Northern Rural Life in the Eighteenth Century

Notes and Sketches

Illustrative of

NORTHERN RURAL LIFE

in the

Eighteenth Century

by the Author of
Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk

Edinburgh
David Douglas
1877

Twelve oxen plough of the
Eighteenth century

PREFACE

THE NOTES AND SKETCHES of which the present small volume consists have not been written upon any systematic plan. The nucleus of the whole was a paper read several years ago before an audience of decent country folks, who, it was thought, might listen with some interest to matters connected with the social and industrial life of those who had preceded them, and lived under conditions as to occupation and the daily round of duty, corresponding as nearly as might be with their own. The object in view then met with at least the amount of success that had been expected; and the paper with variations—or rather, perhaps, part of it with additions—was, at intervals, repeated to other similar audiences. And thus the essay grew in bulk. The style is admittedly not altogether that which would have been adopted had publication been in view at the outset, the paper having been shaped mainly to suit the original purpose for which the materials were gathered. The sources ci information were various, and are generally indicated in the text. Of the books chiefly consulted a list has been in the Appendix (1) in preference to an excessive multiplication of foot notes. And it occasionally happens that a statement made, or an opinion expressed, is the result of a comparison of two or more authorities rather than the unqualified averment of a single individual.

CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTORY—STAGNATION OF AGRICULTURE DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
• TOPOGRAPHICAL AND SOCIAL
• RURAL OCCUPATION—OLD LAND MEASURES
• CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, 1700-1800
• FIRST IMPROVERS —AN EARLY AGRICULTURAL ESSAY
• IMPLEMENTS OF THE FARM—THE TWAL OWSEN PLOUGH
• RESULTS OF CULTIVATION—PERIODS OF FAMINE
• THE BAD HARVEST OF 1782—EFFECTS IN TOWN AND COUNTY OF ABERDEEN
• LIVE STOCK—EARLY IMPROVERS—HIGHLAND REIVERS
• LIVE STOCK—CATTLE DEALING AND DROVING
• COUNTRY FAIRS—THEIR ORIGIN AND CHARACTER
• ROADS AND ROAD-MAKING—STATUTE LABOUR—FIRST TURNPIKES
• IMPROVED LOCOMOTION—THE EDINBURGH FLY—SCORGIE'S CARAVAN
• EARLY AGRICULTURAL IMPROVERS IN ABERDEEN AND  KINCARDINESHIRES
• CHARLES HACKET OF INVERAMSAY
• AN AGRICULTURAL TOUR—ANDREW WIGHT, SURVEYOR—DR. JAMES ANDERSON
• DOMESTIC LIFE AND SOCIAL HABITS—DRESS—FOOD-—DRINK
• DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES AND OUT-DOOR LABOUR
• THE MILL AND THE MILLER—THIRLAGE—FETCHING HOME THE MILLSTONE—MULTURES
• CRAFTSMEN, ITINERANT AND OTHER—JOCK YOUNG AND TIB DOO
• VAGRANT LIFE—FLETCHER OF SALTOUN’S OPINIONS—TIBBIE CAMPBELL
• POPULAR AMUSEMENTS—COCK-FIGHTING—FOOT-BALL—WAD-SHOOTING
• SMUGGLING, LOWLAND AND HIGHLAND—PHILIP KENNEDY THE SMUGGLER — MALCOLM GILLESPIE THE GAUGER
• THE PROPHET OF BETHELNIE—STATE OF MEDICAL PRACTICE—SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS
• THE KIRK-SESSION AND ITS DUTIES—LAYING A GHOST—TIBBIE MORTIMER AND GEORDIE WATT
• IN CONCLUSION — SUMMARY, SOCIAL, MORAL, AND RELIGIOUS
• APPENDIX

Got this in from John Henderson...

Mystery Solved!

I have all 3 books by William Alexander (1826-1894) as .pdfs

Johnny Gibb Of Gushetneuk
Notes And Sketches Of Northern Rural Life (Already OCR'd on ES)
Sketches Of Life Among My Ain Folk

WILLIAM ALEXANDER [1826-1894] - Editor of 'The Aberdeen Free Press'

William was born on the 12th of June, 1826 in Chapel of Garioch, Aberdeenshire to James Alexander [Farmer] of Chapel of Garioch and Ann Wilson of Rayn, Aberdeen, and he was christened in Chapel of Garioch on the 18th of June, 1826.

By April 1841, James and Ann were farming at Damhead and had nine children there, Margaret 15, William 14, George 13, James Jnr., 11, Isabella, 8, Helen, 6, Leslie, 4, Jane, 2, and Henry, 1 Month.

In April 1851, the household of James [A Farmer Of 50 Acres Employing 4 Labourers] and Ann, at Damhead comprised only William, James Jnr., Isabella, Helen, Jane, Henry, and Mary aged 2. William at this point was working with his father on the farm.

By April 1861, William, now 34 years old, was living in 7 Charlotte Street, Aberdeen, and he was employed as a Newspaper Reporter. Living with him there was his sister Helen.

William aged 40 in 1867, and by then a Sub-Editor of the Aberdeen Free Press, married Anne Allan of Aberdeen (aged 33) daughter of Shipmaster Robert Allan, at Silver Hills, Stocket Street, Lower Aberdeen on the 22nd of May of that year.

Marriage Wm Alexander Ann Allan

By April 1871, William had become the Editor of the Free Press and was living with his wife Anne, and a servant Jessie Milne, at 19 Watson Street in Old Machar, Aberdeen. In 1881, without any offspring, they lived with a servant Isabella Gray in 3 Belvidere Street, Old Machar. By this time William, in addition to his Editorial responsibilities, had published three books. His first, ‘Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk’ ran to seventeen impressions; and he had followed this success with two smaller books – ‘Notes And Sketches Of Northern Rural Life’ and ‘Sketches of Life Among My Ain Folk’.

In the April 1891 Census, then 64 years of age, we find him still in 3 Belvidere Street with Anne, but with his employment listed as ‘Journalist’. Perhaps he had retired and was ‘free-lancing’?

His death on the 19th of February, 1894 from pneumonia in 3 Belvidere Street was registered by his brother Henry Alexander of 10 Westfield Terrace, Aberdeen. William was survived by his widow, Anne.

1894 Death William Alexander

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