A book published in 1880 tells that:
Some 30 or 40 years ago, an old blacksmith in the village of Cairnryan had occasion to go to London. The cause of his visit we know not, but it was his first trip to the “modern Babylon,” if not, indeed, to any large city.
As he was somewhat of an enquiring turn of mind, and rather intelligent in his way, he seemed anxious to make the most of his visit, as far as sight-seeing was concerned. Amongst other places of special interest, he was very desirous to see through the Houses of Parliament. But how was this to be accomplished? Without any fixed purpose, he sauntered up Parliament Street. Noting a well-dressed gentleman about to pass him, he went up to the stranger, and accosting him asked if he could tell what plan to adopt to get to see through the Houses of Parliament.
The stranger, in return, asked, 'Where do you come from?' 'I come from Cairnryan,” was the reply. “Cairnryan! That is in Scotland, I presume?' 'Yes,' 'Is it a town or a village?' 'A country village, sir.' 'Is it under any landed proprietor?' 'Yes; under General Wallace.' 'Oh, indeed,' rejoined the stranger. 'Is the general still able to superintend the affairs of his estate?' 'No,” said the smith; 'he has been blind for several years past.' 'Do you know the General?' asked the stranger. 'Yes; I am his blacksmith.'
The unknown gentleman then took a slip of paper from his pocket, and wrote something on it, handing it to Vulcan, and saying, 'You see that person in livery? Go up to him and give him that, and he will let you see through the Houses.' The blacksmith went up and presented his paper as directed. The liveried man asked, 'Do you know who the person is you were speaking to? 'No,' was the reply. 'Yon,' said the man, is the Duke of Wellington!'
Lowland Lore of Wigtownshire of Long Ago, by Gordon Fraser. Published Wigtown. 1880. Pages 80-81.
Cairnryan is just north of Stranraer and today it is the site of the large ferry port for Ireland. The Duke of Wellington, 1769-185, led the Allied forces that defeated the French in the Napoleonic Wars. He was Prime Minister from 1828 to1830 and Commander in Chief of the Army.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
An aristocratic shooting match
England versus Scotland matches always raise passions and here is an account of a shooting contest that took place in 1823. It was written by Sir Herbert Maxwell, of Monreith estate, near Port William, and appeared in a book written when he was 88, published in 1932.
Sir Herbert wrote: “The following account of a match at partridge shooting was written by my father who was present all the time during the two days in October 1823. In comparing the match with present-day conditions, it is worth remembering that one hundred years ago the sportsman carried a muzzle-loader, flint-lock gun and shot all his birds over setters or pointers.”
Sir Herbert's father wrote: “My father [Sir Herbert's grandfather, who died in 1838 and who had lost an arm commanding the 26th Cameronians under Sir John Moore at Coruna] made a bet, I forget with whom, that he would find a man to shoot 100 brace [a brace is two birds, so, 200 birds] of partridges in one day on his estate in Wigtownshire. He asked Lord Kennedy [Son of the first Marquess of Ailsa, died 1832] to do it for him, who, after pronouncing it impossible, backed himself to shoot partridges on two days in Scotland against Mr W. Coke [Nephew of Coke of Holkham who was created Earl of Leicester in 1837] in Norfolk in the month of October.
“Lord Kennedy had intended to shoot his first day at Newton Don near Kelso, and was not expected at Monreith for ten days. My father was not at home, and only I, a lad of seventeen, was here to receive him when he arrived unexpectedly at Port William about 9 a.m., having travelled all night.
“Hearing of his arrival I went and found him, Valentine Maher (umpire for Coke) and Farquharson of Blackhall just finishing breakfast. Lord Kennedy gave me a letter he had from Sir Alexander Don saying that he could not ensure him twenty brace at Newton Don as the corn was all uncut, and advising to shoot both the days of his match with Coke at Monreith. In consequences he had posted [travelled] all night in order to be here in time for the first appointed day, as well as for the hundred brace match. I told Lord Kennedy I could not let him go on the ground kept for the hundred brace match, and I went off in search of our gamekeeper, who told me he could only take his lordship either to ground that had been shot over in September, or to other ground which had been driven and disturbed in preparation for the hundred brace match.
