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The Statistical Account of Scotland 1793
Vol 1 dated 1791 518 pp Introduction pp i - xii.
Among the information recorded for each parish submitted by the local clergy.
State of Property;
Number of the Poor;
Parochial Records;
Also Population in 1755 and in 1791-2.
Contents 53 Parishes
1 Jedburgh
2 Holywood
3 Portpatrick
4 Hounam
5 Kirkmichael
6 Sprouston
7 Longformacus
8 Lauder
9 Ayton
10 Air
11 Carriden
12 Coylton
13 Ballantrae
14 Terregles
15 Edrom
16 Innerwick
17 Linton in Peebleshire
18 Newlands
19 Kirkmaiden
20 Tinwald
21 Crossmichael
22 Parton
23 Covington
24 Troquire
25 Muiravonside
26 Penpont
27 Cramond
28 Dalmeny
29 Sorbie
30 Kiltearn
31 Rothsay
32 Kilngarth
33 Houston and Kilallan
34 Biggar
35 Dunsyre
36 Yester
37 Bathgate
38 Stranraer
39 Kettle
40 Delting
41 Kilrennie
42 Arngask
43 Dunnichen
44 Carmylie
45 Panbride
46 Lunan
47 Auchterderran
48 Kinloss
49 Oathlaw
50 Gamrie
51 Gask
52 Lismore & Appin
53 Meigle
Miscellaneous
Vol 2 dated 1792 581 pp + xi
Contents 50 Parishes
Vol 3 1793 612 pp + xvi
Contents 80 Parishes
Including
65 Bonhil
Vol 4 1792 579 pp + vii
Contents 71 Parishes
Vol 5 1793 591 pp + vi
Contents 40 Parishes
Vol 6 1793 629 pp + vii
Contents 57 Parishes
Vol 7
Vol 8
p 285 Stirling - Hospitals
10 Air
By Rev Dr Dalrymple and Rev Dr M;Gill
p 93 Population : Many of the inhabitants are between 70 and 100 years of age.
One walked to London after his 100th year.
State of the Poor : Weekly collections and other parish funds, put in the power
of the Session to distribute œ100 p.a. The town gives œ30, the sailors œ10,
the writers œ5 the merchants œ3, and other small corporations contribute
to the extent of a total of about œ14, besides which there is a half-years rent
of œ50. The Session retains for occasional charities among poor tradesmen and
others about œ20. If any part of this sum is saved at the end of the year, it
is added to the funds of the Charity House.
This house was built by subscription in 1756, and is fit to receive 60 persons,
but, as many pensioners prefer a small weekly allowance out of the house, there
are seldom more than 40 in it. An infirmary and bridewell are much wanted.
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9 Ayton
By Rev Mr George Home.
p 83 Poor : The number of poor belonging to the parish is variable.
The heritors and tenants are assessed to the extent of 330 to œ40 p.a. for
their support. To this fund is added one half of the contributions at the
church, which, at an average is about 1s-2d weekly.
The expense incurred for the maintenance of the parochial poor has increased
near tow-thirds during the incumbency of the present minister. The people in
general, however, cannot bear the idea of being put on the poor's roll even when
they are in distress.
Tradesmen and labourers in the village are addicted to the pernicious habit of
using tea. Of late also, from the low price of whisky, the execrable custom of
dram-drinking is gaining ground, even among the women of the lower class.
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11 Carriden
By Rev Mr George Ellis
No information on the Poor.
12 Coylton
By Rev Mr David Shaw.
p 102 Poor : 10 or 12 poor persons are generally supported by the Session. The
funds are about œ50 at interest, and the weekly collections made at the church.
2 Holywood
From materials furnished by Rev Dr Bryce Johnston, Minister of the Parish.
p 26 State of the Poor;
The average number of poor who now receive alms is 15. The annual sum expended
for their relief is about œ32 produced by the collections in the church on
Sundays, excepting the interest of a small sum appropriated to them. These 15
persons are all maintained in their own houses or boarded out in other families
none of them are kept in hospitals or work-houses.
Besides the relief from the parish, the poor receive frequent supplies of food
and clothes from charitable and well-disposed people. They are however, kept
from begging from door to door most effectually, by the assurance of their
inevitably losing all parish relief if they persist in the practice.
