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Electric Scotland News
The most popular dog breed in Canada is the Labrador Retriever. Labrador Retrievers have been enormously popular for a quarter-of-a-century now, thanks to their intelligence and gentle nature.
-------
Theory of Family Relativity is a groundbreaking feature that can save you hours of work in trying to understand your connection to your DNA Matches. It harnesses billions of data points across MyHeritage’s huge database of family trees and historical records to provide you with plausible theories about how you and your DNA Matches are related.
I have great news for you! MyHeritage just updated the data for Theory of Family Relativity™, adding millions of new theories to help you uncover how you’re related to your DNA Matches.
Thanks to this new update:
•The total number of theories has grown to 136,713,021, representing a 61% increase.
•The number of DNA Matches that include a theory has increased by 78%, to 95,691,486.
•The total number of paths has grown by 51.2%, for a total of 998,325,515 paths.
•The number of DNA kits with at least one theory has grown by 23.6%, to 2,353,769 kits.
•An additional 402,255 users have one or more Theories of Family Relativity™.
--------
Scottish Affairs
Founded in 1992, is the leading forum for debate on Scottish current affairs.
Its predecessor was Scottish Government Yearbooks, published by the University of Edinburgh's 'Unit for the Study of Government in Scotland' between 1976 and 1992.
The movement towards the setting up the Scottish Parliament in the 1990s, and then the debate in and around the Parliament since 1999, brought the need for a new analysis of Scottish politics, policy and society. Scottish Affairs provides that opportunity. Fully peer-reviewed, it publishes articles on matters of concern to people who are interested in the development of Scotland, often setting current affairs in an international or historical context, and in a context of debates about culture and identity. This includes articles about similarly placed small nations and regions throughout Europe and beyond. The articles are authoritative and rigorous without being technical and pedantic. No subject area is excluded, but all articles pay attention to the social and political context of their topics.
Thus Scottish Affairs takes up a position between informed journalism and academic analysis, and provides a forum for dialogue between the two. The readers and contributors include journalists, politicians, civil servants, business people, academics, and people in general who take an informed interest in current affairs.
You can read the journals at: https://www.euppublishing.com/loi/scot
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland and world news stories that can affect Scotland and as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines it becomes a good resource. I might also add that in a number of newspapers you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish which I do myself from time to time. Here is what caught my eye this week...
Scots go nuclear
One of the SNP's strangest ideological commitments is its fervent opposition to nuclear power so much so that it has vetoed any new plants north of the border. Not only is that a senseless policy in a world of sky-high energy prices, but it flies in the face of what Scottish voters want too.
Read more at:
https://capx.co/on-nuclear-power-the...cottish-people
SNP police investigation latest, ferries fiasco and campaign on youth violence
Planet Holyrood - Daily Record. The Daily Record's political editor Paul Hutcheon is joined by Douglas Dickie, content editor of the Scottish Daily Express and the Sunday Mail's chief reporter Hannah Rodger to chew over the latest stories around the political world.
View this at:
https://youtu.be/BhrRLtv2jSY
Hundreds of churches will have to close, says Kirk
The Church of Scotland will have to close hundreds of churches in the coming years, the Kirk's trustees have warned as it prepares for its annual General Assembly.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-65645891
Action needed to save Scotland's wild salmon following extinction threat
Without urgent action salmon could be extinct in 20 years from our rivers as levels get to crisis level.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...-wild-30017726
Violence in Scotland's schools branded national scandal
Concerns have been raised in recent months after a number of videos circulated on social media showing violent outbursts from pupils, as highlighted in the Daily Record's Our Kids... Our Future campaign. Teachers and staff in Scotland's schools faced more than 22,000 attacks in 2021/22, a report from the Sunday Mail in December said.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...ional-30049393
Amazon is not a monopoly
Amazon gets accused of being a monopoly, yet it is not behaving as academics predict such businesses should. Instead of exploiting its market dominance to raise prices for consumers who have nowhere else to go, it is relentlessly seeking to improve productivity, meet the needs of customers and add new ones.
