1801.—BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY.—At the beginning of
last century there was only one church in Dunfermline—the
Parish Church. At the commencement of the 19th century,
there were no less than ten churches and meeting-houses in
the town, viz., "The Auld Kirk," "The Secession Kirk,"
"The Chapel Kirk," "The Relief Kirk," "The Cameroman
Kirk," "The Tabernacle," "The Independents," "The
Antiburgher Kirk," "The Auld-Light Kirk," and "Baptist
Kirk," served by eleven ministers. The congregations in
the aggregate amounted to about 4550. Mr. James Moodie was
Provost of the Burgh. (MS. Note.) Schools in the Burgh,
14; in the Burgh and Parish, 22; manufacturers of table
linen, 26; weavers, about 800; wrights in the Burgh, 88;
smiths, 57; shoemakers, 51; masons, 41 bakers, 20;
tailors, 47, fleshers, 9. For population table, see April,
1801.
DEARTH.—"The great dearth continues; much distress in
Dunfermline in consequence; prices of everything continue
to rise; a deal of sickness also prevails, which two
calamities distract the minds of the inhabitants very
greatly." (MS. Note.)
CENSUS.—The
first Government Census was taken in April, 1801. The
following is the statement of the population, &c., in the
town and parish of Dunfermline:—
Population
of the town and suburbs, . . . 5,484
Population of the town and parish. Males,
4,671
Females,
5,309,
Families, ........
2,339
Inhabited houses in the parish, ....
1,498
Inhabited houses in the town,.....
705
(Fernie’s Hist. Dunf. p. 5)
A PUBLIC
KITCHEN Established in the Flesh-market.—-The Town Council
subscribed £10 to its funds, (Burgh Records.) Great crowds
of starving' people flock to the kitchen. (MS. Note.)
THE
CROSSGATES CONGREGATION.—"A small congregation of Seceders
formed at the Crossgates this year" [1801]. (MS. Note;
Femie's Hist. Dunf. p. 38; see An. Dunf. date 1803.)
SEWING
SCHOOL.—"The first Sewing School in Dunfermline was
established by Mrs. Houston, Woodhead Street, in 1801."
She was well patronized; she got up for the school boys of
the period "the glorious worsted ba's." (MS.)
THE
RACES.—"The Town Council subscribe ten guineas toward the
races, to be run for over the Town's course in autumn
next."
FIRE
ENGINES.—"The Council took into consideration the
propriety of having one or more fire engines for
extinguishing fire. The Sun Fire and Dundee offices agree
to give Twenty Guineas each; the Council agree to
subscribe a like sum." (Burgh Records; see An, Dunf. date
1810.)
FIFE
HUNT.—"The meet this year finished with a grand dinner and
ball in the town house, at which the famous Niel Gow and
his Son discoursed fiddle-music in grand stile." (MS.
Note.) These Fife Hunt dinners were given up about this
period.
GREAT
THUNDER STORM IN JUNE THIS YEAR.—"Some of the ruins in the
Psalter Church yard were thrown down, and the tracing work
in one of the windows of the ruins tumbled out." (MS.
Note.)
ST.
MARGARET'S DISTILLERY "began its operations in 1801 on a
more extensive scale." (MS, Note; see An. Dunf. date
1782.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—James Moodie, Esq., re-elected Provost."
(Burgh Records; Sept., 1801.)
MILITARY
FUNERAL.—"A corporal soldier died in the Horse Market
[East High Street]; his gun, coat, &c., were placed on his
coffin. The company of soldiers then marched to the grave,
playing ' The Dead March in Saul;' the drums, fifes, &c.,
were covered with crape. After the coffin was lowered into
the grave, guns were fired over it. Upwards of 2000
persons on the street during the funeral procession."
This, it appears, was the first military funeral witnessed
in Dunfermline, and made "a mighty noise in town and
country." (MS. Note.)
A BANK
BROKEN INTO BY BURGLARS.—The Bank of Scotland, then
situated at the west end of Bridge Street, Dunfermline
(Charles Hunt, manager), was broken into in November,
1801. "The night of its occurrence was remarkably
boisterous—wind, rain, and sleet, and intensely dark,
which so far favoured the luck of the evildoers. About
£102 was carried off; a kind of panic occurred, and great
sensation caused in Fife and elsewhere." It was
ascertained some years afterwards, that the robber was a
person named M'Coull, a house painter, who had for some
time found employment in the town. Probably this is the
same Mackoull who, in November, 1806, murdered William
Begbie, the porter of the British Linen Company's Bank,
Tweeddale House, Canongate, and then robbed the Bank
of.£4392. (Chambers's Traditions of Edinburgh, edit. 1847,
pp. 262, 268.)
