East Lothian Farm Servant - Harrowing

JB · Post by JB » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:44 pm

Hi everyone - my first contribution / question

In researching my GG Grandfather I came across a story in the Haddington Courier (27 Mar 1868) about a farm accident – the farm servant is either my GG Grandfather then aged 49 or his son aged 12.

“On Wednesday week, James Blair, one of the farm servants at Fenton barns, sustained a rather severe accident. He was in the field driving a pair of horses yoked to a Norwegian harrow, when they shied at some object on the road, and plunged off at a gallop. Blair ran to the horses’ heads for the purpose of stopping them, when he was thrown to the ground, the harrows rolling over him, and tearing his face and hands. He lost a good deal of blood, and was severely shaken but is now in a fair way of recovery.”

My questions - Is it more likely to have been James senior rather than James junior? I don't know anything about farming but I wonder if the Norwegian harrow might have been beyond the skill and ability of a 12 year old? Or is more likely that the horses would have been better controlled by the older man?

ColinWH · Post by **ColinWH** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:23 pm

I guess it could have been either!
However, as a farmers' Son, (who used to farm by means of horses,) I would put my money on the older one being the farmhand with responsibility for control of the horses.
Certainly, in my Grandfathers' day, young boys were employed, but not as handlers, but as cleaners/wipers for the horses. In his farm accounts, he usually had each horse team with two people, a handler and a helper.

Colin

Anne Baillie · Post by **Anne Baillie** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:37 pm

Sure to have been the father. James was an experienced ploughman having worked most of his adult life for the Hopes.
As an aside the work force at Fenton Barns was remarkably stable and close knit.
James named his last son after the farm steward, Hugh Bertram. Hugh named one of his sons and one of his daughters after the Hopes.

Anne

JB · Post by JB » Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:54 pm

Thanks for the quick response guys. Very helpful.

Anne you seem to know the farm and family. I see that James' eldest sister Betsy married Geo Betram - presumably a relative of Hugh -his son perhaps. Also, James' second child Elizabeth has Hope as a middle name, probably after her maternal grandmother Elizabeth Hope but there could also be a family connection with Hope the tenant farmers of Fenton.

So far I have not been able to find out anything about James' first wife Elizabeth Verth who I think died some time between 1845 and 1851 - but my family interest is mainly in his children by his second wife Alice.

I found it fascinating to read about the progressive / modern nature of the farm, its international reputation and its community. Hope seems to have been well ahead of his times as a farmer and employer but was very unfortunate to lose the farm later on by falling out with the landowner.

It was also interesting to come across a newspaper article describing a party on the farm - tea, bread etc plenty of entertainment and everyone turned up for work the following day because there was no drinking!

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:20 am

Hi JB

Can I start by welcoming you to TalkingScot.
[talkingscot]

Your very first post has shown how wide a range of interests are represented on here.

Being from the Lothian side of the country you can see still the evidence of advanced farming methods around these parts.
A lot of credit must go to John Cockburn of Ormiston who, in the early 1700's introduced a radical new approach to farming in the area. This sent out ripples through the surrounding area which influenced the farming methods of others for many years.
See
http://www.electricscotland.com/history ... n_john.htm
I agree with Anne. a pair of heavy horse hauling a cast iron harrow set was a bit much for any 12 year old.

Russell

Anne Baillie · Post by **Anne Baillie** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:59 am

Hi JB,

Elisabeth married George Brown Bertram who was Hugh's little brother.
They, too, were at Fenton Barns for a long time.
George is a hero of mine. Enlightened farmer and politician (for the time)and all round good man.
I don't know if you've read Chalotte Hopes memoir of her father, it's available for download at:
http://www.archive.org/details/georgeho ... 00hopeuoft
I dont know any more than you about Elizabeth Vert but I havent looked hard. She's probably hiding under Vertie or Virtue somewhere.

Regards

Anne

Post by **SarahND** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:23 am

Hi Anne,
A warm welcome to you, too!

It's wonderful that you were able to come right in for your first post with personal knowledge on a query

All the best,
Sarah

JB · Post by JB » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:01 pm

Hi Anne

Thank you very much for the link. Some time ago I had a quick look at a hard copy of the memoir at Haddington Library's History Research Centre (a little gem of a place by the way) but I was pushed for time so did not really study it.

Now reading it on line and using the search facility I find my GGG Grand father, Francis Blair gets a mention.

I will enjoy reading the whole book at a more leisurely pace to pick out more snippets of information about my family and what seems to have been a wonderful little community.

I have also read George Hope's award winning essay on the Corn Law but unfortunately found it hard going.

Thanks again

Kind regards

JB