Read more at:
https://www.realclearmarkets.com/art...ly_900387.html
First Ministers and political leadership: Part 2
By Gerry Hassan in the Scottish Review
Read more at:
https://www.scottishreview.net/GerryHassan659a.html
The 100 greatest children's books of all time
BBC Culture polled 177 books experts from 56 countries in order to find the greatest children's books ever. From Where the Wild Things Are to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, here's the top 100.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/...ks-of-all-time
Canada's household debt is now highest in the G7
The amount owed by Canadian households is also higher than the country's entire GDP.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65688460
Apple strikes major US-made semiconductor deal
Under the multi-year agreement, the two US companies will develop components for 5G devices that will be designed and manufactured in America.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65692276
Alberta, Canada, wildfires show no sign of slowing, experts say
The province of Alberta, Canada, home to more than four million people, is under a state of emergency, as nearly 100 wildfires burn, dozens of them out of control.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922
Electric Canadian
Unforgettable 35-Day Wilderness Expedition in Canada's Big Land
The Full Documentary of the 2020 "Boreal to Barrenlands - Crossing Labrador" expedition! An unprecedented canoe journey that takes four friends 670 kms through Labrador’s interior to cross three-ecosystems, two heights of land, and one entire province in 35 days. You'll find this 6 hour video on our Lifestyle page, fourth video down.
You can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/index.htm
Anne of Green Gables
A novel by L. M. Montgomery (1933) (pdf)
This book is in the top one hundred children's books and can be read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...een-gables.pdf
Transactions of the London and Middlesex Historical Society
Part IV 1911-1912 including The Fight at Battle Hill, Reminiscences of Mrs. Gilbert Porte, The Mackenzies of Hyde Park, etc. (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...00londuoft.pdf
Thoughts on a Sunday Morning - the 21st day of May 2023 - Victoria Day
By the Rev. Nola Crewe
You can view this at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/foru...3-victoria-day
Historic Sketches of London, Ontario
Published by the London and Middlesex Historical Society, 1908 (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist..._Middlesex.pdf
Transactions of the Canadian Institute
Rural depopulation in Southern Ontario By S. A Cudmore, Lecturer in Political Economy. University of Toronto (1912) (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...00cudmuoft.pdf
Electric Scotland
Captain Mayne Reid
Adventurer and Novelist
No one who has written books for the young during the nineteenth century ever had so large a circle of readers as Captain Mayne Reid, or ever was so well fitted by circumstances to write the books by which he is chiefly known. His life, which was an adventurous one, was ripened with the experiences of two Continents, and his temperament, which was an ardent one, reflected the traits of two races. Irish by birth, he was American in his sympathies with the people of the New World, whose acquaintance he made at an early period, among whom he lived for years, and whose battles he helped to win. He was probably more familiar with the Southern and Western portion of the United States forty years ago than any native-born American of that time.
You can learn more about him and read many of his books at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...mayne-reid.htm
Craig, George
Writer (law agent), banker, insurance agent, baron bailie and notary public.
I have no hesitation in pronouncing the Galashiels manufacturers an honour to their country, and men who are entitled to all confidence and encouragement. For the rapid improvement that they have made, they have been a good deal indebted to their chief proprietor, Scott of Gala, who has always behaved towards them with a great deal of public spirit and liberality. But they have been far more indebted to their late pastor the Rev. Dr Douglas, and Mr George Craig. This last gentleman, being a native of Galashiels, and deeply interested in its prosperity, and being likewise Gala's factor, and the original banker of the town, has always stood a stronghold to the manufacturers in time of need. It is needless to deny that these two have been the making of Galashiels. It has lost the one, and when it loses the other, his place will never be supplied.