As the church session is extremely attentive to give them relief, according to
their necessities, to provide medical assistance for them when sick, to pay the
schoolmaster for teaching their children reading, writing, and the common rules
of arithmetic, their own interest induces them to comply with the desire of the
session, not to beg.
Beggars, however, occasionally infest the parish, but they do not belong to it,
nor reside in it.
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1 Jedburgh
Report by Rev Dr Thomas Somerville Minister of Jedburgh.
p 12 State of the Poor - The number of poor upon the country roll of the parish
amounts to 55, and of those on the town roll 37.
They are maintained by assessments. For supporting the country poor a tax is
laid upon the different proprietors of land, in proportion to the valued rents.
Meetings for making provision for the poor are held quarterly when the roll of
the poor is read by the clerk.
The heritors then assess themselves, the proprietor paying one half of the
assessment and the tenant the other. Though the tenants are not mentioned in the
summons, yet such of them as choose to attend, are made welcome, and their
advice and information listened
to by the meeting.
Such persons as are reduced to the necessity of applying to the heritors for
charity, from any accidental transient cause, such as disease or misfortune,
receive what is called an interim supply; i.e. a certain sum for that quarter
only. The aged and infirm, and such as are likely to continue under the same
necessity of depending upon public charity, are taken upon the Poors roll at a
certain weekly allowance.
The persons taken upon the roll are obliged to subscribe a bond or deed of
conveyance, making over and bequeathing all their effects to the heritors; and
although the heritors seldom exact their effects, yet the subscription of the
bond serves as a check to prevent persons, who may be possessed of concealed
property, from alienating the public charity.
This mode of providing for the parochial poor was adopted in the parish of
Jedburgh anno 1742, when the number of the poor increasing, from the scarcity
and high price of provisions, the heritors and kirk-session were obliged to have
recourse to the legal method of
obtaining the contributions of the absent proprietors. These monthly assessments
have varied from 2 shillings to 3s-6d per quarter on each hundred pounds of
valued rent.
The sums appropriated for the maintenance of each individual vary, according to
the circumstances of the claimant. To single persons who can do no work, a
shilling; 1s-6d or 1s-8d is allowed weekly. 6d, 8d or 10d to those who are
infirm and receive small wages. 8s, 10s, 12s and sometimes 20s per quarter have
been allowed for interim supply. The above proportions apply to the country part
of the parish, the allowances paid to the poor of the town part is more scanty
and inadequate.
A bridewell or correction house has been lately erected in the town, at the
expense of the heritors of the county at large, and has been found very useful
in overawing vagrants, punishing smaller offences, and particularly for the
accommodation of persons disordered in the
mind, who are maintained there at the expense of the parishes to which they
belong.
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5 Kirkmichael
From communications transmitted by Rev Dr Burgess Minister of the Parish.
p 59 The poor receiving alms are only 5; who are supported, partly by weekly
collections, which, with small fines exacted from delinquents, and dues paid for
marriages and baptisms out of the church amount, annually to œ14 to œ15, and
partly by alms, in meal and other victuals, given the from house to house, or
sent to them when unable to go about the parish.
8 Lauder
By Rev Dr James Ford.
p 75 Poor : The number of poor in this parish is about 30. Their maintenance
amounts to about œ80 p.a. arising from assessments, Sunday's collections, and
dues for lending the pall, called in Scotland the mort-cloth.
Loch Lomond
p 453 Miscellaneous Observations :
Inchmarin, one of the islands in Loch Lomond is at equal distance from the
parishes of Bonhill, Luss, Kilmarnock and Buchanan. From this circumstance it is
not clear to what county it belongs, and as it pays no stipend, it is equally
undetermined to what parish.
It is the largest island in the lake, about 2 miles long and from half to a mile
broad. The Montrose family use it as a deer park, where they keep 200 fallow
deer.
The ruins of the castle, formerly belonging to the Lennox family, are still upon
this Island. The person who has charge of the woods and the deer resides with
his family upon it.
Some years ago, many persons disordered in their senses, were sent to it as to a
place of confinement; and those of the fair sex, who were so unfortunate as to
give - pregnant proofs of their frailty, were sent here as to avoid the reproach
of the world.
At that time the neighbouring clergyman, who happened to be a strict
disciplinarian and very zealous against fornicators, claimed Inchmarin as
belonging to his charge; but owing to complaints of abuse, the proprietor, for
some time past, has not allowed his forrester to take lodgers.