1802.—DEARTH.—"The year begins with no abatement of the
dreadful dearth. Bakers are not allowed to sell bread
until it is 24 hours old ; and, by a local order made some
months ago, are obliged to stamp on their bread the
letters 'H' and 'W,' in large characters, to denote '
Household' bread and ' Wheaten' bread. Meal at 3s, 9d. per
peck." (MS. Note.)
STONE
COFFIN FOUND in the Psalter Churchyard.—Early in 1802,
whilst a grave was being dug "in the Psalter Kirkyard, the
gravedigger's spade struck against a huge stone. After
being cleared, it was found to be a Stone Coffin, upwards
of six feet in length, in which were human bones, much
decayed. Round about the coffin were found pieces of
finely-carved marble, some of the pieces being gilt," (MS.
Note; also Sib. Hist. Fife, p. 298.) This must have been
one of the royal tombs. It is to be regretted that the
locus of this " find " has not been given.
PRINTING.—Mr. Andrew Angus, merchant, commenced printing
with a small printing-press made under his directions by a
townsman. (MS. Note.)
EARTHQUAKES.—" Two very smart shocks of an Earthquake
occurred early on Sabbath morning, June 8th, which made
many to start out of their beds, and run into the
streets—the houses in Bridge Street especially. The
furniture in the houses moved; pictures hung on the walls
rattled, and dishes in shelves were thrown down and
broken." (MS. Note, and Newspapers of the period.)
INDEPENDENT
CONGREGATION.—In the year 1802, a new Independent
Congregation was formed, chiefly by some active members,
who belonged to "Dale's Independents," and who worshipped
in the "Tabernacle," Woodhead Street. This new body ceased
to exist in 1807, when most of" them Joined the Baptists.
(MS. Note; see also An, Dunf. date 1779.)
THE KING'S
BIRTHDAY.—A correspondent of ours, in a foreign land, a
native of Dunfermline (long ago), often sent us
interesting notes regarding " Dunfermline in the olden
time." One of his notes, now before us, is a graphic one,
referring to the "Glorious 4th of June, when George the
Third was king" [in 1802.] As it is likely to be a fair
specimen of the doings on all the King's Birthdays when
the third George was king, we will, for the benefit of the
younger portion of our readers, give the long note entire.
It may some day find a place in Strutt's "Sports and
Pastimes" Our correspondent in his letter to us (dated in
1833), says :—
"I was a
young man when I left Dunfermline. The last King's
Birthday I enjoyed in the good old grey toon was on 4th
June, 1802. The first indications of a coming King's
Birthday in Dunfermline were to be seen a week or so
before the great went, when the laddies in pairs ran about
the streets in the evenings with backets, big boxes, and
sacks, begging coals for the baelfires [bonfires], and on
the day before the Day droves of youngsters might be seen
in the country round about cutting broom, whins, and
flourishing branches for decorations in the town, supplied
in abundance from Broomhead, Garvock Hill, Urquhart Cutts,
&c.,while others got supplies of ' flowers of the season.'
At an early hour on the King's Birth Day strings of these
flowers were in a great many places stretched across the
street, from window to window, with flowered-girds
depending from them beautifully decorated. These decorated
girds or hoops were also suspended from windows in the
streets, so much so, that several streets were flowered
from end to end. The time that the street-flowering was
going on, the balefire sites were determined on, and
little hillocks of coal were deposited at the places
chosen (about a dozen of places). Then they were fired and
set on blaze, and during the day from these fires were
thrown squeebs. Cannons were fired; old keys, also, were
not only converted into firers, but even marrow-bones did
duty, and until stopped, the bottle, half filled with
chuckie-stanes and poother was held in high repute. All
the 'live long day' touch-paper, pee-eo-ies, &c., were the
game of the small fry. The town's flags were thrust out of
the Town-House windows early in the morning, also the
flags of the incorporated trades out of the Deacons'
windows. During the glorious day the Auld Kirk and
Tolbooth bells were rung at intervals, and in the evening
for at least three hours. The volunteers fired volleys
during the day in the Bowling-Green. The Provost,
Magistrates, and Town-Council marched to the Cross and
drank the king's health—many of them tossing their glasses
up in the air. In the evening the Council-Room was filled
with the Town-Council and their friends, doing every
justice to foreign and British spirits. This closed the
entertainments of the day, and with the outsiders two
hours' squeebing and display of sky-rockets at the Cannon,
amid huzzas, closed the King's Birth Day in Dunfermline in
the year of Grace. 1802." (W. D., &c.)
