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John Farquharson was born in Glenfernate, Perthshire in the mid-1830s. He served Lord Rosebery as a gamekeeper, and at this time devoted considerable attention to rifle shooting, also gaining permission to attend rifle meetings. He won many prizes and is notable for shooting from the “back”, or “Farquharson,” position. His skills as a marksman were such that he was selected for the Scottish Eight to compete for the Elcho Shield. The Farquharson breech action, its patent and the attendant court case with Alexander Henry are featured in another post. The Patent was eventually reassigned to John Farquharson, George Gibbs, Thomas Pitt and William Ellis Metford.
After leaving Lord Rosebery, Farquharson became gamekeeper to a Mr. Dalgleish in Argyleshire. Their relationships was not a happy one and Farquharson was not allowed holidays or permission to attend rifle meetings. After two years service this confinement was too much and he gave up his position and started shooting “on his own” amongst his beloved mountains and moors. Thus began his career as a poacher. For many years he took heavy toll on the Perthshire moors and forests, stalking game there on the preserves of the aristocracy. In the end, however, he settled down and passed away in 1893 of heart disease.