLynn Routledge 1988 Arguably the best of the modern books
The '45: To Gather an Image Whole

Ed Lesley Scott-Moncrieff

 1988 Mercat Press
Bonnie Prince Charlie     
Susan Maclean Kybett    1988 Unwin Hyman Limited A good of the modern biography but lacking the pictures of Marshall
 Jacobitism and the English People Paul Kleber Monod 1989 Cambridge University Press
The Jacobite Threat Bruce Lenman 1990 Scottish Academic Press 
Excerpts from official & private documents  
William Augustus Duke of Cumberland Rex Whitworth Leo Cooper 1992 More than simply a Jacobite study 
Collected Papers on the Jacobite Risings Rupert Jarvis Manchester University Press Two volumes of scholarly work
The Jacobite Movement Charles Petrie Eyre & Spottiswood 1948 & 1950 Two vols 1688-1716 & 1716-1807
Bonnie Prince Charlie Carolly Erickson Robson Books 1989 & BCA 1993
The Rash Adventurer Margaret Forster Secker & Warburg 1973 Lots of these about
Over the Sea to Skye John Selby History Book Club 1973 ditto
The Young Pretender's Mistress C. Leo Berry Charles Skilton 1977 Clementina Walkinshaw
Jacobite Estates of the Foty-Five Annette M.Smith John Donald 1982 Not for the beginner
Back to Lochaber Stuart MacDonald 1994 Pentland Press Historic events, travels, tales and customs
The Myth of the Jacobite Clans Murray G.H. Pittock Edinburgh University Press 1995 PB An interesting take on the support for the Rising
The Jacobite Cause Bruce Lenman Richard Drew/Nat Trust Scotland 1986/1992/1995 PB 
The Jacobite Clans of The Great Glen Bruce Lenman Methuen 1984
The Jacobite Risings in Britain 1698-1746 Bruce Lenman Eyre Methuen 1980
A Bird on the Wing John Ure Constable 1992 By Landrover and foot from Culloden
A MacDonald for the Prince Alasdair Maclean Acair Ltd 1982 PB Neil MacEachen's story
Bonnie Prince Charlie Fitzroy Maclean Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1988 Several reprints. A good read
Prince Charlie's Pilot Evan Macleod Barron Robert Carruthers & Sons 1913 Donald Macleod's Story. Lovely book
Scotland's Road of Romance Augustus Muir Methuen 1934 Travels in the footsteps of BPC
The Life of Flora MacDonald  A. MacGregor & W. Jolly Eneas MacKay 1932
Flora MacDonald Elizabeth Gray Vining Geoffrey Bles 1967 Flora in the Highlands and America
Flora MacDonald Ruairidh H. MacLeod Shepheard Walwyn 1995 PB ditto
Flora MacDonald Alexander MacGregor Lang Syne Publishers 1989 PB Short account 75pp
Flora MacDonald Jonathan MacDonald J. MacDonald 1989 PM Short account 25pp
Bonnie Prince Charlie Rosalind K. Marshall HMSO 1988 PB
The Jacobite General Katherine Tomasson Wm Blackwood & Sons Ltd 1958 Lord George Murray's story
Falkirk or Paradise Geoff B. Bailey John Donald 1996 PB Story of the Battle of Falkirk
A Day's March to Ruin Alan Macpherson Clan Macpherson Association (only available from the clan museum)PB