You can learn more about him at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...aig_george.htm
Little Women
A novel by Louisa M. Alcott (pdf)
This book is in the top one hundred children's books and can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/kids/st...0alco_t3z5.pdf
The Mercers of Innerpeffray and Inchbreakie
From 1400 to 1513 by Robert Scott Fittis (1877) (pdf)
You can read about them at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...erpe00fitt.pdf
Thermopylae – The Birth of a Clipper
Listen to and read this poem by Staley Bruce which you'll find half way down the page under the picture of the article "The Aberdeen ship that beat the Cutty Sark" Below that you'll also find three articles about the event from the local newspapers.
You can get to this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...ipbuilding.htm
Thomas Dryburgh's Dream
A story of the Sick Children's Hospital by Annie S. Swan (1889) (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/lifesty...nshospital.pdf
Old Edinburgh Beaux & Belles
Faithfully presented to the reader in Coloured Prints with the story of How they Walked, Dressed and Behaved Themselves by David Morison (1886) (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...aux_Belles.pdf
Story
Some Account of the Fairs in Scotland - Selkirkshire
Selkirk is the county town, and a royal burgh, and although it possesses these distinguished titles, it was long little else than a village. The incomes which the French officers, prisoners of war on parole, spent for years in the village, raised it to what it now is, into the rank of a small neat town. The burgh and parish contained in 1831, 2833 souls. It is thirty-six miles south of Edinburgh, on the Carlisle road, seven miles west of Melrose, and twelve from Hawick and Jedburgh.
The first fair is held on the first Wednesday of March, and is denominated the Selkirk Tryst. It is principally a market for seed, and for hiring married farm-servants and shepherds. The terms upon which the married farm-servants are hired, are much the same as those in Berwick and Roxbuigh shires. Selkirk being chiefly a pastoral county, and containing large flocks of sheep, many shepherds change masters at this fair. Named shepherds get a house and corn for victuals, and the remainder of their wages consists in the permission to keep a certain number of breeding ewes, varying according to the pleasure of the masters, or the abilities of the shepherd to purchase or retain them. Those herds who have large families to support, are restricted in the ability to purchase or retain sheep, and must rather have money to purchase corn or meal. They have a cow maintained all the year round, and receive a certain allowance of potatoes. When prices of sheep are good, they are in easy circumstances, and in general they are a class of men who receive high wages. They maintain good characters, and frequently remain a long time upon the same farm. There is no method so certain of ensuring the regard of a servant for his place, and through it for his master,—which is giving the servant the most unfavourable character, for it is pleasanter for him to regard the place through the kindness of his master, than in exciting his personal interest in the welfare of the farm on which he resides; and this is effectually accomplished by imparting to him a portion of the produce of the farm for the maintenance of himself and family. This feeling is more strongly excited in the breasts of shepherds than of ploughmen, inasmuch as the interest derived from tending live-stock, and particularly sheep, is far more intense than the cultivation of grain. Although a shepherd apparently and actually does receive higher wages than a ploughman, he is not remunerated more for his trouble. He has no restricted hours. He must be on the move from daylight till after sunset He must satisfy himself of the number and state of bis flock. In lambing time he is deprived of sleep for weeks, and in shearing time his bodily labour is most fatiguing. To all which must be added, the anxiety which be must daily feel for hundreds of living creatures, whose welfare chiefly depends on the degree of care which he chooses to bestow upon them. The upland farmers in this county seldom trust to their own grain for seed. Moat of them buy their seed, corn, oats, and barley, both in bulk and sample, at this fair, from the formers in the lower parts of Roxburghshire. There is a trade the converse of this carried on in this market in the article of seed potatoes; the lowland formers preferring the upland grown potatoes for seed.
