Fresh drive is being put into an Angus effort to save the old house where the Harley-Davidson motorcycle story has its beginnings.
Netherton Cottage near Brechin was the weekend destination for bikers backing the £500,000 bid to buy the property and secure its hallowed status for fans who visit from around the globe.
Ten years’ ago, a trio of local enthusiasts bought the run-down property that was home to Sandy and Margaret Davidson.
The Davidsons emigrated to Milwuakee in the 1850s, including middle son William, whose own boys were instrumental in founding the iconic brand.
The family home was restored and since then has welcomed H-D fans from all over the world, including current company executives.
But a new group believes Netherton has untapped potential to bring even more visitors to Angus and inspire a new generation of young entrepreneurs.
Charity status bid
The Davidson Legacy Preservation Group wants to buy the cottage and fully harness its tourism potential.
It hopes to secure charity status and aims to put a full-time project worker in place.
And in a quirk of fate, the group’s lead figure made the journey in the opposite direction from the Davidson family.
Nyree Aitken was born in Missouri but has been in Scotland for more than 30 years.
She’s an avid Harley-Davidson enthusiast, but says the importance of the cottage to Angus is so much more than its appeal to bikers.
“Of course if you ask any young kid to name a motorcycle they’ll probably say Harley-Davidson, so that tells you how famous they are,” said the 49-year-old.
“But this isn’t just a Brechin thing, or a motorbike thing.
“It’s part of the heritage of Angus alongside all of the other amazing things we have here.
“We should be making so much more of that.
“The cottage was earmarked for demolition before Mike Sinclair, Maggie Sherrit and Keith Mackintosh bought it and set about renovating it.
“It’s a beautiful place, but they have decided it’s time to sell and that is why this group has been set up to try to secure it for the future.
“But support is crucial for our success.”
DLPG set up the event to mark the 10th anniversary of the cottage being re-opened by the Davidson Legacy.
And Sunday’s event saw dozens of bikers gather at the cottage before riding to Brechin Castle.
There was also a chance for fans to enjoy a ride from Rewaco Trikes at Brechin to and from Netherton.
Gordon Carr and Ellie Whitehead opened the business earlier this year and hope to develop trike tours of Angus.
The Davidson story
Netherton Cottage dates from the 1720 and enjoys views over the River South Esk towards the Angus glens.
Alexander ‘Sandy’ Davidson lived there with his family until 1858 when they emigrated to the States.
His middle son, William C Davidson (1846-1923), was born at Netherton Cottage and had a fascination for all things mechanical.
And William’s three sons, Arthur, Walter and William A Davidson saw the potential of the new world of motorisation.
They joined forces with Arthur’s friend, Bill Harley, and started the legend that was to become Harley-Davidson.
Their father built their first workshop, where the iconic motorcycle was born, in 1903.
Nyree added: “William C is pivotal to the story of the Davidson Legacy because he had the attributes of technical skill, an analytical mind and an aptitude for problem solving.
“These qualities are often considered typically Scottish as a nation of inventors and innovators.
“We hope we can use the cottage for educational purposes to try and tell its story to future generations of young innovators.”
VIP visitors
In 2014, 77-year-old Jean Davidson – Walter’s granddaughter – visited the cottage.
And last summer, current Harley-Davidson museum vice-president Bill Davidson and company CEO Jochen Zeits made a pilgrimage to the historic Angus site.
Mr Davidson said his return to the ancestral home was an “awe-inspiring” experience.
An inscribed Netherton Cottage slate was sent from Brechin in 2015 to the legendary Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota which attracts more than half a million bikers annually.
More shots by photographer Andy Thompson of the anniversary event.