Discount for members 1745 Assn

Macphersons in the '45
On the Tail of Bonnie Prince Charlie David R. Ross Luath Press 2000 PB Bonnie on a motorbike!
Prince Charlie Compton MacKenzie Denis Dobson Ltd 1952
The Prince in the Heather Eric Linklater Hodder & Stoughton 1965 Lots of photos. Best seller!
James II Jock Haswell History Book Club 1972
Damn' Rebel Bitches Maggie Craig Mainstream Publishing 1997 The women of the '45
Culloden and The '45 Jeremy Black Allan Sutton Publishing 1990
The Road to Culloden Moor Diana Preston Constable 1995
From Rebel to Hero Robert Clyde Tuckwell Press 1995 Image of Highlander 1745-1830
Battles of the '45 Katheine Tomasson & Francis Buist B. T. Batsford 1962
Lochiel of the 45    
John S Gibson    1994 Edinburgh University Press PB Well worth a read for any clansman
A Digest of Jacobite Clubs F. Peter Lole Royal Stuart Society PM Vol LV
Summer Hunting a Prince    
 Alasdair Maclean & John S Gibson    1991 AcairLtd A nice link from the wanderings to the French ships who mostly missed the hook up
1745   
Edited Robert C Woosnam- Savage   1995 HMSO PB An excellent primer for the 45 published for the 250th anniversary
Jacobite Anthology 1745 Association 1745 Association 1995 PB To commemorate 250th anniversary of landing of BPC
The Scottish Pistol Martin Kelvin Fairleigh Dickinson University Press 1996 The definitive text
1745 A Military History of the Last Jacobite Rising Stuart Reid 1996 Spellmount
Bonnie Prince Charlie in Love Hugh Douglas Allan Sutton Publishing 1995 BPC and his various ladies
Prince Charlie's Country Donald B. MacCulloch Moray Press 1960s 101 photographs 
The Forty-Five Michael Hook & Walter Ross HMSO  1995 PB Lots of illustrations
The Prince and The Pretender A. J. Youngson Croom Helm 1985 A study in the writing of History
The Diary of John Campbell John Campbell  Royal Bank of Scotland PB A banker's tale of the '45
The Scottish Jacobite Movement George Pratt Insh Moray Press 1952 Study in Economic & Social Forces
The Highlands in History C. R. MacKinnon Collins 1961 Dedicated to members of The 1745 Association
Journey to the Western Isles & Tour to the Hebrides Samuel Johnson & James Boswell 1990 Folio Soc. First published 1775.Many printings. This one is mine
The Flight of Bonnie Prince Charlie Hugh Douglas & Michael J. Stead Sutton Publishing 2000
Like Hungry Wolves Stuart Reid Windgrow Greene Ltd 1994
Culloden and the Last Clansman James Hunter 2001 Mainsteam Appin Murder
Ungrateful Daughters Maureen Waller Hodder & Stoughton 2002  PB James' II (VII) daughters Mary & Anne
Dynasty The Stuarts 1560-1807 John MacLeod Hodder & Stoughton   1999 PB
Highlanders John MacLeod Hodder & Stoughton 1966 PB
The Massacre of Glencoe John Buchan Peter Davies 1938
Slaughter Under Trust Donald J. MacDonald Delaware Free Press 1965 Glencoe
Kings Over the Water Theo Aronson Cassell 1979
The Butcher W.A. Speck, 1981 Blackwells Oxford The still-classic study of Cumberland
The Jacobite Song William Donaldson Aberdeen University Press 1988 PB Political Myth and National Identity
Culloden 1746 Peter Harrington Osprey 1991 PB
Witness to Rebellion Iain Gordon Brown & Hugh Cheape Tuckwell Press 1996 PB John Maclean's diary of the '45
The Jacobites Daniel Szechi,  1994 Manchester University Press
Lady Nithsdale & the Jacobites Flora Maxwell Stuart Traquair House 1995 PB Escape from the Tower
Bonnie Prince Charlie in Love Hugh Douglas 1995 Alan Sutton Private passions of Prince CES
Culloden The Swords & the Sorrows National Trust for Scotland 1996 CAT Exhibition Culloden Visitor Centre
