History of Leith, Edinburgh

The ballad begins: ‘YE Whig Reformers all draw near, / To Aytoun’d trash ne’er lend an ear, / But join with me in a counter cheer – / Huzza for Provost Spittal!’ A note below the title states that it should be sung to the tune of ‘The Arethusa’, which is a traditional Scottish song dating from around 1730, and also the name of a poem by the radical poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Although no publication date is included, a note at the foot of the sheet states that it was published by Waugh of Edinburgh.for more click here

An Account of the Comical Courtshipbetween Fish wife-and a Haddie Carter, shewing what past while in the Steam-Boat between Newhaven and Musselburgh.for more click here

This broadside report begins: ‘A full true and particular Account of the Murder of a child at Musselburgh, yesterday morning, and of the apprehension of a woman who had left the Edinburgh City Workhouse the day before, and of her examination before the magistrates . . .’ Below this prologue, is the introduction to a story about the loss of a packet ship called ‘Boston’, which was struck by lightning and sunk with all hands. Although the date of publication and name of the publisher are not included, the story was sourced from ‘The Courant’ newspaper – probably the Edinburgh Courant, published 1855-1859.for more click here

This news report begins: ‘A full and particular account of a most serious and distressing RIOT which took place on Musselburgh Links yesterday, Thursday, 31st of July, 1823, between the Irish, & Colliers, and Salters, with a full account of how it originated, and the number of the Killed and Wounded.‘for more click here

A Full and Particular Account of the Trial and Senetnce of WILLIAM THOMSON, JAMES THMSON, and JOHN, FRAM, who are to be Executed at Dalkeith, on Thursday 1st March, 1827, for Highway Robbery.for more click here

A particular Account of the Extraordinary Demolition of an Ana-
tomical Theatre, at Aberdeen, on Monday last, the 19th Decem-
ber 1831, which was Burnt and erazed to the ground, in conse-
quence of the sagacity of a Dog.

ON MONDAY, a few little boys, who were playing close
by a back court, observed a dog tearing up some substance
from the loose earth, gave the alarm, and, in a few minutes, 20 or 30 people were on the spot,for more click here

(To see the documents upon which this is based please go to the image gallery)

01 1869 marriage of John Lockhart to Marion Cumming Somerville
02 1871 census record of John Lockhart and family
03 1871 birth of Marion Cumming Lockhart
04 1873 marriage of Janet Lockhart to John Scott
05 1873 marriage of Thomas Lockhart to Marion Wilson Scott
06 1875 death of Andrew Scott
07 1876 marriage of James Greenfield to Agnes Susan Scott
08 1881 census transcript of John Lockhart and family
09 1890 death of John Lockhart
10 1891 census record of Marion Lockhart and family

Document 01 – 1869 Marriage
The Lockhart family had lived in Leith for only a short time. John, son of a farming family in Lanarkshire, had moved from there (for personal and/or or economic reasons) in the early eighteen fifties with his first wife, Elizabeth, and three children – John, Thomas and Mary. John had known hard times, but life seemed to be improving for him, and in economic respects would continue to do so. He had once worked as a weaver, but in Leith had found employment in the iron business. By 1859 he seems to have been managing an ironstone facility. Between 1854 and 1859, three more daughters were born, at Yard Heads and Pillans Place, South Leith – Janet or Jessie, Christina and Elizabeth.
Some time around 1865, Elizabeth, John’s wife, died. Marion, his second, had it seems recently acquired an interest in a wine and spirits business, and 33 Bridge Street was her address. John is described as ‘Manager of the ** Iron Company.
John’s father was Robert, and not Ronald Lockhart; mistakes are made only too easily, as I can testify from personal experience! (more…)

This report begins: ‘Account of that Cruel and Horrid Rape which was perpetrated by a Man on a Woman on the Paisley Road, on SATURDAY, and who was apprehended by a passenger on the Road . . . Also, an account of another Cruel Rape . . . on a Girl, only thirteen years of age . . . In Cumberland Street, Edinburgh’. The sheet was printed in Glasgow by William Carse. for more click here

This trial report begins: ‘Just published, the Trial of Duncan MacMillan, for the horrid crime of assaulting and raviging the person of Jean McLauchlane, with the dreadful Sentence pronounced upon him, which important trial came on before the High Court of Justiciary yesterday, and lasted for twelve hours.’ Publisher: Forbes & Co. Printers, 171 Cowgate, Edinburgh. for more click here

After a year in the United States, Stevenson sailed back to Europe and spent the winters in the mountain towns of the Alps, returning to Scotland in the summer to brave the inhospitable climate. One summer afternoon in 1881, when Stevenson and his family were staying in a cottage in Braemar, he began drawing a map to amuse his stepson, but found that he himself was carried away: for more click here