Selkirk second fair is held on the 5th April, but it is always called the March market, the 5th April being in March old style. This is one of the greatest hiring markets in the south of Scotland for single male and female house-servants, unmarried ploughmen, half-grown lads, who make themselves generally useful on a form, younger ones for stable and errand boys and cattle herds. Most of the young women are hired for outdoor work, such as making hay, milking cows and ewes, wooing fuel, &c. Such is the importance in which the fair is held, nearly the whole of the unmarried servants in Selkirkshire attend this market, and the scene for a time is the most animating that can be imagined. Many purchases of seed-barley are made at this fair, and also in great ewes, or ewes at the lambing. The ewes being big are not driven to the fair, but bargains are effected on the known characters of the different flocks, the buyers trusting to the seller's statement as to the condition of the ewes, and the description of tups by which the lambs have been got.
Selkirk third fair is held on the 4th July old style. It is called the Hook Fahr, being a market entirely for the hiring of workers in harvest. Selkirk fourth fair, called St Lawrence Day Fair, was once a great fair, but is now dwindled down to insignificance. Selkirk fifth fair is a Lammas fair. A considerable number of lambs used to be shewn at this market, but of late years it has been superseded by the immense shews at Melrose. Selkirk sixth fair is held on the 31st October. This, like the spring April market, was instituted for the hiring of single servants for the winter, which draws together a great concourse of both masters and servants. There is a good deal of business done in this market in meal, the upland farmers purchasing largely who grow little corn themselves. Selkirk seventh fair, called the Yule Fair, is held on the 8th December old style. The upland farmers now lay in their stock of meal for the season, delivery being effected at this time, or at future periods, according to contract. This being the day for settling the Martinmas accounts with merchants and tradespeople, there is always a large attendance of farmers; the farmers having by this time sold off all their disposable produce, they wind up their pecuniary transactions for the year. Money is therefore in general circulation at this time in Selkirk, throughout all the classes of its inhabitants.
Learn more about Selkirk in the Scottish Borders at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkirk,_Scottish_Borders
and see a video of the area at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDSOmeUgZYg
END.
Weekend is almost here and hope it's a good one for you.
Alastair
The most popular dog breed in Canada is the Labrador Retriever. Labrador Retrievers have been enormously popular for a quarter-of-a-century now, thanks to their intelligence and gentle nature.
-------
Theory of Family Relativity is a groundbreaking feature that can save you hours of work in trying to understand your connection to your DNA Matches. It harnesses billions of data points across MyHeritage’s huge database of family trees and historical records to provide you with plausible theories about how you and your DNA Matches are related.
I have great news for you! MyHeritage just updated the data for Theory of Family Relativity™, adding millions of new theories to help you uncover how you’re related to your DNA Matches.
Thanks to this new update:
•The total number of theories has grown to 136,713,021, representing a 61% increase.
•The number of DNA Matches that include a theory has increased by 78%, to 95,691,486.
•The total number of paths has grown by 51.2%, for a total of 998,325,515 paths.
•The number of DNA kits with at least one theory has grown by 23.6%, to 2,353,769 kits.
•An additional 402,255 users have one or more Theories of Family Relativity™.
--------
Scottish Affairs
Founded in 1992, is the leading forum for debate on Scottish current affairs.
Its predecessor was Scottish Government Yearbooks, published by the University of Edinburgh's 'Unit for the Study of Government in Scotland' between 1976 and 1992.
The movement towards the setting up the Scottish Parliament in the 1990s, and then the debate in and around the Parliament since 1999, brought the need for a new analysis of Scottish politics, policy and society. Scottish Affairs provides that opportunity. Fully peer-reviewed, it publishes articles on matters of concern to people who are interested in the development of Scotland, often setting current affairs in an international or historical context, and in a context of debates about culture and identity. This includes articles about similarly placed small nations and regions throughout Europe and beyond. The articles are authoritative and rigorous without being technical and pedantic. No subject area is excluded, but all articles pay attention to the social and political context of their topics.
Thus Scottish Affairs takes up a position between informed journalism and academic analysis, and provides a forum for dialogue between the two. The readers and contributors include journalists, politicians, civil servants, business people, academics, and people in general who take an informed interest in current affairs.
