1781.—the
old west road TO the netherton disused.—
>From a MS. we learn that "the old
narrow road, which proceeded from the
west pillar of the old Abbey Gate, foot
of Gibb Street, down in a straight line
by the west back of Hoodie Street houses
to the Netherton Brig, was shut off this
year."
The new road
(Moodie Street)—This New Road, from Gibb
Street to the Nethertown, was opened up,
and houses began to be built on the line
of road during the summer of 1781.
The Bank OF
Scotland..—A branch of this bank was
established in the Collier Row in
August, 1781; John Dickie, agent. (Note
from Secretary of the Bank of Scotland,
Edinburgh.)
Provost OF
dunfermline.—David Turnbull, merchant,
re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records, 1st
Oct, 1781.)
The north
queensferrY battery was erected on the
Dunfermline Guildry Lands, in 1781, for
the protection of ships which may
proceed higher up the Forth.
Weaving.—An
old manuscript note states that "the
snow-drop pattern," introduced in 1781,
was then greatly in vogue in
Dunfermline. •
Winter, it
seems, set in much earlier than usual
this year. On 26th October the streets
of the town had a covering of snow
several inches in depth.
1782.—Distillery, St. Margaret
Street.—-According to several MS. Notes
"a distillery was established- on a
limited scale this year at the east end
of Bee Alley Gardens" (St. Margaret
Street), site of St. Margaret's Works.
Chapel-kirk.—Rev, Allan M'Lean was
inducted minister of this Church on the
i6th May, 1782. (Ses. Record.)
The Fire at
Comely Park.—The house of Mr. Rolland,
writer, Comely Park House, New Row,
Dunfermline, was destroyed by accidental
fire in May, 1782. "This fire, and the
fury of the wind during its continuance
were long remembered; burnt papers, and
the leaves of burnt books were flying
about the streets in all directions."
(MS-Note.)
"The Terror"
OF dunfermline and neighbourhood!—At
this period, according to several MS.
Notes, "Geordie Drummond, commonly
called the 'King of the Gipsies,’ and
also the 'Terror of Dunfermline,' used
to walk about the town. with his three
women to the great terror of the lieges
when refused alms. Each of this
terror-party had an alms-dish; and those
who refused alms to them were told that
'at kirk and at -market they would cry
them out.' Geordie had besides his
aims-cap an immense pock, swung round
his neck to hold his sundries in. When
his wives did not bring him anything in
their dishes to put into his pock, he
thrashed them unmercifully on the street
with a loaded staff. The very town's
officers were afraid of this gipsy
gang." Another Note says, that "instead
of the magistrates being a terror to
evildoers, oor Geordie and his tribe
were a terror to them" This is inserted
as a specimen of " one of the great
characters in the town and of last
century, and how such a lawless gang
were permitted to disturb the peace of
the community."
. Provost OF
Dunfermline.—David Turnbull, merchant,
was re-elected Provost. (Burgh Records,
30th Sept., 1782.)
1783.—the
ruin of St. Mary's chapel, Netherton.—A
M.S. Note states, that "one of the walls
of this old ruin was blown down during a
tempest of wind early In 1783." (See An.
Dunf. 1814.)
Printing
press.—"Mr. Crerar, Bookseller and
Stationer, High Street, bought a large
Dutch Printing Press, and commenced
printing." (MS. Note.
The Indigo
Mill.—William Dickie, dyer and
manufacturer, Collier Row (Bruce
Street), erected an indigo mill, which
was set in motion by a large dog within
a wheel. The dog kept stamping up on the
interior circumference of the light
wheel, and thus put the wheel and other
apparatus in motion. "As this was the
first indigo mill ever set up in
Dunfermline, it caused a deal of talk
far and near, and many a one came to see
it." (See also An. Dunf. for Mr. Dickie,
date 1781.)
Provost of Dunfermline.—John Wilson,
merchant, elected Provost. {Burgh
Records, 29th Sept., 1783.)
Agriculture—
Rotation of Crops.—"Previous to the year
1783 Agriculture was in a very low
state. Very few understood farming use
and wont being the rule." About 1783 the
system of "the Rotation of Crops was
introduced into the west of Fife, and a
new order of things began, and was ever
after followed with success." (MS.
Note.)
1784.—the
dunfermline curling club was established
in 1784- (Dunf. Regist. p. 32.)
The
Charlestown friendly relief society was
established early in 1784. (MS, Note.)