“About eleven o'clock Lord Kennedy started, and that day got between forty and fifty brace. Coke shooting on the same day at Holkham ninety-three brace. My father came home that evening, having been well night lost in a gale in his yacht. He wished Lord Kennedy to stay and walk over the ground before the second day of the match, but he would not, and returned only on the evening before the second day's shooting.
“On that day, when the hundred brace match was to be decided, when Kennedy stopped at a farm house at 11.30 a.m., he had sixty brace in the bag, and the best of the ground before him. It was still a fine day. We had a brace of steady old setters ready for him, but he would not shoot a bird over them, insisting upon using his own black pointers, which had never before been shot over except on moorland. Also he refused to follow the coveys marked into whins and broken ground, seeming to think that would not be fair, although Coke's umpire Val Maher agreed that he ought to do so.
“The only 'hedge' which my father had to a heavy book was a bet of some twenty guineas that Kennedy would not get a shot in twenty minutes if he persevered over a line of bare grass fields, instead of going to the driven and marked coveys. As it was, he got 93½ brace and Coke at Holkham 96 brace. I think these were the numbers; at any rate neither of them made the 100 brace, while each shot more than 90 brace.”
A footnote explains: “In Yarrell's British Birds, vol ii. p. 389 (ed 1856), the numbers differ from those given by my father as follows:
“First Day. Sir William Maxwell's figures: Lord Kennedy, 45 brace. Mr Coke 93 brace. Yarrell's figures: Lord Kennedy 50 brace. Mr Coke 80½ brace. Second Day. Sir William Maxwell's figures: Lord Kennedy 93½ brace. Mr Coke 96 brace. Yarrell's figures: Lord Kennedy 82 brace. Mr Coke 87½ brace.”
The account continues: “A great many dead birds were picked up here afterwards. Both Val Maher and Farquharson were disappointed with Lord Kennedy's shooting; but I have never seen anything so good. Certainly very few birds were missed, and the whole ground was strewn with cripples for days afterwards. I recollect my father saying nothing on earth would induce him to allow another match to be shot on his land. I am convinced that Lord Kennedy killed and 'kilt' 120 brace that day. None of us had the least doubt – nor, after the event had Lord Kennedy himself – that he would have killed over one hundred brace had be shot over old dogs and gone where our gamekeeper advised. I remember being told that Coke had his birds driven into turnips, and shot over an old pointer 'as slow as a man.”'
Sir Herbert Maxwell commented: “A radical and, in my opinion, regrettable change was wrought in grouse and partridge shooting by the introduction of breech-loading guns. That became general about the end of the 'sixties [1860s], and tended to change field sportsmen into mere marksmen. Previous to that shooters relied upon well-trained setters or pointers to find game for them, and due consideration had to be given to the dogs. They must not be hustled in drawing up the birds; they got a few minutes rest at 'down charge' for the muzzle-loader, which was of special advantage to them in hot weather. I always derived more pleasure from the behaviour of the dogs that found the game for me than from the mere knack of bagging it.
“A discussion on this subject with a neighbouring laird, Machaffie or Torrhousemuir, resulted in a match being arranged between us – he to have birds driven into turnips and walk them up, which he maintained was the surest way to make a good bag. I to shoot over pointers handled by myself. The result was very near a tie. Machaffie bagged 57½ brace of partridges and 5 grouse; and I, working three brace of pointers – one brace at a time – shot 61 brace of partridges and one grouse. I was very tired that night, for in addition to working the pointer I lifted practically every bird from my own retriever.”
