Friday, 28 March 2014
Poorhouses in Scotland
Scotland has had a different Poor Law system to that of England . In 1579 the Scottish Parliament legislated enabling individual parishes to remunerate the impoverished living therein .It established a system which was not just an enumeration of the destitute but an examination of whether these individuals could find alternative means of support from other individuals or family members .They made begging and vagrancy public nuisances The Act intended to remove the responsibility for the support of the poor from the church to the parishes .
Magistrates were ordered to build Correction Houses or workhouses so that beggars could be made to work. In 1843, a Commission of Enquiry was set up to suggest improvements to the Scottish Poor Law system. Proposals suggested included:
Setting up a Board of Supervision and Parochial Boards ,the levying of a poor rate and joint poorhouses in urban areas. An Inspector of the Poor who could examine requests for relief.
After 1845, parishes in Scotland could choose to set up workhouses or, as happened in a large proportion of cases, just to give out-relief. The parishes or Combinations (Unions) of parishes that did operate formally constituted workhouses — more usually called poorhouses or poor's houses. Note that where a Combination includes parishes in more than one county, its placement is based on the location of the poorhouse.
More than a hundred Scottish parishes also operated a variety small local establishments variously known as almshouses, parish lodging houses, or parish homes
The Upper Strathearn Combination was formed in 1863 and initially comprised the eleven parishes of Auchterarder, Blackford, Crieff, Dunning, Forgandenny, Forteviot, Fowlis-Wester, Gask, Madderty, Methven, and Trinity-Gask. They were later joined by Ardoch. Callander, Comrie, Kilmadock, Monzievaird, and Muthill. The total population of the member parishes in 1881 was 27,337.
The Upper Strathearn Combination poorhouse was erected in 1863-4 on a site located to the south-west of Auchterarder. The architect was James Campbell Walker. The site location and layout are shown on the 1860s Ordnance Survey map .
After 1930, the poorhouse became known as the Strathearn Home. In 1946 it provided 71 beds including 14 chronic sick, 2 maternity, and 8 for certified mental cases, with the rest for destitute persons.
Crieff had its own small Poor house which was located to the rear of what is now Baird Buildings in East High Street , to the west of the Thistle Pub directly opposite what is now the Crieff Hotel .
Listed below is the Registered Poor List of Crieff Parish Council published in 1899 .
It numbers nearly some eighty persons and although many are listed simply as suffering from “ debility “ there are nearly twenty listed as “ insane “ . The system was devised to make sure that although individuals may live outwith the town the town had the obligation to pay their Poor Law allowance if they were deemed to be Crieff citizens .
Money was paid in “ old “ money . For example 2/- ( two shillings ) was the equivalent of 10 pence and 10/- ( ten shillings) was 50 pence .
Helen Hepburn 61 Poorhouse - - Single Debility
William Gilchrist ( lunatic) 58 Perth D Asylum - 10/- Single Insanity
Isabella Gow 76 Commissioner Street - 2/- and 20/- rent Single Debility
Alexander Murie (lunatic) 55 Milnab Street - 7/- and clothing Single Insanity
Elizabeth Buchan 87 Water Wynd - 2/6 Single Debility
James Dougal ( lunatic) 59 Perth D Asylum - 10/- Single Insanity
Alexander Cramb ( lunatic ) 61 Perth D asylum - 10/- Single Insanity
Margaret Allan ( lunatic ) 34 Gartmore - 7/- and clothing Single In sanity
Margaret McIntyre or Clink ( lunatic) 62 Perth D Asylum 10/- Widow Insanity
Mary Lyons or McAndrew 74 Commissioner Street 2/6 and 20/- rent Widow Weak health
William McInness 66 Poor House - - Single Sore hand etc
Ann Brough or Christie 88 Water Wynd - 10/- Widow Debility