MAY GATE.—A
piece of ground adjoining the May Gate was purposed to be
bought, by public subscription, to allow of that street
being widened. To this laudable project the Council
subscribed ten guineas. (Burgh Records, June.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—James Moodie, Esq., re-elected Provost,
Sept., 1802. (Burgh Records.)
HARVEST—Bad
and Late.—There was "great murmuring in the town. It was
expected that the harvest would be an abundant one, and
the severe pressure of the dearth thereby relieved or
removed." (MS. Note.)
1803.—SOUTH
CHAPEL STREET.—"This very convenient New Road or Street,
now called by some the Chapel Road and Chapel Street, was
fully opened up and causwayed in Jan., 1803 [see 1800.]
The street takes up from the High Street direct to John
Reid, the teacher's school, at the top of the Rottenrow.
Previously the site of the street was composed of two
closes, full of old buildings, somewhat similar to the
other two closes fifty yards to the east." (MS. Note.)
It would be a great improvement if a wide street were to
be carried to the east end of Maygate, from the High
Street, directly opposite to South Chapel Street. (See An.
Dunf. date 1878, for " Randolph Street.")
WEAVING—Mr.
Bonnarr's Patent.—In the year 1803, Mr. Bonnar, weaver,
Dunfermline, made an important discovery "in the art of
loom-mounting," and for which he obtained a patent, which
was then known as 'the patent or comb draw-loom. " It
consisted of a number of iron combs, wrought as levers,
and catching the harness or the upright cords upon the
loom, by little pieces of wire with nobs on them, as the
combs ascended." In consequence of disputes about
encroachments on this invention, the town, from the
estimation in which they held the invention, purchased the
patent from Mr. Bonnar for £600, including law expenses.
(MS. Note; Chat. Hist. Dunf. vol. i. p. 357.)
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—James Moodie, Esq., re-elected Provost, Sept.
1803. (Burgh Records.)
GREAT RAIN.—Baldridge-Burn Bridge was carried away by the
violent force of the current of water in the burn." The
streets of the town were flooded. "Barrels, boxes, stools,
&c., might be seen rushing past in the stream." (MS.
Note.)
POST OFFICE
AND STAMP REVENUES.—Post Office Revenue, £654 10s.; Stamp
Revenue, £725. (P. 0. Report; MS. Note.)
1804.—
RECRUITING FOR THE ARMY,—" The company of soldiers
stationed in Dunfermline began early in this year to
rattle on their drums and play on their fifes for
recruits, in consequence of Bonaparte's threatened
invasion. The recruiting officer, in the parades through
the streets, made halts, especially on the market-days,
and thus addressed the crowd:—' Come, my lads, and be
gentlemen. Plenty of money will be taken in French towns;
and you'll never want hills of beef, mountains of
potatoes, and rivers of whiskey!'" (MS. Note.)
BRICK
WORK.—"In 1804 a pretty extensive Brick Work was
established in the fit-paith [Woodhead Street] by William
Chalmers, builder." (MS. Note.)
NATTES'
VIEW OF DUNFERMLINE ABBEY, &c,—Early in the year 1804 John
Claude Nattes published his "Scotia Depicta," an oblong
folio, containing a great many large views of castles,
churches, mansions, &c., in Scotland. No. 13 of the series
is entitled, "Dunfermline Abbey and Mill." The engraving
is 10 in. by 71/4 in. It was drawn by J. C. Nattes, and
engraved by Fittler. The view is taken from the S.E., near
the Upper Mill wheel on the brae. The view, a rather
inaccurate one, shows the upper part of the Pends and
Frater's Hall, with the Auld Kirk Steeple in the
background. On the right are seen several houses. The
great mass of smoke from an adjoining boiling-house
obscures a large portion of the view. In the foreground is
the Upper Mill and Wheel. The short description appended
to the view states that it was taken in 1799.
