Reminiscences of Dollar, Tillicoultry, and other districts adjoining the Ochils, with notes on progress, scientific discovery, and invention of new spinning machinery, during the last hundred years ... Second edition

Front matter

REMINISCENCES OF DOLLAR etc etc. MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH, PRINTERS TO MER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. DO L L A R, F K ') M THE SOUTH BRIDGE. Published hy T. Bimlatiflw, BookueUer REMINISCENCES OF DOLLAR, TILLICOULTRY, AND OTHER DISTRICTS ADJOINING THE OCHILS, WITH Notes on Progress, Scientific Discovery, and Invention of New Spinning Machinery, during the last Hundred Years. By AVILLIAA1 tillicoultry, Second ŒfotttMi. EDINBUEGH : ANDEEW ELLIOT, 17 PBINCES STEEET. 1883. PREFATORY NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION. AVhen I commenced to take these notes I thought they might extend to a dozen or two pages, and intended to lw.ve only one manuscript copy ; but finding, as I progressed, that this number was going to be largely exceeded, it then occurred to me that I would have them printed, for private circulation amongst my friends, or others who may feel interested in seeing them.

AV. G. Tillicoultry, July 1, 1882. PREFATORY NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The First Edition of this book was printed for private circulation, but a very general wish having been ex pressed that it should be made public, I have now carried this into effect, by preparing this Second Edition. With the exception of some slight alterations and additions, the narrative continues throughout the same as before, and as written in 1882. The additions are numerous, and some of them of considerable length, and may, I hope, give additional interest to the book. AV. G. Tillicoultry-, December 1, 1883. PAGE 1 32 CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Blackford : its old Church and Churchyard— Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715 — Weaving Villages of Scotland Ruined by the Introduction of the Power- Loom — Kincardine Glen, Duchally Mill, and Auchterarder — Old Days of the Spinning Wheel and Hand Cards for Wool — Dollar — Relatives — Castle Campbell — Petition to the Duke of Argyle — A Duke greater than a Lord — A ' Hielan' ' Proclamation — First Wool Mill iu Dollar — Thomas Forrest, Vicar of Dollar — Castle Campbell burned by the Macleans in 1614 — Making of New Walk in Dollar Glen — Grant of Water to Dollar by Sir Andrew Orr — Portgober — Higher SeaLevels — Collieries — Healing Properties of Vicar's Bridge Mineral Water — Story of ' Old Lachie ' and the Coal Pit. .......

Chapter II

Wilson Family of Bankhead, and Letters from America during the American War in 1812 and 1813 — First Steamer on the Clyde (the Comet) in 1812— The Old Home in Dollar- Stories about the late Mr. Stewart of Glendevon — Reform Bill of 1832. .......

Chapter III

Captain John M'Nab, and his splendid Bequest to Dollar — Building of Dollar Academy commenced in 1818 — Craufurd Tait's CONTENTS. X PAGE 57 71 85 Letter in 1815, intimating the Rev. Dr. Mylne's appointment to the Church of Dollar— First Teachers in Dollar Academy —An Old Dame's School— Bob M'Donald and ' Daily Bread.'

Chapter IV

Meal Mill and Big Wheel below Castle Campbell Wood— Plan for a Range of Mills in Dollar Banks— The Poet Burns at Harviestoun Castle— Bird's-Eye View of the Devon Valley, and Archbishop of Canterbury Peak— Tait's Tomb— Old Buildings in Dollar—' Old Craigie '—Days of the Corn Laws — Literary Shepherd born in 1712. ....