George Drummond 35 Poor House - - Single Weak minded
Jean Robin 31 Poor House 3 - Single Deafness & young family
Jean Haggart 63 Gallowhill - 2/- Widow Young family
John Forbes ( lunatic ) 47 Gilmerton 14,13 3/- to family Married Insanity
Alexander McIntyre (lunatic)64 Gilmerton - 8/- & clothing Single Insanity
Jean Nicol or Clark 45 King Street 10 1/6 Widow Young family
Catherine Drummond or McNab 40 East high Streeet 10,8 2/- Widow Young family
James McNeil 10 Industrial School Perth - 2/6 Single Youth
Margaret Edward or Jolly 75 Burrell Street - 2/6 and 20/- rent Widow Debility
Elizabeth McNab or Thomson75 East High Street - 2/6 Widow Debility
Heriot Anthony or Wyllie 36 Commissioner Street 9,7 4/- Widow Young family
Margaret Robin ( lunatic ) 62 Perth D Asylum - 10/- Single Insanity
Emily Cameron or Wyllie 35 Cornton Place 10,8,6 4/6 Widow Young family
Colin Marshall 56 James Square 44,10,5 4/6 Married Ill health & young family
Thomas Duff or Robin 31 Poor House - Single Weak minded
Ann McEwan or McAinsh 79 Commissioner Street -2/6 in food, Rent 26/- & attce. Widow Blindness &Debility
Janet A Miller or McCulloch 42 Ramsay Street 14,12,10 &8 7/6 Widow Young family
Margaret McPhail or Ryder 81 North Bridge Street - 2/6 Widow Debility
Jessie Roy Hay 41 Water Wynd - 5/- Single Ill health
Catherine McGregor or Haggart 72 Bank Place - 2/- Widow Debility
Christina McNab 68 Water Wynd - 3/6 Single Debility
Mary McLauchlane or Johnston 55 Falkirk - 4/- Single Debility
Peter Cramb 12 Alichmore - 3/6 Single Youth
Louis Don ( lunatic ) 22 Bank Street - 5/- Single Insanity
Ann McPhee or Kelly 40 Dundee 16,14,8 3/- Widow Young family
Mary Dougall 14 Industrial School Perth 2/6 Single Youth
William Syme 10 Industrial School Perth 2/6 Single Youth
Catherine Syme 9 Industrial School Perth 2/6 Single Youth
John McLeod 81 Poorhouse 2/6 in food Single Debility
Annie McAra (lunatic ) 23 Perth D Asylum 10/- Single Insanity
Jessie Wilson 69 Poorhouse - - Single Debility
James Soutar 11 Industrial School Perth 2/6 Single Youth
Isabella McAinsh or McCulloch 79 East High Street 2/- in food & 20/-rent Widow Debility
James Haldane 72 Mitchell Street 68 5/- Married Debility
Peter J Miller 69 Burrell Street 4/- Widower Blindness
Christian Christie or Comrie 72 S Bridgend 2/- Widow Debility
Betsy Campbell 77 East High Street 2/6 Single Debility
Ann McLaren or Wyllie 74 Cross 2/6 in food Widow Debility
Mary A Meloy 54 East High Street 4/- Single Debility
Helen H Drummond 42 East High Street 11,9,7,4,2 7/6 Widow Young family
Catherine P Thomson 45 Auchterarder 11.9 3/- Widow Young family
Jessie Taylor ( lunatic ) 62 Perth D Asylum 10/- Single Insanity
Mary A McEwan(lunatic) 55 Perth D Asylum 10/- Single Insanity
Isabella McEwan (lunatic ) 47 Perth D Asylum 10/- Single Insanity
William Tainsh or Baxter 51 Irregular Irregular Single Debility
James Robin 14 Industrial School Perth 2/6 Single Youth
James Dow 1 Poorhouse Single Youth
Georgina Morrison 8 Assynt 3/- Single Youth
Jessie Morrison 6 Assynt 3/- Single Youth
Wm. Morrison 1 Assynt 3/- Single Youth
Barbara Morrison 9 Assynt 3/- Single Youth
Margt. D Drummond 63 Ladybank 3/6 Widow Debility
Peter Menzies ( lunatic ) 34 Perth D Asylum 33,9,7,75,3,1 10/- to familyMarried Insanity
James Routledge 71 Poorhouse Widower Debility
Peter Cameron 76 Poorhouse Single Debility
Jemima G Morgan ( lunatic) 37 Perth D Asylum 10/- Widow Insanity
Helen M Don 61 irregular Single Debility
Ann G Craig 17 Poorhouse Single Debility
Cath. McGregor Marshall 62 Alma Place 2/6 Widow Debility
Helen MN Duncan 42 Commissioner Street 12, 10, 7,4,2,1 7/6 Widow Young family
Sunday, 9 March 2014
One often assumes that the Great Plague which hit London in the 17th Century did not reach into the hinterlands of Strathearn . There are however a number documented incidents which make it quite clear that the Plague or to give it it’s correct designation - Bubonic Plague - was indeed around in these parts of Perthshire at the same time .