You can read the journals at: https://www.euppublishing.com/loi/scot
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland and world news stories that can affect Scotland and as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines it becomes a good resource. I might also add that in a number of newspapers you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish which I do myself from time to time. Here is what caught my eye this week...
Scots go nuclear
One of the SNP's strangest ideological commitments is its fervent opposition to nuclear power so much so that it has vetoed any new plants north of the border. Not only is that a senseless policy in a world of sky-high energy prices, but it flies in the face of what Scottish voters want too.
Read more at:
https://capx.co/on-nuclear-power-the...cottish-people
SNP police investigation latest, ferries fiasco and campaign on youth violence
Planet Holyrood - Daily Record. The Daily Record's political editor Paul Hutcheon is joined by Douglas Dickie, content editor of the Scottish Daily Express and the Sunday Mail's chief reporter Hannah Rodger to chew over the latest stories around the political world.
View this at:
https://youtu.be/BhrRLtv2jSY
Hundreds of churches will have to close, says Kirk
The Church of Scotland will have to close hundreds of churches in the coming years, the Kirk's trustees have warned as it prepares for its annual General Assembly.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-65645891
Action needed to save Scotland's wild salmon following extinction threat
Without urgent action salmon could be extinct in 20 years from our rivers as levels get to crisis level.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...-wild-30017726
Violence in Scotland's schools branded national scandal
Concerns have been raised in recent months after a number of videos circulated on social media showing violent outbursts from pupils, as highlighted in the Daily Record's Our Kids... Our Future campaign. Teachers and staff in Scotland's schools faced more than 22,000 attacks in 2021/22, a report from the Sunday Mail in December said.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...ional-30049393
Amazon is not a monopoly
Amazon gets accused of being a monopoly, yet it is not behaving as academics predict such businesses should. Instead of exploiting its market dominance to raise prices for consumers who have nowhere else to go, it is relentlessly seeking to improve productivity, meet the needs of customers and add new ones.
Read more at:
https://www.realclearmarkets.com/art...ly_900387.html
First Ministers and political leadership: Part 2
By Gerry Hassan in the Scottish Review
Read more at:
https://www.scottishreview.net/GerryHassan659a.html
The 100 greatest children's books of all time
BBC Culture polled 177 books experts from 56 countries in order to find the greatest children's books ever. From Where the Wild Things Are to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, here's the top 100.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/...ks-of-all-time
Canada's household debt is now highest in the G7
The amount owed by Canadian households is also higher than the country's entire GDP.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65688460
Apple strikes major US-made semiconductor deal
Under the multi-year agreement, the two US companies will develop components for 5G devices that will be designed and manufactured in America.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65692276
Alberta, Canada, wildfires show no sign of slowing, experts say
The province of Alberta, Canada, home to more than four million people, is under a state of emergency, as nearly 100 wildfires burn, dozens of them out of control.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65638922
Electric Canadian
Unforgettable 35-Day Wilderness Expedition in Canada's Big Land
The Full Documentary of the 2020 "Boreal to Barrenlands - Crossing Labrador" expedition! An unprecedented canoe journey that takes four friends 670 kms through Labrador’s interior to cross three-ecosystems, two heights of land, and one entire province in 35 days. You'll find this 6 hour video on our Lifestyle page, fourth video down.