Earlier in the book Sir Herbert gives details of the birds shot by Lord Stair on Tuesday, 3rd December 1931. Lord Stair, of Castle Kennedy near Stranraer, said: “Five of us, including myself, went out to fill every column of the game book, and succeeded as follows:
“1 grey-lag goose, 4 grouse, 2 blackcocks, 1 partridge, 6 cock pheasants, 4 woodcockes, 4 snipe, 2 golden plover, 88 wood pigeons, 2 stock doves, 1 water hen, 1 sparrow hawk, 1 mallard, 1 widgeon, 3 teal, 1 shoveller, 1 pochard, 1 tufted duck, 4 golden eye, 3 roedeer, 3 brown hares, 1 blue hare, 11 rabbits, 2 carrion crows.”
Monreith House and estate, Galloway, see: www.monreithhouse.co.uk. A sign at the estate says that it is open from Good Friday to September 30. Telephone 01988 700 248. Holkham Hall is next to the village of Holkham, on the north coast of Norfolk. It is at the heart of a 25,000 acre private estate and is the home of the Earls of Leicester. It is open to the public for tours. See: www.holkham.co.uk. Presumably, shooting continues at both estates today. The account of the 1823 shooting match can be found, pages 130-134, Maxwell, Sir Herbert. Evening Memories. Alexander Maclehose and Co, London. 1932. The 1931 bag appears on page 14.
Sir Herbert wrote: “The following account of a match at partridge shooting was written by my father who was present all the time during the two days in October 1823. In comparing the match with present-day conditions, it is worth remembering that one hundred years ago the sportsman carried a muzzle-loader, flint-lock gun and shot all his birds over setters or pointers.”
Sir Herbert's father wrote: “My father [Sir Herbert's grandfather, who died in 1838 and who had lost an arm commanding the 26th Cameronians under Sir John Moore at Coruna] made a bet, I forget with whom, that he would find a man to shoot 100 brace [a brace is two birds, so, 200 birds] of partridges in one day on his estate in Wigtownshire. He asked Lord Kennedy [Son of the first Marquess of Ailsa, died 1832] to do it for him, who, after pronouncing it impossible, backed himself to shoot partridges on two days in Scotland against Mr W. Coke [Nephew of Coke of Holkham who was created Earl of Leicester in 1837] in Norfolk in the month of October.
“Lord Kennedy had intended to shoot his first day at Newton Don near Kelso, and was not expected at Monreith for ten days. My father was not at home, and only I, a lad of seventeen, was here to receive him when he arrived unexpectedly at Port William about 9 a.m., having travelled all night.
“Hearing of his arrival I went and found him, Valentine Maher (umpire for Coke) and Farquharson of Blackhall just finishing breakfast. Lord Kennedy gave me a letter he had from Sir Alexander Don saying that he could not ensure him twenty brace at Newton Don as the corn was all uncut, and advising to shoot both the days of his match with Coke at Monreith. In consequences he had posted [travelled] all night in order to be here in time for the first appointed day, as well as for the hundred brace match. I told Lord Kennedy I could not let him go on the ground kept for the hundred brace match, and I went off in search of our gamekeeper, who told me he could only take his lordship either to ground that had been shot over in September, or to other ground which had been driven and disturbed in preparation for the hundred brace match.
“About eleven o'clock Lord Kennedy started, and that day got between forty and fifty brace. Coke shooting on the same day at Holkham ninety-three brace. My father came home that evening, having been well night lost in a gale in his yacht. He wished Lord Kennedy to stay and walk over the ground before the second day of the match, but he would not, and returned only on the evening before the second day's shooting.
“On that day, when the hundred brace match was to be decided, when Kennedy stopped at a farm house at 11.30 a.m., he had sixty brace in the bag, and the best of the ground before him. It was still a fine day. We had a brace of steady old setters ready for him, but he would not shoot a bird over them, insisting upon using his own black pointers, which had never before been shot over except on moorland. Also he refused to follow the coveys marked into whins and broken ground, seeming to think that would not be fair, although Coke's umpire Val Maher agreed that he ought to do so.
