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Alexander Grant (1856 - 1942) was a native of Battangorm, Carrbridge, which gave rise to his familiar name - 'Battan'. As a boy he was exposed to what were to become his two great passions - fiddling and fishing. He went on to excel in both areas; as an angler by inventing his own unique fishing rod known as the 'Grant Vibration Rod', and as a fiddler by leading the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society for almost forty years and by becoming an expert in fiddle making techniques. He also invented a unique disc-shaped violin known as a 'Rondello'. An example of Grant's fishing rod, fiddle and Rondello can be seen at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery (IMAG).

Grant was a great friend of fellow musician and composer James Scott Skinner (1843-1927), a major figure in the development of Scottish traditional music, often referred to as 'The Strathspey King'. This hand-written manuscript (dated October 1905) was sent to Grant by Skinner. It contains the music for 'Eugene Stratton', one of Skinner's hornpipe compositions. From his annotations, it is clear Skinner had not yet published this tune and it was intended for a future edition of 'The Harp and Claymore', a collection of Scottish dance tunes, airs and songs first published in 1904. (Stratton (1861 - 1918) was an American born entertainer who moved to England and became a music hall artiste.)

This item is part of a collection held at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery.
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