Who Do You Think You Are - Anne Reid 17th Sep

[kiterunner]

Here is John Reid's conduct record on the Archives Office of Tasmania website:

http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/Im...5,273,214,F,60

Seems to say he was "drunk and out after hours" in Dec 1847, and is the next line "Felony - receiving wool"?

[kiterunner]

And this is his description, on the same site (image no 127 if the link doesn't take you to the right page):
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/Im...3,241,127,C,40

[kiterunner]

And his "Indent" record, from the same site (images 279 and 280):
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/Im...4,301,279,F,45

[kiterunner]

Fife Herald
1 Apr 1841
Scotch Bankrupts
Applications for Cessio Bonorum
John Reid, schoolmaster at Logie - to be examined in the Sheriff's office, Cupar, 24th April, eleven o'clock.

Fife Herald 6 May 1841
Properties at Lucklawhill and Logie
To be Rouped, within the Office of Messrs Drummond and Mitchell, Writers, Cupar, on Thursday, 10th June, 1841, at One P.M.,
The following PROPERTIES, which belonged to JOHN REID, Teacher, Logie:-
1. About Seven Scotch Acres of LAND on LUCKLAWHILL, with DWELLING-HOUSES thereon. The Land has been all improved, part of it is Let on Lease to a good Tenant, and the whole is well adapted for Feuing.
2. Three DWELLING-HOUSES in LOGIE VILLAGE, with GARDENS behind.
3. The Westmost reputed Acre in FOREBANK of LOGIE, extending to about an Acre and 3-4ths.
4. About an Acre and a Half, a little to the eastward of the above.
5. Between Eight and Nine Acres, on the Northbank, a little to the Northwest of the VILLAGE of LOGIE, consisting partly of the "Privilege Lands" and partly of Lands adjoining with the DWELLING-HOUSES, STABLE, and SHED thereon.
All to be put up in Lots to suit Purchasers.
Apply to MR JAMES SMIETON, Merchant, Dundee, the Trustee, or to Messrs DRUMMOND and MITCHELL, who have the Titles and Articles of Roup. Mr THOMAS THOMSON or Mr REID, at Logie, will show the Properties.

NOTICE TO THE CREDITORS
The said JOHN REID having executed a Disposition Omnium Bonorum in favour of Mr SMIETON for behoof of his CREDITORS, all Persons having CLAIMS against him are requested to lodge the same, with Oaths of Verity thereon, with the Trustee, or his Agents above-mentioned, within One Month from this Date, otherwise they will be exluded from any share of the Funds. And all Indebted to Mr REID are requested immediately to pay their Debts to same Parties.
CUPAR, 3d May, 1841.

[kiterunner]

Fife Herald, Sep 9 1841
Presbytery of Cupar.- There was a meeting of this body on Tuesday. The only matter of importance before them was the case of John Reid, schoolmaster, Logie, who has been indicted for neglect of duty, &c. They sustained the relevancy of the charges and the indictment, and appointed the proof and the discussion on the merits to take place at the meeting in October next. It is supposed, that should Reid fail to be convicted of forgery at the next Justiciary Court at Perth, with which he stands charged, and thus be enabled in person, to resume his office, the Presbytery will find much difficulty in ejecting him. The state of parochial school law is wretched.

[kiterunner]

Northern Warder and General Advertiser for the Counties of Fife, Perth and Forfar 28 Sep 1841
JOHN REID, now or lately schoolmaster of the parish of Logie, Fife accused of forgery, in so far as he on the 8th January 1840, wrote, or caused to be written, a bill for £49 19s, sterling, dated Logie, 8th January 1840, and made payable at four months after date, and addressed to Mr David Husband, Easter Forret, and Mr John Reid, teacher, Logie, he forging and exhibiting upon the said bill the subscription, David Husband, as one of the acceptors of the bill, and therafter presenting the same to David Reid, Cruivie, parish aforesaid and requesting him to put his name to the bill as drawer and indorser thereof, and having received the said David Reid's signature, did, on the 9th January 1840, within the banking office of the branch of the British Linen Company at Cupar, utter as genuine the said forged bill of exchange, and which bill was discounted at the said bank office accordingly. On the indictment being read, the prisoner's counsel stated some objections to its relevancy, and among the rest, that the bill in question was no bill of exchange. In this view of the case he was supported to some extent by the bench. Lord Moncrieff arguing, that a bill of exchange was quite a different matter from the one in question. However, the case was considered so far doubtful that the diet was ordered to be continued against the prisoner till the 22d November next when he will be tried before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh.

[kiterunner]

Fife Herald 16 Dec 1841
Final Notice to the Creditors of John Reid, Teacher, Logie
SUCH CREDITORS as have not already lodged their Claims, with Oaths or Declarations to the verity thereof, in the hands of the Trustee, or his Agents, are again requested to do so within fourteen days from this date, under certification, that if they fail to do so, they will be cut off from all share in the funds realised, as immediately thereafter a State of the Rankings and Scheme of Division will be made up, and the funds divided amongst those claiming. Claims to be lodged with Messrs DRUMMOND and MITCHELL, Writers, Cupar, the Trustee's Agents, who will give every information regarding the affairs to those interested.
JAMES SMEITON, Trustee
Cupar, 16th December 1841.

