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A Bold Hare
In 1847 during the Highland Famine, a farmer tried to ship grain out of Beauly and was stopped by a group of starving men. The Sheriff tried to read the Riot Act and got a snowball to the face. 600 folk were at the Beauly Snowball Riot, which took 70 soldiers to break up.
Many in the English press had little sympathy for the starving folk of Beauly:
Whatever want of food may be felt at Beauly, there seemed to be no lack of whiskey [sic]. In the evening, the heroes who had volunteered their services in aid of the villages, were seen reeling home intoxicated. They had money to put themselves into this state, but they had none to buy bread!
Leamington Spa Courier, Saturday 27th February 1847
Sources
“The Beauly Rioters”. John O’ Groat Journal, Friday 16th April 1847, pg 3.
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Pie Monday!
On the Monday immediately preceding the Dalkeith Hiring-Fair in October (2nd Thursday of the month), Musselburgh celebrated a day known as Pie Monday.
To correctly celebrate Pie Monday everyone *must* have a hot mutton pie for tea, as simple as that.
It is meant to have started when a baker’s horse was lamed in Musselburgh as they were on the way to Dalkeith with a full cart of pies and something had to be done to prevent waste! They sold so well that the following year he was sold out before getting to Dalkeith and so it became a yearly tradition.
Musselburgh let it fall by the wayside and no longer celebrate hot mutton pies in October. They should sort that out!
Source
Stirling, R. McD. (1894) Inveresk Parish Lore from Pagan Times. T.C. Blair, Musselburgh. 284pp.
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AUVISBORE
AUVISBORE. n. The hole left in a piece of wood after the knot has fallen out. Thought to be the work of faeries, who push the knot out and spy on you.
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When RLS gave his birthday away
In 1891, Robert Louis Stevenson gifted “the rights and privileges” of his birthday (13th Nov) to 12 year old Annie Ide of Vermont, who was unlucky enough to be born on Christmas Day.
She left it in her will to her niece, who left it to her granddaughter. Written in faux Scots law legalese, if the “terms” are defaulted on, the birthday becomes the property of the current US president!
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Invoiced for their own death
In February 1597, Aberdeen women Johnnet Wischart and Issobell Cockie were accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death. Aberdeen invoiced them for their own burning. They were also billed for the burial of their “accomplice”, Issobell Mantheith.
From what I can tell from the burgh record extracts, Issobell, Johnnet, and Johnnet’s son Thomas Leyis were named “ringleaders” in group conviction of witches and the three of them were sent bills as they were able to pay. Others were already dead or unable to pay. Issobell Mantheith had hanged herself in prison before she could be executed.
It looks like the whole Leyis family were an unpopular one as they (7 of them) plus 3 complices were executed or banished. The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft says doesn’t mention strangulation, just that they were burnt. (Women convicted of witchcraft were usually strangled before being cremated, but in 1597, they seem to have been burnt alive).
UPDATE: I’m sure a historian of witch trials in Scotland could say much more about how common it was to be invoiced for your own death, but I found some more examples of “receipts” in the Annals of Pittenweem for the 1640s.
3d Nov. 1643. — John Dawson has made payment of his grassmail, and of the soume of £40, expenses depursit upon executing his wyff, to the treasurer.
18th Dec. 1643 –Thomas Cook, son to Margaret Horsbrugh, is ordainit to pay three score of punds for expenses debursit on the executing of his said mother for witchcraft.
12th Jan 1644.– Archibald and Thomas Wanderson are decerned to pay the soumes of ane hundredth marks for defraying of the charges depursit upon their wives, execut for witchcraft.
Cook, D. (ed.) (1867) Annals of Pittenweem : being notes and extracts from the ancient records of that burgh, 1526-1793. pp.49-50
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Battle of Embo spectres
Crossing the moor and links between Embo House and the sea, locals would see “spectral hosts” that would charge and repel each other. Many would not take the path near sunrise, when the apparitions, thought to be ghosts from the Battle of Embo, would appear.
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Ship sent from hell
As the PS Comet (the first paddle steamer) came towards Bute in 1812, folk flocked to the shore to see. As it pulled into Rothesay, the locals ran up Barone Hill in fear, thinking it a ship sent from hell by the deil himsel as they’d never seen its like before.
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Haund will wag abune the grave
The Laird of Tillicoultry punched a priest after an argument about not paying church dues. After the laird died, his fist kept bursting out of his grave, punishment for his sin. He was reinterred, but the fist kept rising. Locals rolled a giant stone onto his grave to keep it by his side.
This is said to be the origin of the Scots saying “Yer haund will wag abune the grave” –said to children who dared strike a parent. (The grave is in Tillicoultry Old Kirkyard)
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Death on the shinty pitch
Newtonmore are famous for their shinty skill. In Jan 1890, their defence had so little to do no one thought much of 25yo Ewen Cattanach lying down on the field. Only after 30mins play did the ball come down field and it was clear Ewen was dead (heart attack).