“The only 'hedge' which my father had to a heavy book was a bet of some twenty guineas that Kennedy would not get a shot in twenty minutes if he persevered over a line of bare grass fields, instead of going to the driven and marked coveys. As it was, he got 93½ brace and Coke at Holkham 96 brace. I think these were the numbers; at any rate neither of them made the 100 brace, while each shot more than 90 brace.”
A footnote explains: “In Yarrell's British Birds, vol ii. p. 389 (ed 1856), the numbers differ from those given by my father as follows:
“First Day. Sir William Maxwell's figures: Lord Kennedy, 45 brace. Mr Coke 93 brace. Yarrell's figures: Lord Kennedy 50 brace. Mr Coke 80½ brace. Second Day. Sir William Maxwell's figures: Lord Kennedy 93½ brace. Mr Coke 96 brace. Yarrell's figures: Lord Kennedy 82 brace. Mr Coke 87½ brace.”
The account continues: “A great many dead birds were picked up here afterwards. Both Val Maher and Farquharson were disappointed with Lord Kennedy's shooting; but I have never seen anything so good. Certainly very few birds were missed, and the whole ground was strewn with cripples for days afterwards. I recollect my father saying nothing on earth would induce him to allow another match to be shot on his land. I am convinced that Lord Kennedy killed and 'kilt' 120 brace that day. None of us had the least doubt – nor, after the event had Lord Kennedy himself – that he would have killed over one hundred brace had be shot over old dogs and gone where our gamekeeper advised. I remember being told that Coke had his birds driven into turnips, and shot over an old pointer 'as slow as a man.”'
Sir Herbert Maxwell commented: “A radical and, in my opinion, regrettable change was wrought in grouse and partridge shooting by the introduction of breech-loading guns. That became general about the end of the 'sixties [1860s], and tended to change field sportsmen into mere marksmen. Previous to that shooters relied upon well-trained setters or pointers to find game for them, and due consideration had to be given to the dogs. They must not be hustled in drawing up the birds; they got a few minutes rest at 'down charge' for the muzzle-loader, which was of special advantage to them in hot weather. I always derived more pleasure from the behaviour of the dogs that found the game for me than from the mere knack of bagging it.
“A discussion on this subject with a neighbouring laird, Machaffie or Torrhousemuir, resulted in a match being arranged between us – he to have birds driven into turnips and walk them up, which he maintained was the surest way to make a good bag. I to shoot over pointers handled by myself. The result was very near a tie. Machaffie bagged 57½ brace of partridges and 5 grouse; and I, working three brace of pointers – one brace at a time – shot 61 brace of partridges and one grouse. I was very tired that night, for in addition to working the pointer I lifted practically every bird from my own retriever.”
Earlier in the book Sir Herbert gives details of the birds shot by Lord Stair on Tuesday, 3rd December 1931. Lord Stair, of Castle Kennedy near Stranraer, said: “Five of us, including myself, went out to fill every column of the game book, and succeeded as follows:
“1 grey-lag goose, 4 grouse, 2 blackcocks, 1 partridge, 6 cock pheasants, 4 woodcockes, 4 snipe, 2 golden plover, 88 wood pigeons, 2 stock doves, 1 water hen, 1 sparrow hawk, 1 mallard, 1 widgeon, 3 teal, 1 shoveller, 1 pochard, 1 tufted duck, 4 golden eye, 3 roedeer, 3 brown hares, 1 blue hare, 11 rabbits, 2 carrion crows.”
Monreith House and estate, Galloway, see: www.monreithhouse.co.uk. A sign at the estate says that it is open from Good Friday to September 30. Telephone 01988 700 248. Holkham Hall is next to the village of Holkham, on the north coast of Norfolk. It is at the heart of a 25,000 acre private estate and is the home of the Earls of Leicester. It is open to the public for tours. See: www.holkham.co.uk. Presumably, shooting continues at both estates today. The account of the 1823 shooting match can be found, pages 130-134, Maxwell, Sir Herbert. Evening Memories. Alexander Maclehose and Co, London. 1932. The 1931 bag appears on page 14.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Lovely walls have bleak background
The many dry stone walls that criss-cross the Dumfries and Galloway landscape are much loved today as an integral part of the landscape. However, they have a grim history.
