In 1842 workers went on strike at John Cochrane’s bleachworks at Kirktonfield, Neilston. He tried to break the strike by filling the workers’ dorms with chlorine gas “as a joke”. He almost killed 150 women, had to meet their demands, and became “Smeekin Johnny”.
In 1908 Allandale boy, Francis O’Neil’s stepmother made him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs as “he was aye stealing the jam” and “throwing letters up the chimney”. She was fined £3.
In 1825, Dunfermline weaver David Hatton, set up a “factory” to spin thread using specialized designed mills powered by mice. Hatton’s mouse mills were a sensation and many came to Dunfermline to see them in action.
John Stewart (1806-1862) “Lochwinnoch Jock” was a professional beggar and local celebrity. He used his gigantic stature to defend kids who he saw being bullied. Sadly he was epileptic and homeless, and often treated very poorly. He got many obituaries on his death.
Mary Buek’s (1777-1854) husband was pressganged from a Cellardyke fishing boat. She found him, gave birth at the Battle of Copenhagen, was a nurse at Trafalgar, and helped pickle Nelson’s body in brandy. Afterwards, she ran a pub in Cellardyke with her husband.
Mary is buried in Kilrenny Kirkyard.
She is mentioned in Sara Sheridan’s book, “Where are the Women?“
Prior to the 17th Century, Cupar was flanked by a sizable loch and wetland. Since drained, it required a ferry to cross it (dashed line) and kept the Lords of the Congregation and Mary of Guise’s armies apart in 1559. The Bonnygate and Crossgate are marked in red for ref.
BUTTOCKMAIL. n. fine paid to the kirk for intercourse outside of wedlock. Like BLACKMAIL, but for buttocks.
“Wi ruefu face and signs o grace / I paid the buttock-hire”
Robert Burns – The Fornicator
Burns would’ve paid his buttockmail to the Tarbolton Kirk in about 1785.
GELL-WIVES. n. Women who collected leeches from marshes using their bare legs. Using a stick called a GELL-RUNG they stirred up the GELLS from deep pools. Frequently heard singing “Mally Messlin”, the Gell-wive’s song.
In 1948, 7 ex-servicemen seized land from Conservative MP and Nazi spy, Lord Brocket, and started farms. The “Seven Men of Knoydart” were public heroes, but ultimately removed from the land by court order. Brocket sold up a year later and left for Ireland.
In October 1785, Vincenzo Lunardi flew a hydrogen-powered balloon from George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh to Coaltown of Callange, near Ceres in Fife– a distance of 46 miles. It was the first successful aerial journey in Scotland.