You can view this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/lifestyle/index.htm
Anne of Green Gables
A novel by L. M. Montgomery (1933) (pdf)
This book is in the top one hundred children's books and can be read at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...een-gables.pdf
Transactions of the London and Middlesex Historical Society
Part IV 1911-1912 including The Fight at Battle Hill, Reminiscences of Mrs. Gilbert Porte, The Mackenzies of Hyde Park, etc. (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...00londuoft.pdf
Thoughts on a Sunday Morning - the 21st day of May 2023 - Victoria Day
By the Rev. Nola Crewe
You can view this at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/foru...3-victoria-day
Historic Sketches of London, Ontario
Published by the London and Middlesex Historical Society, 1908 (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist..._Middlesex.pdf
Transactions of the Canadian Institute
Rural depopulation in Southern Ontario By S. A Cudmore, Lecturer in Political Economy. University of Toronto (1912) (pdf)
You can read this at:
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist...00cudmuoft.pdf
Electric Scotland
Captain Mayne Reid
Adventurer and Novelist
No one who has written books for the young during the nineteenth century ever had so large a circle of readers as Captain Mayne Reid, or ever was so well fitted by circumstances to write the books by which he is chiefly known. His life, which was an adventurous one, was ripened with the experiences of two Continents, and his temperament, which was an ardent one, reflected the traits of two races. Irish by birth, he was American in his sympathies with the people of the New World, whose acquaintance he made at an early period, among whom he lived for years, and whose battles he helped to win. He was probably more familiar with the Southern and Western portion of the United States forty years ago than any native-born American of that time.
You can learn more about him and read many of his books at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...mayne-reid.htm
Craig, George
Writer (law agent), banker, insurance agent, baron bailie and notary public.
I have no hesitation in pronouncing the Galashiels manufacturers an honour to their country, and men who are entitled to all confidence and encouragement. For the rapid improvement that they have made, they have been a good deal indebted to their chief proprietor, Scott of Gala, who has always behaved towards them with a great deal of public spirit and liberality. But they have been far more indebted to their late pastor the Rev. Dr Douglas, and Mr George Craig. This last gentleman, being a native of Galashiels, and deeply interested in its prosperity, and being likewise Gala's factor, and the original banker of the town, has always stood a stronghold to the manufacturers in time of need. It is needless to deny that these two have been the making of Galashiels. It has lost the one, and when it loses the other, his place will never be supplied.
You can learn more about him at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...aig_george.htm
Little Women
A novel by Louisa M. Alcott (pdf)
This book is in the top one hundred children's books and can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/kids/st...0alco_t3z5.pdf
The Mercers of Innerpeffray and Inchbreakie
From 1400 to 1513 by Robert Scott Fittis (1877) (pdf)
You can read about them at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...erpe00fitt.pdf
Thermopylae – The Birth of a Clipper
Listen to and read this poem by Staley Bruce which you'll find half way down the page under the picture of the article "The Aberdeen ship that beat the Cutty Sark" Below that you'll also find three articles about the event from the local newspapers.
You can get to this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...ipbuilding.htm
Thomas Dryburgh's Dream
A story of the Sick Children's Hospital by Annie S. Swan (1889) (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/lifesty...nshospital.pdf
Old Edinburgh Beaux & Belles
Faithfully presented to the reader in Coloured Prints with the story of How they Walked, Dressed and Behaved Themselves by David Morison (1886) (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...aux_Belles.pdf
Story
Some Account of the Fairs in Scotland - Selkirkshire
Selkirk is the county town, and a royal burgh, and although it possesses these distinguished titles, it was long little else than a village. The incomes which the French officers, prisoners of war on parole, spent for years in the village, raised it to what it now is, into the rank of a small neat town. The burgh and parish contained in 1831, 2833 souls. It is thirty-six miles south of Edinburgh, on the Carlisle road, seven miles west of Melrose, and twelve from Hawick and Jedburgh.