Chapter V

Teachers in Dollar Academy in my School Days — The Old Church of Dollar, rebuilt in 1775 — Sacramental Fasts generally, and Special Days of Fasting in Markinch in the year 1640 — Dog made to ' ken ' how to keep the Sabbath — An Old Lady's Opinion of what constituted ' a Christian ' — Rev. Dr. Mylne on ' The Ten Virgins ' — Correspondence between Dr. M'Kelvie and Dr. Mylne — New Trustees for Dollar Academy appointed in 1826 — Act of Parliament got in 1847, constituting a new Board of Trustees — Death of Dr. Mylne in 1856 — Extracts from the Statistical Account of Dollar in 1792, by the Rev. Mr. Watson — Detailed Notice of Teachers in the Academy up till the year 1835 — Pupils at Dollar Academy in my School Days— The Rev. Dr. Wyllie — ' Run-line '—Origin of the Name of Cairnpark in Dollar — Old Families of Dollar — The Blackwood Band of Fiddlers — Johnnie Cook and Fiddlefield — John Orr and Battle of Alexandria ill 1S01 — The Horse Shoe, and WTestern Suburbs of Dollar — Story of the Goat and Gander going to Church — Gloomhill and Hillfoot — Old Families of Dollar continued — First Post-master appointed iu Dollar in 1S30. .... CONTENTS. XI PAGE 126 135

Chapter VI

Relatives at one time in Clackmannan — Bankhead Farm— Sojourn in Dunfermline — Manufacturing Firms, etc., in Dunfermline Forty-five Years ago — Annular Eclipse of the Sun on 15th May 1836 — Means of Locomotion in those days.

Chapter VII

Begin Business in Dollar — Old Firms in Glasgow Forty Years ago — Increase of the ,City of Glasgow since then — Scientific Discoveries and Progress in the Nineteenth Century — First Telegraph Message flashed across the Atlantic on 17th of August 1858 — Invention of the Telephone : Conversation carried on between Persons 1000 Miles apart — Discovery of Photography — Portraits taken by a Machine— New Aniline Dyes — Revelations in Geology and Astronomy— Progress in the Science of Chemistry — Introduction of Railways — The Art of Printing discovered in 1448 — Immense Strides the Press has taken during the last Fifty Years — Beautifully Illustrated Literature of the Present Day — Fabulously Low Prices at which Books can now be Published — Established Church at Dollar, and Free Church at Shelterhall — Milnathort : ' Coaching Days,' etc. ....

Chapter VIII

Tillicoultry and Neighbourhood— Legend of the ' Clenched Fist ' — Old Castle in Tillicoultry — Names of Hills in the Ochil Range — Last Occupier of Mill Glen House Farm — Extracts from Statistical Accounts of Tillicoultry Parish, written in 1792 and 1840— Fishing Streams of the Ochils— Glenfarg one of the most Picturesque Glens in Scotland — Tillicoultry a Manufacturing Village in the days of Queen Mary — First Mills erected in Tillicoultry — First Carding-Engine in Tillicoultry, driven by the hand; and the first one in Alva, driven by a horse — Invention of the Spinning-Mule — First CONTENTS. XII PAGE 153 192 Self-acting Mules for wool in Great Britain, erected in Alva and Tillicoultry— Invention of. the Piecing Machine and Condenser— Wool still ' pieced ' in some Places by the hand— Detailed Notice of the Public Works in Tillicoultry —The Village of Tullibody founded by Kenneth, King of the Scots, in the year 834— Battle between the Picts and the Scots— Abbey of Cambuskenneth built by David I., King of Scotland, in 1147 ; and Tullibody Church in 1149—Unroof ing of Tullibody Church by the French— Notice of Public Works continued — Building of Popular Institute in Tilli coultry — First Post-master appointed to Tillicoultry in 1833 — Telegraph from Alloa to Tillicoultry constructed in 1860 — Experience of Fires. .....

Chapter IX

Commencement of the Village of Devonside — Keillersbrae and Strude Mills — Formation of Gartmorn Dam in 1700 — Forrest Mill, and Michael Bruce, the Poet of Lochleven — Subsequent Occupiers of some of the Mills — Great Flood in 1877 — Heavy Flood in the Devon in 1785 — Romantic Story about the Drysdale Family of Tillicoultry — Manufacturing Firms who didn't spin Yarns — Manufacturers at one time in Tillicoultry — Goods manufactured at the Foot of the Ochils — Reference to some of the Works in Alva, Menstrie, and Glendevon — The Three Students and the Countryman — The Herd Laddie and the ' Even-down pour of rain ' — Tartan Shawl Houses at one time in Glasgow, and luy^rs who visited the Hillfoots — The ' Tartan Ball ' in Alva in the year 1845