LECTURES ON
NATURAL HISTORY AND CHEMISTRY.—In a Town Council Minute of
30th June, "Provost Moodie reports that he had been
applied to by a gentleman of the name of Davidson,
Lecturer upon Natural History and Chemistry, for the use
of one of the rooms in the Town house, to deliver a course
of Lectures, which the Council agree to give him, and
authorize the Magistrates to grant accordingly." This was
the afterward celebrated Dr. Davidson, medical
practitioner, Dunfermline, and who, in 1812, was chosen
Professor of Natural History in Marischall College,
Aberdeen. (MS.)
THE
VOLUNTEERS.—The Dunfermline Volunteers became very active
early in 1804, calling upon the inhabitants to enrol
themselves in the corps, as a "French invasion was
iminent," "Great uneasiness and much bustle prevailed;
drilling went on daily in the Bowling Green, now the South
Churchyard, where immense crowds assembled, and sometimes
the lash was inflicted on the unruly and disorderly. The
following lines were in circulation this year in
Dunfermline; they appear to be similar to those sung in
other places, with local names introduced to suit the
Dunfermline worthies" (MSS.):—
" Hey
Volunteers, are ye waken yet?
Ho! jolly lads, are ye ready yet?
Are ye up? are ye drest? will ye all do your best
To fight Bonaparte in the morning?
"Now, brave
Volunteers, be it day, be it night,
When the Signal is given * that the French are in sight,
You must haste with your brethren in arms to unite
To fight Bonaparte in the morning.
"Then one
brave Captain Stark shall foremost be seen,
To lead on the corps, and to fight for renown;
To protect all that's dear, from the cot to the crown,
And heat Bonaparte in the morning.
"Hey,
Colonel Moodie, are ye waken yet?
Ho ! Andrew Adie, are ye ready yet?
Your knapsacks to fill—gie your canteens a fill—
And we'll beat Bonaparte in the morning.
"And.
should the Usurper in truth reach our shore,
We quickly shall march, and our cannons shall roar,
And we'll soon let him see we have grape-shot in store
To salute Bonaparte in the morning.
"And when
by the favour of Heaven on our arms,
We have conquered our foes, and are free'd from alarms,
With joy we'll return to our wives and our bairns,
When we've beat Bonaparte in the morning.
"Then each
jolly lad shall be met by his lass,
With a smile on her cheek, and a joyful caress;
And then shall the corps drink a full glowing glass
In remembrance of that glorious morning.
* A false
alarm was given about this time, by the lighting up of a
beacon-fire on some one of the hills in the south of
Scotland, which caused beacon after beacon to be lighted
up. The alarm reached Dunfermline about mid-night, the
"brave volunteers" got drest, resolved to do their best,
to meet Bonaparte that morning. Some of the "braves'' were
actually on march, when word came to them, on the road to
the Ferry, that it was a false alarm.
"And now
when we've met, let us drink to our king,
May his life be prolonged, may he happily reign;
May lie always command an artillery train
Fit to guard all our rights night and morning.
"Let us
drink to the Earl, the patron of our train,
And to Gillespie, from whom our practice we gain;
And to his men who assist and take.so much pains
To instruct as at drill in the morning."
The
following is a list: of some of the men of renown in the
Dunfermline Volunteer Corps of 1804:—
" Provost
Moodie was Lieutentant-Colonel; Andrew Adie, Captain;
Robert Stark, Brucefield, Captain; Mr. Bowes, Supervision
Captain; Robert
Fleming, Manuf., Lieutenant; David Beveridge, Merch.,
ditto; William
Bereridge, ditto and paymaster; Will. Henderson (the tuip)
play'd the
Symbols; Will. Walls and James Simpson, drummers; David
Paton, Bass-
drummer; Edward Weir, plaisterer. Bugler; W. Thomson,
vintner, Ho-Boy
(hautboy); Thomas Gillespie, drum-major; James Stenhouse
of Grange and
John Stenhouse, brewers, were flag-bearers." (MS. Note.)
If there
are any of the "old warriors of 1804" still alive, as we
hope there are, this song and these names will recall to
their memories the "doings, the stir, and loud hazzas of
these bygane times," and cheer them up.
BRANCH OF
BRITISH LINEN COMPANY'S BANK established in Dunfermline on
30th.August, 1804.
CROSSGATES.
— The Rev. John Alien was ordained the first minister of
the Secession Church in Crossgates on 29th Aug., 1804.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—James Moodie, Esq., Dunfermline, re-elected
Provost. (Burgh Records, Sept., 1804.)