The thorn
tree in the Churchyard Blown Down.—At
the period of the Reformation, "Popish
Crosses" -were cast down, as well as
Cathedrals, Abbeys, and Churches.
Shortly afterwards a religious mania set
in for planting Gospel Oaks and Gospel
Thorns on the sites of a great many of
the Crosses. Dunfermline had a Funereal,
or Weeping Cross in its Churchyard,
which had been in 1560 thrown down. A
Gospel Thorn was planted on its site.
This aged thorn was blown down, during a
great thunderstorm, in 1784, when the
present thorn, a branch from the old
one, was set-up. Sir William Wallace and
his mother were in Dunfermline in 1303,
and it is stated that his mother died
there during their short sojourn; that,
as his enemies were closing in. all
round him, he, according to tradition,
interred his mother the Churchyard; and
that he had this thorn planted to
commemorate the site—an absurd idea. It
is highly probable that the mother of
Wallace was interred in Dunfermline. If
so, her remains would assuredly be
deposited within "the sacred fane "—the
church. Many years ago, when a deep
grave was being dug near the thorn, a
stone-wall of a circular form was
discovered—evidently the base-wall of
the cross alluded to. (See An. Dunf,
date 1303.)
Provost OF dunfermline.—John Wilson,
merchant, re-elected Provost. (Burgh
Records, 27th Sept., 1784.)
School-Books.—From a great many accounts
rendered to parents in Dunfermline for
school-books, it would appear that the
books then generally used in schools
were the " Catechism," the " Proofs," "
Reading Made Easy," the "Testament,"
the "Bible," and "Dilworth's Arithmetic
" for the " coonters."
Limekilns
secession church was built in the year
1784. {Femie's Hist. Dunf. p. 38.)
The town
Muir "began to be planted with trees in
1784, and the job was completed in the
following year." {MS. Note; also
Fernie's Hist. Dunf. p. 25.)
Grand magic
lantern exhibition,—This exhibition was
made in a large empty garret of a house
in the horse market [East High Street],
in .November, 1784. Views of the Cities
in the Holy Land, and Solomon's Temple,
also many Views of London, were
shown—"all which gave overwhelming
satisfaction to the sight-seers." This
was the first exhibition of the kind in-
Dunfermline. It was held every night for
two weeks. Gentle and sempel went to
see it. Prices for chairs, 6d each; for
forms, 3d ; stools, id. Upwards of 500
visited the grand sights. "They were
long held in remembrance and talked
of." (Printed Bill by Mr. Creer, and J.
A.)
A woman
murdered—Dunfermline in Great
Commotion.—The following has been
condensed from several old notes, and
which is now all that is known of this
murder:—
Near the end
of the year 1784, " Pye Betson," who
resided in a small but of a house, on a
rising ground, a few hundred yards to
the east of the East Port, Dunfermline,
was a baker of mutton pies, which he
hawked about the streets in the
evenings, bawling out, "Hot mutton pies,
a hapenny a-piece!" He also took in
lodgers for the night. A woman took
lodgings with him and his wife one
evening, end of 1784. Nest morning she
was found, not far from Betson's house,
lying on the road murdered. Betson and
his wife were arrested, and, after a
preliminary examination in Dunfermline,
they were sent to Perth to be tried for
the crime. They were tried as usual by
the Circuit Judge and a jury of fifteen.
The verdict given was culpable homicide
(instead of murder), which very much
excited the minds of the inhabitants of
the town. The sentence dealt out to them
was, that '• they should ^publicly
whipped and banished." Many were so
exasperated at what was considered "a
gross failure of the law," that it was
seriously proposed by many to go to
Perth, take them out of prison by force,
and hang them before the door of the
lone house where the murder was
committed. But a calmer judgment set in,
and after a time the excitement
subsided. (See also Penny’s Traditions
of Perth, p. 98.)
It was a
favourite amusement, for some length of
time after the trial, with some of the
inhabitants, to write with chalk on the
walls of the Tolbooth and other public
places, the following couplet:—
" There were
fifteen jurymen and an ass, Who hanged a
thief, and let a murderer pass.
This was in
allusion to the hanging of Ramsay, in
Dunfermline, for theft, in the year
1732. (MS. Notes.)
A flour mill
(Heugh Mills) was erected in 1784-5 for
grinding' wheat by water power. In 1819
steam power was applied, which has been
the moving power ever since. (MS.
Notes.)
1785.—great
snow storm and frost.—"There was a great
storm of Snow in January this year; it
began about the middle of the month, and
continued falling' even on for two
weeks; the streets were quite chok'd up.