The Rev C. H. Dick explains in his book, Highways and Byways of Galloway and Carrick, published in 1916:
“...about 1725, when we hear of the Levellers. The trouble was occasioned by the fencing of fields and other measures adopted for the improvement of their estates by the Galloway proprietors. The former practice was that each tenant had the right of pasturage over the whole property of the landlord, and this provided employment for many herds. The erection of the dykes interfered with this work. At the same time the grouping of small crofts into farms led to much hardship. The evicted families emigrated to America and elsewhere if they had the means; otherwise they were thrown into great distress and sought desperately to obstruct the operations of the landlords. It was at Whitsunday, 1723, that the new measures began to take effect.
The lords and lairds they drive us out
From maillings where we dwell;
The poor man says, “Where shall we go?”
The rich says, “Go to hell.”
These words they spoke in jest and mocks;
But by their works we know
That if they have their herds and flocks,
They care not where we go.
Against the poor they still prevail
With all their wicked works,
And will enclose both more and dale
And turn corn fields to parks.
The discontented, however, did more than compose or repeat lampoons. A great annual fair was held at Kelton Hill [near Castle Douglas] in the month of June and here the plan for a general levelling of the fences was devised.
A company of Levellers might consist of about fifty men with a captain, and, according to the account in The Castle Douglas Weekly Visitor, “each man was furnished with a strong kent (or piece of wood) from six to eight feet in length, which he fixed into the dyke at the approved distance from the foundation and from his neighbour. After having ascertained that all was ready, the captain bawled out, 'Ow'r wi't, boys,' - and ow'r accordingly it tumbled, with a shout that might have been heard at a distance of miles.”
Dragoons had to be brought into Galloway to suppress the movement; but they behaved with restraint, and only a few lives were sacrificed. The malcontents made their last stand at Duchrae in the parish of Balmaghie [north of Castle Douglas], where the military took over two hundred prisoners. As they were being marched to Kirkudbright, many of them were allowed to escape; but the leaders were brought to trial. Some were punished with fines or imprisonment, and others were banished to the plantations [of the West Indies, where they would have become white slaves].
***
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Why the crocs in Dumfries?
In the very centre of Dumfries, near to Marks and Spencer, there is an ornate historic fountain. This is painted deep red with features picked out in gold. So far as is known, the water no longer runs.
At the top are four herons, below them four dolphins and at the bottom four cherubs each holding a crocodile in his lap.
Crocodiles are an unusual decorative element and one wonders why they should be featured in the Dumfries fountain.
Crocodiles have always been feared and, even today, they remain a problem in several parts of the world. The large salt-water crocodiles of northern Australia take a regular toll on unwary humans. Once these were widely distributed throughout Asia, and it has been suggested that the crocodile is the origin of China's “dragon boats.”
We owe our word “mugger” to the crocodile. The widespread Mugger Crocodile is the most common type in India, and is found in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, Indo-China and perhaps Southern Iraq. “Makara” is the Sanskrit word for sea dragon. From this comes the Urdu “magar.” And it is from that that “mugger” entered the English language for an attacker that sneaks up without warning on its innocent victim.
So, there are four muggers featured prominently on Dumfries' attractive historic fountain.
A thought. J.M. Barrie, who wrote the story of Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, attended Dumfries Academy from 1873 to 1878. While there he and his schoolmates played in the gardens of Moat Brae House, developing a fantasy saga that Barrie is said to have later developed into Peter Pan. Currently, an extensive restoration effort is under way at Moat Brae – see www.moatbrae.org. Barrie's first play, Bandalero the Bandit, was performed by the Dumfries Amateur Dramatic Club in 1877.
The villain of Peter Pan is the evil Captain James Hook – who was terrified of crocodiles. Peter Pan cut off Hook's hand and he wore an iron hook as a replacement. The hand was eaten by a crocodile which so liked the taste that it stalked the captain ever afterwards. Fortunately, the crocodile also swallowed a clock so that Hook knew when it was around.