The Bubonic Plague spread to Europe from China in the 14th Century and remained a scourge for a some three centuries thereafter . It mainly attacks rodents but fleas can pass the disease to humans and it has devastating affect once contracted . The disease struck and killed people with terrible speed. The Italian writer Boccaccio said its victims often "ate lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors in paradise.". In the mid 1300s it’s affect in Europe was devastating . In winter the disease seemed to disappear, but only because fleas--which were now helping to carry it from person to person--are dormant then. Each spring, the plague attacked again, killing new victims. After five years 25 million people were dead--one-third of Europe's estimated population .
The ancient Abbey of Inchaffray at Madderty to the east of Crieff was burned in the 17th Century . Although it had ceased to be used for religious purposes after the Reformation , it was still occupied . It transpired that a young lady of means had arrived from London to escape the Plague and together with her servants had taken up residence in the old building . Shortly afterwards one of her retinue fell ill with what transpired to be the “ plague ”. Taking matters into their own hands the local populous set fire to the building and the terrified occupants duly perished in the all consuming conflagration . This however was not the tragic finale as two young local lassies Betsy Bell and Mary Gray became something of folk heroines after perishing from the plague . This account was published at the end of the 19th century .
"Bessie Bell and Mary Gray were the daughters of two country gentlemen in the neighbourhood of Perth, and an intimate friendship subsisted between them. Bessie Bell, daughter of the Laird of Kinnaird, happening to be on a visit to Mary Gray at her father's house at Lyndoch, when the plague of 1666 broke out. To avoid the infection, the two young ladies built themselves a bower in a very retired and romantic spot, called the Burnbraes, about three quarters of a mile westward from Lyndoch House, where they resided for some time, supplied with food, it is said, by a young gentleman of Perth who was in love with them both. The disease was unfortunately communicated to them by their lover and proved fatal; when, according to custom in cases of plague, they were not buried in the ordinary parochial place of sepulture, but in a sequestered spot called the Dronach Haugh, at the foot of a brae of the same name, upon the banks of the River Almond."
Three and half centuries on -smoke marked
stone indicates the fire that was !
The tragedy is recalled in the following song that today is still sung by folk musicians .
Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
They were bonnie lasses
They built them a bower on yon burn-side
They theeked it all over wi' rashes (theeked - thatched)
They theeked it all over wi' rashes green
They theeked it all over wi' heather
The plague cam' from the borough town
There is however a relic of these sad times not far from Crieff . At the extreme westerly point of Loch Monzievaird near where the old sluices were once located , there is an interesting note on the older ordnance survey maps which states “ Burial Place of Persons who died of the Plague / 17th Century ”. Check it out on the digital map produced by the National Library of Scotland http://maps.nls.uk/view/74428174 Once you have opened the site click on the map which magnifies and navigate west of Crieff to Loch Monzievaird .
More details about this were covered in a fascinating book published in 1880 by Oliphant of Edinburgh . The book was entitled Historic Scenes in Perthshire and was written by William Marshall an erudite Minister of the Church of Scotland from Coupar Angus . I duly quote from the good Reverend’s text :
“At the west end of the Loch of Monzievaird is a large mound, to which a melancholy historic interest attaches .The victims of the Plague which ravaged the district in the reign of Charles I were buried there .The visitation was severe , and , of course , proportionally alarming . It is on record that the gentleman of the district caused many huts to be erected , and ordered all the infected , as soon as any symptom of the pest having touched them appeared , to repair to the huts . The family of Ochtertyre , in particular, were singularly active , vigilant , and beneficent in the season of trial .They sent provisions of all kinds to the sick in the huts ; but they caused observation to be made every morning , from which direction the wind blew .If it was from the east , their servants had strict orders to lay down the provisions they carried a good way to the east of the huts ; and, if it was from the west , they had like orders to lay them down a good way to the west of the huts .The ‘ cleansers’ took them up after the servants were gone , and carried them to the diseased .”
Virtually all has been forgotten of those far off days when the people of Strathearn suffered not a little in the devastations of the dreaded Plague of yesteryear .