James Chapman Craig was born on the 20th of November, 1859, in New Row, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland to James Craig (Confectioner) and Catherine Chapman who married in Dunfermline on the 2nd of March, 1858. James Jnr. was one of nine children born to James Snr. and Catherine by 1873 – the others being, Thomas, Mary, Isabella, Robert, John, a second Thomas on the death of the first Thomas, Ann and Robina.

By 1881 the family had settled in 129 1/2 High Street, Dunfermline and comprised, James CRAIG aged 45 (Confectioner Employing 2 Men) born in Pathhead, Fife; Catherine Chapman CRAIG his wife aged 44 born in Dunfermline, Fife; James Chapman CRAIG (Confectioner) his son aged 21 born in Dunfermline, Fife; Isabella Oswald CRAIG (Confectioner’s Shopkeeper) his daughter aged 18 born in Dunfermline, Fife; Ann Chapman CRAIG (At School) his daughter aged 9 born in Dysart, Fife; and Robina CRAIG (At School) his daughter aged 7 born in Dunfermline, Fife.

James Chapman Craig married Isabella Mitchell Younger in Dunfermline in 1883, and, by 1891, at 131 High Street, Dunfermline, their family comprised, himself, aged 31 (Confectioner and Pastry Baker), his wife Isabella, aged 31, son James aged 7, son Alexander aged 6, daughter Isabella aged 3 and son Robert aged 2.

By 1901, then at 133 High Street, Dunfermline, two more children had been born to James and Isabella, namely, William then aged 9 and Jane then aged 2.

It is clear, by this time at least, that James Chapman Craig had been composing many poems about his family’s lives. The evidence of this appears in the following …

It appears that sometime after 1901, James Chapman Craig published his collected works under the title, ‘Sangs O Bairns An Hame’, and fortunately, having found a rough manuscript copy of his book of poems, we at Electric Scotland in 2009, can now share them with others around the world.

Following is a list of his poems...

Poems 1 - 20

1. DREAMLAND TOON
2. WEE TAMMY TANTRUM
3. YER AIN NAME
4. A LADDIE'S POOCH
5. MERRY BAIRNIES
6. SLEEPIN'
7. IN THE GLEN
8. THE PHILOSOPHY OF MIRTH: HA, HA, HA!
9. NA! THERE'S NAE ROAD BACK TO YESTERDAY
10. BLANKET BAY FOR THE LAND O' SLEEP
11. FATE
12. MY BAIRNIE'S MOU'
13. MY BAIRNIE'S EEN
14. MY BAIRNIE'S FEET
15. MY BAIRNIE'S CHEEKS
16. CA' CANNY
17. OOR JENNY'S BAIRN
18. "DORTY POOCHES"
19. SANDIE SOOPLESHANKS
20. ROBBIE RED CHEEKS

Poems 21 - 30

21. AFTER MANY DAYS
22. DARK-HAIRED NANCY BROON
22. WHEN MEG HAS A BAWBEE TO SPEND
23. A MITHER'S SANG
24. THE AULD KIRKYAIRD
25. THE AULD KIRK SEATS
26. THE DAYS THAT NE'ER RETURN
27. HORSE AND DRUM
28. NINETEEN-AN'-TWA
29. IN MEMORIAM
30. PITTENCRIEFF GLEN

Poems 31 - 40

31. THE WINSOME LASS O' LOGIE
32. LOST LOVE
33. THE BAIRNS AT PLAY
34. CRADLE SONG
35. A WEE WOODEN DOLL
36. OOR AIN LITTLE BOB
37. WHEN E'ENIN' SHADOWS
38. A SONG FOR THE QUEEN
39. AULD SCOTLAND FOR ME
40. BONNIE BIELDSIDE

Poems 41 - 50

41. GLOAMIN' AN' NICHTFA'
42. THE WANDERER'S SANG
43. MOTHER
44. A FACE I SAW YESTREEN
45. SWEET ANN O' SALINE
46. FOUR SCORE
47. FLORA M'KANE
48. WHAUR ARE A' THE KENT FOLKS
49. A BAIRN
50. LITTLE CURLY POW

Poems 51 - 60

51. HUSHIE-BA' LOO
52. THE AULD KIRK BELLS: A WANDERER'S PLAINT
53. THE BANNOCKS THAT MY MITHER USED TO MAK'
54. JOHN NEVER-PLEASED
55. A TREACKLE PEECE
56. PLAYIN' SHOP
57. A BIRTHDAY GREETING
58. SCOTTISH WISDOM
59. MY GRANNIE
60. O WEARY FA' THE SILLER

Poems 61 - 70

61. OOR TIB
62. A'BODY'S BAIRN
63. A WELCOME HAME
64. SCHULE DAYS
65. MINNIE'S WEE MAN
66. A'E YEAR AULD
67. JOHNNIE
68. OOR JAMIE
69. NAEBODY'S LADDIE
70. NEVER LEET BUT LAUGH

Poems 71 - 80

71. BY THE BURNSIDE
72. WEE WILLIE WAUKRIFE
73. LINES IN A YOUNG LADY'S ALBUM
74. THE LASSES' HATS
75. THE LIFE-BOAT PROCESHION
76. MISSIE KEIR: A MEMORY SHARED BY MONY
77. THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
78. THE STRICKEN HAME
79. LAUREL AND CYPRESS
80. MATES