Could the young Barrie have gained inspiration for the crocodile of Peter Pan from the crocs of the Dumfries Fountain? It would be interesting to know when the fountain was erected.
***
Friday, March 4, 2011
Making lime from cockleshells
The soils of Galloway are generally poor and so in the past they were improved by the application of lime. The Rev C.H. Dick, in a book published in 1916, quoted a description of making lime from cockle shells at Baldoon, near Wigtown. He says he is quoting a description of “Symson,” a clergyman, who watched the process “more than 200 years ago.” He comments: “The information might be useful if one were cast away on a desert island.
Symson wrote: “On the banks of this Park, that lyes opposit to the sea, if there be in the winter time any high tides and storms from the South East, the sea casts innumerable and incredible quantities of Cockleshells, which the whole shire makes use of for lime, and it is the onely lime which this countrey affords. The way of making it is thus: Upon an even Area (the circumference they make less or more, according to the quantity of shells they intend to burne,) they set erected peits [peats?], upon which they put a layer of shells a foot thick or more, and then upon them again lay peits, and so, stratum super stratum, till they bring it to a head like a pyramis; but as they put on these layers just in the center, they make a tunnell of peits, like a chimney, hollow in the middest reaching from the bottom to the top (just almost as Evelyn describes in the making of charcoal;) this done, they take a pan full of burning peits, and put them down into this tunnel, or chimney, and so close up all with shells. This fire kindles the whole kilne, and in twentie-four hours space, or thereby, will so burn the shells that they will run together in a hard masse; after this they let it cool a little, and then with an iron spade they bring it down by degrees, and sprinkling water thereon, with a beater they beat it, (or berry it, for that's their terme; this word they also use for threshing, and so call the thresher of their corne the berrier) and then put it so beaten into little heaps, which they press together with the broad side od their spade, after which, in a short time, it will dissolve (they call it melting) into a small white powder, and it is excellent lime.
“I have heard good masons say that, as it is whiter, so also it binds stones together surer and better than stone lime itself.”
This last point makes one think of Saint Ninian, who brought Christianity to the British Isles in the fifth century and who built a church at Whithorn, Galloway. This church was built of stone, at a time when all buildings were made of wood. It shone famously and could be seen for miles, particularly from the sea. Could this brilliant white have been the result of using the cockle shell lime described above?
p 204-205. Highways and Byways in Galloway and Carrick, by the Rev. C.H. Dick. Macmillan and Co Ltd. London. 1916. Illustrations by Hugh Thomson. 1916.
Symson wrote: “On the banks of this Park, that lyes opposit to the sea, if there be in the winter time any high tides and storms from the South East, the sea casts innumerable and incredible quantities of Cockleshells, which the whole shire makes use of for lime, and it is the onely lime which this countrey affords. The way of making it is thus: Upon an even Area (the circumference they make less or more, according to the quantity of shells they intend to burne,) they set erected peits [peats?], upon which they put a layer of shells a foot thick or more, and then upon them again lay peits, and so, stratum super stratum, till they bring it to a head like a pyramis; but as they put on these layers just in the center, they make a tunnell of peits, like a chimney, hollow in the middest reaching from the bottom to the top (just almost as Evelyn describes in the making of charcoal;) this done, they take a pan full of burning peits, and put them down into this tunnel, or chimney, and so close up all with shells. This fire kindles the whole kilne, and in twentie-four hours space, or thereby, will so burn the shells that they will run together in a hard masse; after this they let it cool a little, and then with an iron spade they bring it down by degrees, and sprinkling water thereon, with a beater they beat it, (or berry it, for that's their terme; this word they also use for threshing, and so call the thresher of their corne the berrier) and then put it so beaten into little heaps, which they press together with the broad side od their spade, after which, in a short time, it will dissolve (they call it melting) into a small white powder, and it is excellent lime.