PRINTING,
&c.—Mr. John Miller, bookseller, commenced business,
corner of Abbey Park Place, Dunfermline, and erected a
large Dutch Printing Press for carrying on the printing
business in all its branches." (MS. Note.)
POST-OFFICE
AND STAMP REVENUES.—The revenue derived from the
Post-Office, Dunfermline, in 1804, was about £650; and
from Stamps, £744 4s. (Fernie's Hist. Dunf, pp. 53, 54.)
MARRIAGES,
BAPTISMS, AND DEATHS.—Between Nov., 1803, and Nov., 1804,
there were 77 marriages, 314 baptisms, and 200 deaths in
Dunfermline Parish. (Fernie's Hist, Dunf. pp, 5, 6.)
WEAVING—Philp’s Improvement on Bonnar's Patent (see An.
Dunf. date 1803).—Mr. John Philp, weaver, &c.,
Dunfermline, improved so much on "Bonnar's Combs," that
one comb instead of two was sufficient for this part of
the weaving art. (MS.)
THEATRICALS
IN THE TOWN-HOUSE.—"About the end of the year 1804, a
company of comedians came to Dunfermline, and applied to
the authorities for the court-room in the town-house to
perform in; 'the unco guid' opposed the application with
great fury, but the dogged perseverance of the performers
at last prevailed; they got the use of the town-house for
a short period, and met with great success." (MS. Note.)
1805.—WATER— Private Water-Pipes.—Early in 1805 intimation
was made by the Water Committee to the public, that, by
complying with their conditions they might introduce water
into their houses by private pipes. A great many provided
themselves with the useful accommodation. (Fernie's Hist.
Dunf. p. 14.)
FRIENDLY
SOCIETIES.—The Townhill and the Berrylaw Friendly
Societies established in 1805. (Fernie's Hist. Dunf, p.
52.)
ADMIRAL
MITCHELL (of the Hill) raised to the rank of Admiral of
the Blue in 1805. (See An. Dunf. 1794-1806.)
SCOTTISH
BAPTISTS.—A small congregation of Scottish Baptists formed
in Dunfermline in 1805, having disjoined themselves from
the congregation of Independents in Woodhead Street; their
place of meeting was in the Union Lodge Room, west end of
Bridge Street. (Vide An. Dunf. date 1841.)
THE KING'S
BIRTHDAY.—The Town Council resolve to hold the King's
birthday by walking in procession to the Cross, and
drinking his Majesty's health, accompanied by the town's
band, &c. (MS.)
THE
VOLUNTEERS.—An Old MS. Note by J. A. alludes to the
constant drilling practised in the Bowling Green at this
period, and to the flogging of the recruits belonging to
the regular army, who were tied to the large tree which
stood at the back of the kirk on the centre walk. The
cries of many of them, while being flogged, were heard in
the Kirkgate and High Street, and produced most
uncomfortable feelings amongst the inhabitants.
PROVOST OF
DUNFERMLINE.—James Moodie, Esq., Dunfermline, re-elected
Provost. {Burgh Records, Sept, 1805.)
THE AULD
KIRK STEEPLE WEATHERCOCK.—"A townsman, J. M., a volunteer,
took aim at the weathercock, and sent a ball through its
neck; when the first high wind blew after that, the cock
made its first trial at producing melancholy sounds, which
both astonished and alarmed the inhabitants. Great crowds
gathered in the Kirkgate and the Kirkyard; the cause of
'the waesome soond' was discovered, and the nerves of the
serious were soothed. The bullet-hole continued during
high winds to sing out its melancholy strains unti! 1847,
when the hole was filled up." (MS. Note, Chal. Hist,
Dunf.)
DUNFERMLINE
ILLUMINATED— Death of Lord Nelson.—The sad news of the
death of Britain's great ”sea hero," Lord Nelson, in the
hour of victory, appears to have reached Dunfermline in
the beginning of November, 1805, which caused deep sorrow.
His great victory at Trafalgar was honoured by a general
illumination. Jacob Hannay, a weaver in Pittencrieff
Street, had two of his windows illuminated; the one window
with white candles for the victory obtained, the other
window had in it black candles, " mourning candles," for
the death of the hero! (MS. Note.)
POSTAL AND
STAMP REVENUES,—Postal revenue, £750; stamp revenue, £1182
[inter 1804-1805]. (Fernie's Hisf. Dunf. pp. 53, 54.)
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