by Dr Jean Barclay In 1779 a Carnock widow, Janet Kirk or Boswell, compiled this receipt for the sale of three slaves in Jamaica whom she inherited from her son. A few details about Janet and what little is known about the slaves can be found at the end: `I Janet Kirk an Indweller in the village and parish of Carnock, parish thereof in the County of ffife North Britain, widow of Andrew Boswell weaver in Carnock aforsaid, and sole Heir and Executrix of the also deceased ffrancis Boswell procreate betwixt the said umqull (late) Andw my husband and me, Grant me by these presents instantly to have Received from Malcolm Laing Esqr of the Island of Jamaica, my attorney there (by the hands of Gilbert Meason Esqr of Edinr Bankers) the sum of One hundred and fifty pounds Stg as the price of three negroes sold by the said Malcolm Laing Esqr to James Nasmyth Esqr named Sandy, Robinhood, and Cudjoe, which were the property of the said ffrancis Boswell my Son, deceased, Therefore will ye me to have Exonered (exonerate) and Discharged as I hereby Exoner, acquit and Discharge the said Malcolm Laing Esq (his heirs Exetrs (executors), and administrators of the forsaid sum of One hundred and ffifty pounds sterling as the price of said three negroes, and I hereby Bind and Oblige myself, my Heirs, Exetrs and Successors, to warrant this Discharge as a sufficient Exoneration of the premisses (sic) at all hands and against all deadly as law will, Consenting to the registration hereof, in…
Provost Daniel Alexander Fraser
by George Beattie Daniel Alexander Fraser was born on 19th June, 1874, at Monastery Street, Dunfermline, the younger son of Alexander Fraser and his wife, Catherine. His career was spent in the family firm of Fraser and Carmichael, the large Dunfermline firm whose interests included milling, wholesale and retail grocery, brewing and the City Hotel. He was also a renowned Provost of Dunfermline. In 1904, he married Beatrice Mitchell, the daughter of Michael Mitchell, Farmer. Daniel Fraser’s lengthy obituary in the Dunfermline Press of 31st July, 1937, centred mainly on his contribution to municipal affairs in his home town, with which he had been involved for several years. He was elected a member of the Town Council in 1920 and quickly showed his business efficiency as Convenor of the Gas Committee. Four years later he was elevated to the rank of Chief Magistrate, or Provost, and occupied that position for three years. If his colleagues’ desires had been fulfilled he would have undertaken another term of office. When his intention to retire was announced, practically all the members of Council signed a requisition expressing “their high appreciation of the manner in which he conducted the business of the Council and earnestly desiring him to stand for re-election”. The reason why he did not accede to this request was that he felt the strain of the duties devolved upon him, particularly on public and ceremonial occasions. Mr Fraser’s Provost-ship was marked by business…
The Millers of Bridge Street
Printers, Booksellers, Bookbinders and Stationers, 1780-1883 by Dr Jean Barclay The early 19th century saw a revolution in the art of printing as the wooden hand presses with moveable type that had been in use since Gutenberg and Caxton`s time in the 15th century gradually became mechanised. Then wooden presses were replaced by iron `screw` presses like the Stanhope press of 1800 which could print 480 pages an hour. By the mid-19th century hand presses were being replaced by steam-powered rotary presses allowing printing to be done on an industrial scale. Lithographic printing in which a flat stone or metal plate was used with grease applied to images to attract the ink while the rest was ink-repellent, enabled complex illustrations to be reproduced. These developments boosted the printing industry. At the end of the first 300 years of printing there were 39 printing towns in Scotland but in the 19th century another168 were added. Among a new generation of printers were the Millers of Haddington, Dunbar and Dunfermline and John Miller and his son, John, printers, booksellers, bookbinders and stationers, were a familiar presence in Dunfermline for nearly 60 years. John Miller, After a water colour by Henry Gilbert John Miller senior was born in Dunbar in September 1780 to John Miller and Mary Deans, who only survived the birth by a few hours. His father died when he was nine and he was brought up by his half-brother George, a printer and bookseller in Dunbar and Haddington….
The Masons’ Marks on Rumbling Bridge – An Answer!
By George Robertson, FSAScot. At the end of my article on Thomas Henry Tuckett, I made an appeal for assistance in identifying the stone masons’ marks on Rumbling Bridge and, at last, a part answer has been provided. The information was provided by Andrew Medley, who contacted Dunfermline Historical Society. His friend Davy Guild, whilst recording the gravestones in Saline Old Kirk yard, noticed one of the stones was inscribed with a masons’ mark which was identical to the mark between the first set of initials, LM, on the Rumbling Bridge stone. Andrew pointed out that he and Davy are involved, as volunteers, with archaeologist Moira Greig, in recording the masons’ marks in Dunfermline Abbey. Davy also had personal knowledge of the mason’s marks on Rumbling Bridge which made it possible for him to make the connection between the Saline gravestone, and the stone on Rumbling Bridge. The Saline gravestone marked the burial place of Lewis Mercer, and his wife Margaret Scott. Examination of the Saline census returns for 1841, 1851 and 1861 showed that Lewis, born in 1807, was the eldest of three brothers, the others being Lawrence, born 1811, and David Mercer, born 1816. The brothers were all stone masons, and all born in Saline. Since the first set of initials and masons’ mark on the Rumbling Bridge stone have now been identified as those of Lewis Mercer, it is my opinion the second and third initials, LM and DM, and masons’ marks, must be those of his brothers Lawrence…
How to Behave in Church
Jean Barclay has been searching through the archives and has discovered an interesting article written in the 19th Century. Proper decorum to be observed in the Church especially during Divine Service by David Birrell (Notes by Jean Barclay) It is not my intention to occupy much of your time on this important subject, but I honestly trust that the few observations I intend making will be listened to with attention, hopeful at the same time it may prove profitable to one and all of us. I would in the first place draw your attention to the practice of some members of the Congregation being always rather late in making their appearance in the Church – I am however very glad in being able to say that this is by no means a general practice in the Free Abbey, indeed I may say far less than in many Churches I have visited, but I would at same time beg of those who are occasionally the last in making their appearance that in future (especially those on the right hand side of the Pulpit) they would use their best endeavours to come one minute or two earlier than they have been accustomed to heretofore – indeed on some days I have noticed our Worthy Minister wending his way with some difficulty from his room to the Pulpit, so much so that I have been thinking it would be a vast improvement to have our friend Robert Marshall (probably the beadle) to walk before in place of after the Minister. I shall now proceed to notice what I may justly call a nuisance that is continued almost…