“I have heard good masons say that, as it is whiter, so also it binds stones together surer and better than stone lime itself.”
This last point makes one think of Saint Ninian, who brought Christianity to the British Isles in the fifth century and who built a church at Whithorn, Galloway. This church was built of stone, at a time when all buildings were made of wood. It shone famously and could be seen for miles, particularly from the sea. Could this brilliant white have been the result of using the cockle shell lime described above?
p 204-205. Highways and Byways in Galloway and Carrick, by the Rev. C.H. Dick. Macmillan and Co Ltd. London. 1916. Illustrations by Hugh Thomson. 1916.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
An 1858 view on women
An 1858 view on women
One of the joys of visiting the Reading Lasses cafe/bookshop in Wigtown is the opportunity to leaf through the many volumes on the self while enjoying a tasty treat.
Reading Lasses specialises in books about women's issues, history, culture, fiction and related subjects. On a recent visit the book that jumped off the shelf to accompany a cappuccino and a big slice of chocolate cake was “A Woman's Thoughts About Women,” who, surprisingly, or perhaps not so, didn't give her name. The book was published in London in 1858 and the writer ranged over the subject of women, from a viewpoint that would be, ahem, regarded as unusual in these modern times.
“Equally blasphemous, and perhaps even more harmful, is the outcry about 'the equality of the sexes;' the frantic attempt to force women, many of whom are either ignorant of or unequal for their own duties! Who that ever listened for two hours to the verbose and confused inanities of a ladies' committee, would immediately go and give his vote for a female House of Commons? Or who, on the receipt of a lady's letter of business – I speak of the average – would henceforth desire to have our courts of justice stocked with matronly lawyers, and our colleges thronged by 'Sweet girl-graduates with their golden hair?'
“As for finance, in its various branches – if you pause to consider the extreme difficulty there always is in balancing Mrs Smith's housekeeping-book, or Miss Smith's quarterly allowance, I think, my dear Paternal Smith, you need not be much afraid lest this loud acclaim for 'women's rights' should ever end in pushing you from your stools, in counting-house, college or elsewhere.
“No; equality of the sexes is not in the nature of things...”
Later, the Victorian lady author considers the subject of female servants and their damned ingratitude for the favours showered upon them.
“...each is in her station. Providence fixed both where they are; and while there remain, unless either individual is qualified to change, neither has the smallest right to overstep the barrier between them; recognised, perhaps, better tacitly than openly by either, but never by any ridiculous assumption of equality denied or set aside.”
There's nothing more galling than a smart woman: “Why is it that, especially in large towns, a 'clever' servant is almost sure to turn out badly?”
And don't get her started on cooks: “...the servant is often very unjust too. Cook, who has only to dress the dinner, and neither to work nor pay for it, turns up her nose at missis's 'meanness,' i.e displeasure at waste or extravagance – cook, who, if any crash came, has only to look out for another place; while missis has her five children, whose little mouths must be filled, and little bodies must be clothed, and 'master,' whom it breaks her heart to see coming in from the City, haggard, tired, and cross – a crossness he cannot help, poor man! - or sitting down with a pitiful patience, sick and sad, almost wishing, save for her and the children, that he could lay his head on his shoulder and die! What does cook in the kitchen, fat and comfortable, know of all these things – the agonised struggle for position and character – nay, mere bread – which makes the days and nights of thousands of the professional classes one long battle for life?”
Many more such treats await on the shelves of Reading Lasses, not just on the bookshelves but on the shelves of cakes and sweet treats. “...our Galloway cheddar, wild salmon from the River Cree and chicken breasts are all smoked over whisky barrel embers using traditional methods by Marrbury Smokehouse. Our cheese boards combine Marrburry smoked cheese with hand-made organic cheeses from the Locharthur Creamery in Beeswing. Our chutneys and jams re made by a family business in Wigtown. We use Wigwam Bakery bread handmade in Creetown. Our jams, chutneys, award winning Montezuma chocolate and bread are all available for you to buy and enjoy at home. Many of our vegetables and salads are grown for us by Garrochar Market Garden also in Creetown. We include many ingredients from our own organic garden too. We prepare our own soups, cakes and pies in our kitchen from the finest ingredients, organic and locally sourced where ever possible.”
