According to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the Bath star on display here would have been held by a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. Further we are told that it was the type which was issued before the mid-19th century.

      The Order was founded by King George I in 1725. There was but one class until 1815 when the three present classes were designated (in order of seniority) --
           Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCB)
           Knight or Dame Commander (KCB)
           Companion (CB)
The Order has two divisions -- civilian and military.

      Our problem is that we don't know to whom this class of the Order was awarded. Until recently it was thought that this item was acquired at the sale of Cluny Castle relics in 1943 and the Museum Acquisition Ledger entry confirms that it came from Cluny Castle. However, in looking into the matter more thoroughly it was not found to be on the list that appeared in the Creag Dhubh for 1952 or Lord Tom's original inventory list.

      Both 'Old Cluny', 20th Chief and his son, Col. Duncan Macpherson, 21st Chief were awarded the Companion of the Bath (CB). Two other Macphersons are known to be members --
           Major General Sir James Duncan Macpherson who was appointed a Knight Commander of the Military Division in 1873 (having been a Companion of the order) and his younger brother
           Major General Sir Herbert Taylor Macpherson who received the KCB (Military) in 1881. He was also made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of india (KCS) in 1882. Both of these awards followed that of the Victoria Cross in 1858 [see Panel 51].

     . Thus the mystery persists.