A Tour in Scotland 1769 Thomas Pennant Birlinn 2000 PB First Published 1771
A Tour in Scotland & Voyage to The Hebrides1769 Thomas Pennant Birlinn 1998 PB First Published 1774 & 1776
BPC & The Royal House of Stuart Drambuie Liquer Company 2002 CAT Drambuie Collection Exhibition
The King Over The Water Nat Galleries Scotland 2001 CAT Portraits Stuarts in Exile
Prince Charlie & The Borderland David Johnstone Beattie Thurmans 1928 Reprinted 1995
The Stuart's Last Secret Peter Pininski Tuckwell Press 2002 PB The Polish Connection
George Lockhart of Carnwath Daniel Szechi 2002 Tuckwell Press PB A study in Jacobitism
Culloden Moor 1746 - the Death of the Jacobite cause Stuart Reid 2002 Osprey Publishing, Limited Oxford
The '45 Christopher Duffy Casell 2003 One of the best
Walking with Charlie Steve Lord Pookus Publications 2003 PB On foot the whole way
Jacobite Legacy Martin Kelvin GC Book Publishers Ltd 2003 Catalogue of Jacobite Memorabilia
The Stuart's Secret Army Evelyn Lord 2004 Pearson Education Hidden History  English Jacobites
The Battle of Prestonpans 1745 Martin Margulies Tempus 2007 PB A new look at the famous battle
The French MacDonald Jean Didier-Hache Islands Book Trust 2007 PB Neil MacEachen & Son
No Quarter Given  Livingstone, Aikman & Hart Neil Wilson 2007 PB Muster Roll of BPC's army
A Jacobite Dictionary Mairead McKerrachar Neil Wilson 2007 As it is titled
Jacobite Stories Dane Love Neil Wilson 2007 40 accounts from  Jacobites,  who lived between the 1680s and 1750s
The Year of the Prince Gavin Smith Ross Literary Services 1995 PB Slim Vol 64pp
Culloden Iain Cameron Taylor Nat. Trust Scotland 1965 PM Lots of reprints Guide to Battlefield
Jacobite Estates of the Forty-Five Annette Smith 1982 John Donald Annexation etc
The Sory of the '45 and BPCRebellion Alexander B. Tulloch Lang Syne Publishers 1987 PB Slim volume. Reprint of the book below
The Wade Roads J & A Baker 1987 Melven Press PB Walker's Companion
True Story of a Highland Heroine Flora MacDonald Alexander MacGregor 1989 Lang Syne Press PB Simple general History
Culloden: The '45 Alexander B. Tulloch Melven Brothers 1902 PM Also as The '45 1908
Glenfinnan and the '45 Edith MacGregor  Nat Trust Scotland 1958?? PM Several reprints
The Story of the 1745 Rebellion R. S. Needham Ashbourne Heritage Society 1995 PM
The Jacobite Rising of 1715 Nat Galleries of Scotland 1965 PM
The Jacobite Rebellions in Lancashire Jane Sterling Dalesman Publishing 1973 PM
Culloden 1746 Highland Clans' Last Charge Peter Harrington 1991 Reed International PB Lots of illustrations
A Jacobite Legacy Peter Kay Soar Valley Music 1995 PB History Jacobite Risings in songs and words 48pp
The Good Old Times: the Story of the Manchester Rebels of '45 William Harrison Ainsworth 2001 Adamant Media Corporation,  Two volume reprint. Original published 1873
The Mystery of The Duke of Perth Arthur Appleton 2001 Co Durham Books PB Perth survives &  lives in Durham!
The Finsthwaite Princess Janet D. Martin 2001 PM Interesting tale of a supposed daughter of BPC and Clementina
On Telling the Culloden Story Iain Cameron Taylor 1964 Iain Cameron Taylor  PM
Rebellion and Savagery Geoffrey Plank 2006 University of Pennsylvania Press, The Jacobite Rising of 1745 and the British Empire
     

 

 

Drop Lewie a note if you would like to know more about any of the publications listed and he'll do his best to answer

  Ask Lewie

 

See the Our Favourite Links page for some excellent books written by 1745 Association members

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