Winter: open 10-5 Monday to Saturday. Open Sunday as well in summer. Reading Lasses, Gerrie, Susan and Bex, 17 South Main Street, Wigtown, Scotland, DG8 9EH. Tel: 01988 403 266. books@reading-lasses.com www.reading-lasses.com.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Lobster storm
Sir Herbert Maxwell lived at his estate at Monreith,near Port William, Galloway. In his book of memories, written at the age of 88 which was published in 1932,he recalled a great storm that produced lobsters.
"We worked together diligently in the garden. In the old ash trees outside the garden there was a populous rookery which accounts for the memory of our joint labour being indelibly associated with the cawing of rooks and the soft, rich blue of grape hyacinths. The ash trees are no more, they were wrecked in the great gales of 1882-3, and the rooks went with them, but founded a strong colony on the west side of the loch.
"There they remained till a fresh calamity overtook them in the most furious storm in my experience of 22nd December 1894. Scores of rooks were blown into the loch and drowned; others were killed or maimed by falling trees, and cripples might be seen weeks later hirpling through the woods. That gale blew at its height from north-west for not more than an hour and a half; but that was long enough for much mischief. It cost me £2000 to repair the damage done to farm buildings. This was the only occasion on which I have known lobsters to be blown ashore. Crabs, starfishes and other fruitti di mare suffer stranding in every storm; but never before or since have I found lobsters among them.
"On the morning after the gale I went down to the shore to inspect a schooner that had got stranded in the night. The beach was strewn with a great variety of jetsam, including small land birds from the other side of the bay. It was intensely cold, so I did not linger long, but before leaving I picked up eight fine lobsters frozen to death, which I carried home, where they were turned to good account. This served me to disprove the cruel doctrine which, I am told, regulates the cooking of lobsters for restaurants and such like, namely that their shells will not turn red unless they are placed in cold water to be boiled alive. Those that I brought home that day turned when cooked to scarlet as lively as ever was set before a Lord Mayor.
Evening Memories, by the Rt Hon Sir Herbert Maxwell of Monreith. Published by Alexander Maclehose and Co, London. 1932.Page 23-24
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"We worked together diligently in the garden. In the old ash trees outside the garden there was a populous rookery which accounts for the memory of our joint labour being indelibly associated with the cawing of rooks and the soft, rich blue of grape hyacinths. The ash trees are no more, they were wrecked in the great gales of 1882-3, and the rooks went with them, but founded a strong colony on the west side of the loch.
"There they remained till a fresh calamity overtook them in the most furious storm in my experience of 22nd December 1894. Scores of rooks were blown into the loch and drowned; others were killed or maimed by falling trees, and cripples might be seen weeks later hirpling through the woods. That gale blew at its height from north-west for not more than an hour and a half; but that was long enough for much mischief. It cost me £2000 to repair the damage done to farm buildings. This was the only occasion on which I have known lobsters to be blown ashore. Crabs, starfishes and other fruitti di mare suffer stranding in every storm; but never before or since have I found lobsters among them.
"On the morning after the gale I went down to the shore to inspect a schooner that had got stranded in the night. The beach was strewn with a great variety of jetsam, including small land birds from the other side of the bay. It was intensely cold, so I did not linger long, but before leaving I picked up eight fine lobsters frozen to death, which I carried home, where they were turned to good account. This served me to disprove the cruel doctrine which, I am told, regulates the cooking of lobsters for restaurants and such like, namely that their shells will not turn red unless they are placed in cold water to be boiled alive. Those that I brought home that day turned when cooked to scarlet as lively as ever was set before a Lord Mayor.
Evening Memories, by the Rt Hon Sir Herbert Maxwell of Monreith. Published by Alexander Maclehose and Co, London. 1932.Page 23-24
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