The first fair is held on the first Wednesday of March, and is denominated the Selkirk Tryst. It is principally a market for seed, and for hiring married farm-servants and shepherds. The terms upon which the married farm-servants are hired, are much the same as those in Berwick and Roxbuigh shires. Selkirk being chiefly a pastoral county, and containing large flocks of sheep, many shepherds change masters at this fair. Named shepherds get a house and corn for victuals, and the remainder of their wages consists in the permission to keep a certain number of breeding ewes, varying according to the pleasure of the masters, or the abilities of the shepherd to purchase or retain them. Those herds who have large families to support, are restricted in the ability to purchase or retain sheep, and must rather have money to purchase corn or meal. They have a cow maintained all the year round, and receive a certain allowance of potatoes. When prices of sheep are good, they are in easy circumstances, and in general they are a class of men who receive high wages. They maintain good characters, and frequently remain a long time upon the same farm. There is no method so certain of ensuring the regard of a servant for his place, and through it for his master,—which is giving the servant the most unfavourable character, for it is pleasanter for him to regard the place through the kindness of his master, than in exciting his personal interest in the welfare of the farm on which he resides; and this is effectually accomplished by imparting to him a portion of the produce of the farm for the maintenance of himself and family. This feeling is more strongly excited in the breasts of shepherds than of ploughmen, inasmuch as the interest derived from tending live-stock, and particularly sheep, is far more intense than the cultivation of grain. Although a shepherd apparently and actually does receive higher wages than a ploughman, he is not remunerated more for his trouble. He has no restricted hours. He must be on the move from daylight till after sunset He must satisfy himself of the number and state of bis flock. In lambing time he is deprived of sleep for weeks, and in shearing time his bodily labour is most fatiguing. To all which must be added, the anxiety which be must daily feel for hundreds of living creatures, whose welfare chiefly depends on the degree of care which he chooses to bestow upon them. The upland farmers in this county seldom trust to their own grain for seed. Moat of them buy their seed, corn, oats, and barley, both in bulk and sample, at this fair, from the formers in the lower parts of Roxburghshire. There is a trade the converse of this carried on in this market in the article of seed potatoes; the lowland formers preferring the upland grown potatoes for seed.
Selkirk second fair is held on the 5th April, but it is always called the March market, the 5th April being in March old style. This is one of the greatest hiring markets in the south of Scotland for single male and female house-servants, unmarried ploughmen, half-grown lads, who make themselves generally useful on a form, younger ones for stable and errand boys and cattle herds. Most of the young women are hired for outdoor work, such as making hay, milking cows and ewes, wooing fuel, &c. Such is the importance in which the fair is held, nearly the whole of the unmarried servants in Selkirkshire attend this market, and the scene for a time is the most animating that can be imagined. Many purchases of seed-barley are made at this fair, and also in great ewes, or ewes at the lambing. The ewes being big are not driven to the fair, but bargains are effected on the known characters of the different flocks, the buyers trusting to the seller's statement as to the condition of the ewes, and the description of tups by which the lambs have been got.
Selkirk third fair is held on the 4th July old style. It is called the Hook Fahr, being a market entirely for the hiring of workers in harvest. Selkirk fourth fair, called St Lawrence Day Fair, was once a great fair, but is now dwindled down to insignificance. Selkirk fifth fair is a Lammas fair. A considerable number of lambs used to be shewn at this market, but of late years it has been superseded by the immense shews at Melrose. Selkirk sixth fair is held on the 31st October. This, like the spring April market, was instituted for the hiring of single servants for the winter, which draws together a great concourse of both masters and servants. There is a good deal of business done in this market in meal, the upland farmers purchasing largely who grow little corn themselves. Selkirk seventh fair, called the Yule Fair, is held on the 8th December old style. The upland farmers now lay in their stock of meal for the season, delivery being effected at this time, or at future periods, according to contract. This being the day for settling the Martinmas accounts with merchants and tradespeople, there is always a large attendance of farmers; the farmers having by this time sold off all their disposable produce, they wind up their pecuniary transactions for the year. Money is therefore in general circulation at this time in Selkirk, throughout all the classes of its inhabitants.
Learn more about Selkirk in the Scottish Borders at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkirk,_Scottish_Borders
and see a video of the area at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDSOmeUgZYg
END.
Weekend is almost here and hope it's a good one for you.
Alastair