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7 Longformacus
By Rev Mr Selby Ord.
p 70 Poor and Wages; There are 5 families consisting of 13 persons upon the
poors roll. They receive œ15 p.a. which is raised by weekly collections at the
church, and occasional cess upon the lands.
p 70 Paisley
A manufacturing town must always have a great proportion of poor belonging to
it. When trade is brisk, great numbers of tradesfolk and working people of all
descriptions will flock to it by reason of the encouragement which they expect
to meet with, and it is contrary to the interests of its manufacturers to be
very scrupulous in admitting them.
Many of these, when trade becomes dull, or when sickness and debility overtake
them, will necessarily be reduced to circumstances of penury and want. They must
then fall a burden upon the public, and it is a matter of vast importance, that,
whilst they receive an adequate subsistence, industry be not discouraged, and
that they be maintained in a manner not only the least expensive to the
community, but likewise the least sensibly felt.
Though the town is divided into 3 parishes, in respect of the maintenance of the
poor, they are considered as one.
In such a town an hospital is certainly necessary for maintaining poor and
destitute children, and as an asylum for the infirm and aged, who have none to
take care of them.
For these purposes an hospital was erected here in 1752. The house is capacious;
it is built in a free and airy part of the town, and has a large garden
belonging to it. It is under the management of 15 directors, who are chosen
annually, 3 from the town council, 1 from each Parish Session, and the rest
chosen by the council from among the inhabitants at large.
It is conducted on the strictest principles of economy, and with great attention
to health, cleanliness, and good order, and has hitherto answered the ends of
its institution as much, perhaps, as any of the kind.
The following is a state of the expense and the persons maintained in it for the
last 3 years
1788 child 4-12 yrs : 60 Infirm/Aged : 46 Expense £471
1789 child 4-12 yrs : 75 Infirm/Aged : 46 Expense £524
1790 child 4-12 yrs : 66 Infirm/Aged : 54 Expense £520
Total 201 146 £1515
The children are educated and brought up to industry from their earliest years.
The charge of management is exceedingly small, as there is only a mistress and a
school-master at very moderate salaries and a single house-maid.
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3 Portpatrick
From Materials furnished by the Rev Mr. John M'Kenzie Minister of the Parish.
p 40
At present there are but 3 heritors in the parish. There are seldom above 12
persons on the Poors list. The funds for the maintenance of the poor arise
chiefly from weekly collections at the church door, and cannot be calculated at
more than œ10 p.a.
6 Sprouston
By Rev Mr Robert Turnbull.
p 66 Poor - The annual average of the poor, from 1737 to 1758 is 33 and from
1758 to 1790 is 18. The average of the monthly distributions to them during the
1st period was œ3-18s-10d and in the 2nd period œ3-19s-1d. The method used in
this parish is as in Jedburgh.
Persons who become the objects of charity, from sickness, or other causes, are
relieved by the session out of the weekly collections.
The poor live in their own houses. The effects of all the poor enrolled are
inventoried, and sold at their decease, which is a check against impositions.
p 285 Stirling - Hospitals
There 3 hospitals. The first is that endowed by Robert Spittal, taylor to King
James V. The date of mortification is not on record but is supposed to be about
1530. The funds were laid out on lands in the neighbourhood of Stirling. The
present yearly rent of the lands is £221.
At present there are 44 pensioners in Spittal's Hospital, 16 of whom were
deacons of trade, and receive 1s-4d the rest receive 1s-2d.
Cowan's Hospital comes next in order. It was founded and endowed by John Cowan,
a merchant in Stirling, anno 1639, for the support of 12 decayed guild brethren.
The original mortification was £2,222. There are now above 100 pensioners on
this charity, they receive weekly from 1s-6d to 2s-6d
John Allan, writer in Stirling, in emulation would also engage in the
establishment of an hospital. About the year 1725 he mortified a sum of money
for the maintenance and education of
the children of decayed tradesmen. The sum mortified was 30,000 marks. There are
now 14 boys maintained and educated on these
funds, the master of the hospital receives at the rate of £11 annually for each
of them.
Source: Submitted by Alan Longbottom
The Statistical Account of Scotland 1793
Drawn up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes - By Sir John Sinclair Bt. In 21 Volumes.
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