This storm was followed by a frost that
continued for 133 days." (J. A.)
Limekilns
Church.—"On the 8th day of February,
1755, the Rev. William Haddin was
ordained minister of the newly built
kirk at Limekilns." (MS. Notes)
COWS grazing
IN THE town's parks.—"30thl April, 1785:
There were
64 cows grazing in the Town's Parks at
24s, each. Revenue, £76 16s." (Burgh
Records.) These grazing revenues were a
great help to the town's funds; notices
of these grazings occur as early as
1697, and come down to Dechie-Om's time
in 1822.
Garvock
house OR castle.—A MS. Note states that
as late as the year 1785, "there were to
be seen near the top of Garvock Hill,
the remains of a massive wall, which
terminated in a circular stair or tower,
in which were narrow slits of swivel
arrow ports."
"Fire
machine-"—In the Burgh Records, of date
10th May, 1785, there is a minute
notifying that the inhabitants were much
in favour of having a fire machine for
Dunfermline, to be used in cases of
fire, and the Council offered a donation
of ten guineas towards defraying the
expense.
Diving
bell.—An ingenious diving bell was
invented and constructed by Mr. Andrew
Angus, a townsman, in his cellar,
opposite the New Inn, Bridge Street.
It" was made for the purpose
of-descending to and searching through
the great war ship, the "Royal George,"
which sank at Spithead in 1782. It is
not now known whether Mr. Angus made
trial of his diving apparatus or not, as
nothing is known of its after history.
Note.—When Mr. Angus's house in Kirkgate
was being removed, for the Kirkgate
Improvements, in 1876, the remains of
the diving bell or jacket, with
breathing tubes of spiral wire, were
discovered. The writer has in his
possession a small portion of these
ingenious spiral-wire air-tubes.
Secession
church, Queen Ann Street.—Rev. James
Macfarlane was ordained colleague to
Rev. Mr. Husband in 1785.
Water.—A
supply of water was proposed to be
brought into the town from the "Back of
the Coalton." {Burgh Records, 15th Aug.)
Provost of Dunfermline.—John Wilson,
merchant, re-elected Provost. {Burgh
Records, 26th September, 1785.)
1786.—flesh
market TO be built.—The Magistrates
purchased the large open area called
"Gibb's Square Yard," a little to the
west of the Cross, for erecting a Public
Flesh Market thereon, and agreed with
Robert Young and William Chalmers for
the mason work, and Thomas Bonnar for
the wright work. {Burgh Rec., 16th May,
1786.)
Weaving.—"As late as this period, 1786,
the weavers of Dunfermline, in order to
procure dressing for their webs,
generally took oatmeal seeds, and
steeped them for some days in water;
afterwards, the water was strained off
the seeds, and mixed with flour, and
then . the mixture was boiled till it
came to a proper thickness. This was not
only expensive, but tended to harden the
yarn too much. Since this period
potatoes have been used, which, besides
being cheaper, answer the purpose much
better." {Fernie's History of
Dunfermline pp. 58, 59)
Literature.-—The Rev. Thomas Fernie,
minister of the Second Charge of the
Parish Church, published a volume of
sermons in 1786.
"Ancient
Society of Weavers" established.—The
Society, called "The Ancient Society of
Weavers" (a Friendly Society), was
"established in 1786, and started with
about 100 members; in 1814 had 454
members." {Fernie's Hist. Dunf. p. 52.)
Rates OF
Provisions AND Wages in 1786.—A
manuscript note states that "the peck of
oatmeal, Dutch weight, sold at 8d. to 1s
at the Tron; and that beef sold at
21/2d. to 4d. per lb.; butter, per lb.
Tron weight, 6d. and 8.,; eggs, 6d. to
9d. per doz.; a hen, 6d. to 9d., &c. A
ploughman in the parish had £5 a-year,
with lodgings a victuals; maid-servants,
£2 a-year; day-labourers, 10d, to 1s.
a-day.
Provost OF Dunfermline.—John Wilson,
merchant, \ re-elected Provost. {Burgh
Rec., 30th Sept., 1786.)
Umbrellas
introduced into Dunfermline IN
1786.—"One of our manufacturers, being
in London, brought home with him an
umbrella, which caused great wonder and
gathering round him in the streets to
see him with it. It was of huge
dimensions, and made of gingham." (MS.
Note.)
Measuring
the streets.—Payment of three guineas
was given to John Durham for his trouble
in measuring the streets of the to at
different times. {Burgh Records, 11th
November, 1786.)
