On 4th Feb 1881, two men thought to have fled to Scotland from Ned Kelly’s bushranger gang assaulted 5 people with sticks and pistols on Leith’s Ferry Rd. After a police shootout one was arrested and one shot himself through the head on Commerical Street.
BARRING-OUT. n. Tradition where schoolboys staged sit-ins to extend Autumn break. In 1595 the principal of the Royal High School Edinburgh, Hercules Rollock let boys go too far and had to get in the police. A battering ram was used and a student shot a baillie through the forehead.
And we can all agree that Hercules Rollock is an excellent name.
Walter Scott was apparently an expert on this page of the school’s history.
Bef. 19th C, Newhaven was a gyneocracy run by its fishwives. Men needed their wife’s permission to join a war. Women set fish prices and controlled the local economy. Nicknamed “Maggie Mucklebackit”, the typical Newhaven fishwife could carry 50-100kg of fish.
Galashiels man George Reavely (1815-1895) was the McGonagall of inventors. Tried to fly from Gala to Edinburgh with mechanical batwings. His “flotation mattress-bed” sank in front of a large crowd. He won bronze for an invention that almost killed the expo judge.
In 1821, James Weir was the most famous baby in Scotland. Because of his extreme size, his parents brought him through to Edinburgh to be exhibited. A happy active child, he sadly died at 17 months. His grave can be seen in Cambusnethan Old Churchyard in Wishaw.
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.
The 14th century chronicler Jean Froissart wrote in French. After travelling in Scotland, he invented French translations for Scottish places.
Edinburgh – HANDEBOURCH
Stirling – STRUVELIN
Roxburgh – ROSEBOURCH
Aberdeen – BREDANE
Fife – FII
Dalkeith – ALQUEST
Dundee – DONDIEU
Dumbarton – DOUBRETAGNE
Strathearn – ASTRADERN
Erskine – VERSI
Buchan – BOSQUEM
Sutherland – SURLANCKT
Moray – MORET
Jedburgh – GEDEOURS
Twa Camels in Edinburgh:
In January 1659 a dromedary camel was brought to the Canongate in Edinburgh. Crowds paid 3 pence a head to see the “heich great beast callit ane Drummodary”. Probably the 1st camel in Scotland outside royal menageries of old.
Charles I had a camel his menagerie in Edinburgh in 1633. John Grahame got it on a 6 month lease “to carie said camel throughout the Kingdome an show the people by towcke of drum or sound of trumpet” but not “upon the Sabboth day”.
On 19th August 1574, Edinburgh woman Jonet Cadye was put on trial for “dansing in menis clething…disagysed in welvot breikis (velvet trousers)”. The Kirk gave her 8 days probation.
Register of the General Kirk of Edinburgh. 19th August 1574. “Jonet Cadie and the Kirk”
For much of the 18th century, teething in babies was a major source of mortality.
In the 1730s, ~10% of all deaths (not just babies) was attributed to teething.
Doctors advised “deeply lancing” gums to prevent inflammation.
Data from Edinburgh, 1739.