1787,—earthquake.—" There was a very
sensible shock of earthquake felt in
Dunfermline early in the forenoon of
26th January; it had a long rumbling
sort of noise with it." {MS. Note.
slaughter house.—"To compleat the Scheme
of the Public flesh market, the council
resolved to build a public Slaughter Hot
close to the East end of the Seceding
Meeting House [in Queen Ann Street], The
associate congregation object to this
site being taken for such a vile
purpose. Another site is chosen, and
purchased from Bailie Blaik, be south of
Tho'. Bisset's door [comer of Knabbie
Street], where the building of a
Slaughter House, to compleat the Flesh
Market Scheme, was immediately proceeded
with.". (Burgh Records, l6th March,
1787.)
Tremendous
flood OF RAIN—A Woman Drowned.—On 11th
August, this year, there was a very
heavy fall of rain, which lasted for
about fifteen hours; all the burns were
in high flood; at Dry Mills the gathered
rain was something tremendous, and the
flooded rain made all the low level
ground down there about to look like a
large loch. A poor woman from Limekilns,
with a bag of salt on her back
(suspended from her neck), on her way up
to the town, could not get through the
flood; she lost her balance, and was
drowned. Every one lamented the death of
the town's poor salt carrier,
(Newspapers and MSS. Notes.)
Robert Burns
IN Dunfermline.—Robert Burns, the Poet,
visited Dunfermline on 20th October,
1787, when he went to the Old Church,
and, on being shown the site of Bruce's
grave, "he knelt down and kissed the
stone with sacred fervour.'' Afterwards,
he ascended the pulpit of the church,
and a friend, who was with him, having
mounted the stool of repentance, he
rebuked him in the style of a west
country clergyman, by whom he had
himself been admonished more than once
for his youthful indiscretions. There is
a print by David Allan, representing a
real occasion of this sort as it took
place in this church in the time of the
Erskines. (Dr. Waddle’s Life of Burns;
Chambers's Pict. Scot. Art. Dunf.)
Charlie Shorthouse was grave-digger and
beadle at this period, and he would, no
doubt, point out to Burns one of "the
six large flat stones," now under the
northern transept, as that of King
Robert's reputed grave. It is well that
these misleading stones are now buried,
as they never were connected with the
royal tombs.
Pittencrieff
estate.—The estate of Pittencrieff was
purchased by Captain George Phin, of
Southend, Kent, for £17,600 sterling,
in. July,1787.
Provost of Dunfermline—1st Oct., 1787:
The Council, by a majority of votes,
elected Mr. Adam Low, merchant,
Provost." (Burgh Records.)
Pavements
(or Plainstanes) were first laid this
year in the High Street, and partly in
Bridge Street. (MS.)
The flesh
market and slaughter-house scheme was
completed 3d November, 1787, "on which
day, the Council, Considering that the
Town's flesh market and slaughter-house
is now ready to be Occupied, lay down
the following rates, to be paid by the
Dunfermline Butchers to the Council for
the use of these Houses," viz.:—
£ Sh. D.
" For each
Cow, Ox, Bull, or Heifer killed,
Sixpence, 0 00 6
each Sheep
or goat, . . . .
. 0 00 1
each Lamb, a
halfpenny, . . . .
. 0 00 0 1/2
each Sow,
twopence, . . . .
. 0
00 2
each Calf, a
penny,. . . . .
. 0 00
1"
This
"Flesh-market and Slaughter-house
Scheme" was an unfortunate speculation.
The slaughter-house was continued to
1869. (See An, Dunf. dates 1819, 1869.)
1788.
"severe winter.—An old note refers to
the-intense frost of January, 1788, and
adds that the Dam and the Tron Burn were
covered with ice to the depth of from 8
to l8 inches, and that the frost
continued all January and part of
February.
Death of THE
Rev. Thomas FERNIE.—The Rev. Thomas
Fernie, minister of the second charge in
the Established Church, died on the 5th
April, 1788, in the forty-fourth year of
his ministry. {Fernie's Hist. of Dunf .
p. 33.)
Roman
Catholic Bill.—At this time there was
"great commotion amongst the members of
the several churches in Dunfermline on
the subject of the repeal of the Roman
Catholic Bill. The incorporations of
the burgh, the Society of Gardeners,
&c., petitioned Parliament against the
repeal." (Thomson's R. C. B. Memoranda.)
The Old
Bachelor Society.—The friendly society
known by this name was established in
the summer of 1788. {Fernie's Hist.
Dunf. p. 52.) It began with about twenty
members.
Weavers'
LOOMS.—In the year 1788 there were about
900 looms at work in Dunfermline.
(Fernie's Hist. Dunf, p. 55.)
Pitfirrane
coal privilege.—In the year 1788
Government purchased the Original
Privilege, obtained by charter in 1707,
for the sum of £40,000 sterling. {Chal,
Hist. Dunf, vol. i. p. 21.)
Debt OF the
burgh.—In an old Scotsman newspaper, it
is stated that the debt of the .burgh
was £3000, and that the income exceeded
the expenditure.
GENERAL
FAST IN SCOTLAND.—“As in other places,
the 20th of May this year was held in
Dunfermline as a Solemn Fast in all the
Kirks, in commemoration of the Success
of the Revolution of 1688." (J. A.) This
was the Centenary period.
The tower
bridge rebuilt.—This is a bridge "of two
stories" • -arch above arch. It is not
known if this was the original plan of
the bridge. Probably it had but one arch
at first, which in the Register of
Dunfermline is styled the Gyrtkt Bow,
and consequently would be connected with
an Abbey boundary. (See Regist. Dunf. p.
253.) The upper arch would be built
above the lower one, to raise the road
above to a more convenient level. Above
the upper arch there is a shield cut in
stone, having on it the proprietor's
[Captain Phin] arms, viz., a pelican
erect, and above it a pelican pecking at
its breast for blood for its brood.
Under the shield there is a "date
stane," having on it— "rebuilt, 1788;"
this date is also cut on the lower arch,
and above this lower date is a stone,
with the initials, "A, R., l611,"
indicating that it had been rebuilt by
Queen Ann in that year. "The roadway of
the bridge is about 30 feet above the
rivulet below, and is about 40 feet long
by 17 feet broad." For many centuries
the road over a bridge here was the only
way into Dunfermline from the west (See
An. Dunf. date 1611.) The author of the
Rhyming History of Dunfermline, page 8,
thus alludes to it:—
" This
Bridge most gothic-like appears ,
It is of
ancient date.
I'm sure it is some hundred years
Since the same was built."
Provost of dunfermline,—Adam Low,
merchant, re-elected Provost. {Burgh
Records, 29th Sept., 1788.)
Breweries.—According to an old note,
there were still in Dunfermline, m
1,788, as many as seven breweries for
the brewing of "Dumfarlin nut-broon
ale."
Stoneware
shop.—An old note mentions that the
first regular pig-shop (stoneware shop)
in Dunfermline was opened this year in
the east end of the High Street, by "
John Lootit" (Loutfoot).
Cardonnel's
views of Dunfermline Monastery.—Adam de
Cardonnel appears to have been in
Dunfermline in the autumn of 1788 taking
views and notes for his work, entitled,
Picturesque Antiquities of Scotland. in
this work, under the article on
Dunfermline, there are two small
views—both of the monastery—one from the
north-west, the other from the
south-east. The great west window in
the “Frater,” seen in the north-wast
view, appears to have been drawn from
memory. The rest of the view will
pass. The south-east view shows the
half of the Fratery wall enclosed within
a dyke. The view is not altogether
correct. The text part is meager—only
about sixteen lines in all—notifying
that “this noble monastery was begun by
King Malcolm III., surnamed Canmore, and
finished by King Alexander I,; that King
David I. changed it into an abbey; that
it was dedicated to St. Margaret; that
Gosfridus was the first abbot; and that
King Charles I. was born in the
adjoining palace,” &c.
QUEEN ANN
OF DENMARK’S HOUSE.—Several old notes
inform us that “the Queen’s House,” and
the two constabulary houses between it
and the steeple, had this year become so
ruinous that the last resident in them
had to remove. His name was Patie
Murrie. Another note says, “Murrie did
not leave too soon, for, within a week
or two after his leaving, the great
heavy roof of the said house fell, in
and destroyed everything. About the
same time the two constabulary houses
adjacent to it on the east also became a
ruin.” Still, for some years after,
“Hansel Monday cock fights were held in
it; admittance, 1/2d., 1d., and 2d.
each! In 1797 the Queen’s House and
Constabulary became dangerous ruins, and
were removed to prevent the loss of life
or any disaster. (See An. Dunf. date
1797; also Grose’s Antiq. Scot. vol. ii.
p. 288, for a view of the unroofed
Queen’s House, drawn in 1790).