Northern Warder and General Advertiser for the Counties of Fife, Perth and Forfar 18 Jan 1842
CUPAR.- The Schoolmaster of Logie
On Saturday week, John Reid, schoolmaster of the parish of Logie, was tried before the High Court of Justiciary for the crime of forgery, as also the wickedly and feloniously using and uttering, as genuine, a forged bill of exchange, or other obligatory writing, having thereon a forged subscription, knowing the same to be forged. The prisoner pled not guilty, and Messrs Paton and Heriot, advocates, appeared as his counsel. Several witnesses were examined for the prosecution; after which counsel was heard, and the evidence summed up by Lord Moncrieff. The Jury then retired for a few minutes, and returned with a verdict unanimously finding the prisoner guilty as libelled, upon which Lord Medwyn proposed a sentence of seven years' transportation. Lord Moncrieff concurred in the sentence (which was accordingly pronounced), and suitably admonished the prisoner. His Lordship dwelt, in particular, upon the aggravated character which the crime assumed in being committed by one who, as a teacher of youth, was bound to inculcate, by precept and example, an honest, godly morality, instead of launching into practices which no upright man could reconcile with personal conduct, far less with his public duty to the young entrusted to his care.

[Margaret in Burton]

I have to agree that her attitude was very annoying. It spoilt what would have been a very interesting episode.

After we had watched that we watched a couple from the latest American version on the watch channel. They were much more interesting.
Josh Groban the singer and Angie Harmon from the USA cop series Rizzoli and Isles.
They both ended up in Germany, Josh in the 1600's. Very interesting the amount of information that was there and had survived two world wars.

[Anstey Nomad]

I thought her hilarity over John Reid's drunken exploits was entirely and offensively out of place.

I switched off at that point. Doesn't sound like I missed much.

[Shona]

As the episode progressed, I became more and more annoyed by Anne Reid and her defence of John Reid: 'He only forged a signature, for goodness sake!'

Here is some info about Logie from the Statistical Account. There is a section on the schoolmaster. Oh, and the population of the parish were regarded as sober and industrious. Enter, a drunken school master. The kirk session must have gone into overdrive!

LOGIE PARISH
POPULATION:- This parish, like many others, was formerly divided into smaller farms than it is now. This change tends, of course, to diminish the population; and, what has contributed to the same effect, fewer cottages are required upon farms, in consequence of unmarried being generally preferred to married servants. These causes of a decrease of population, however, have been in some measure counterbalanced by the encouragement given to feuing by some of the proprietors. Three small villages have arisen in this way. The advantages of feuing either to proprietor or tenant are very questionable. A higher rent may be obtained, but an unsound population is produced, and paupers, which the landholder must maintain, are increased in number. Man naturally wishes to be independent, to have a house and a home which he can call his own. But the expense of building a house to a poor man, and a high feu-rent, often leave him nothing of independence but the name. This, however, many are compelled to do, or remove to towns, as neither proprietors nor tenants give much encouragement to the building and letting of cottages. This system weakens or dissolves that moral tie which should unite rich and poor, and widens that breach between them, which is ruinous to the peace and prosperity of both.

The population in 1831 was 430
At present is 410
Number of families: 100
Persons under 15 years of age: 144
Betwixt 15 and 30: 111
30 and 50: 97
50 and 70: 38
Above 70: 20
Bachelors and widowers above 50: 11
Unmarried women above 45: 20
Average number of children in families: 4 7/77
Births for last seven years: 9
Marriages: 5
Deaths: 7
Illegitimate births in the course of the last three years: 3

HABITS AND CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE:-
A great proportion of the inhabitants, both male and female, are employed in agriculture, and they are in general very sober and industrious, and are tolerably comfortable in their circumstances. Few of the farmservants, indeed, have now the luxury of a cow; but they have each a Scotch pint of milk daily from their master's dairy, with a sufficient quantity of oat-meal and potatoes, and in general they fatten a pig or two
annually for family use. It is, indeed, truly wonderful how well clothed, neat, and clean, large families are kept, and at the same time tolerably well educated, with the few pounds Of wages received by farm-servants and other labourers. Much depends upon the sobriety of the husband, and the good economy of the wife, and the good health which a kind Providence, is pleased to bestow. The young unmarried servants are not in so comfortable a state. Their only food is oatmeal, milk, and some potatoes. They are lodged in an apartment called a bothy, by themselves, quite detached from their master's house and in general entirely neglected by him as to moral inspection or religious instruction. The fatal consequence is, that too many of our youth in that rank of life have, for many years past, grown up in ignorance and vice and the instruction which they may receive from clergymen is very inefficient, as a great proportion of them change masters every year.

WAGES
The rate of wages is for men about 9s. a week in summer, and 8s. a week in winter; for women, by whom much field work is done, 4s. a week ; for wrights, smiths, and masons from 12s to 15s. a week.

PAROCHIAL ECONOMY
No turnpike road passes through any part of this parish, there is no inn or alehouse in it. The nearest post-town is Cupar, distant about four miles and a half.

ECCLESIASTICAL STATE
There is no dissenting place of worship in the parish, and the dissenters, who chiefly belong to what are called the Relief and Associate Synod, are not numerous, seldom exceeding thirty individuals.

The parish church, which was built in 1826, is a very plain but commodious house, placed in a centrical situation. it is seated for 280, and none of the seats are let. Each heritor accommodates the people upon his own ground with seats. But though the church is sufficiently large for the population, there is still a want of seats in those divisions of the church which belong to heritors, who, by feuing their ground, have raised a greater number of people upon it than their proportion of the church can supply with seats. This is a hardship for which no legal remedy is yet provided. About one-half of the population regularly attend public worship on the Sabbath, and about one third of them are communicants. No society for religious purposes is, at present, established in the parish. But there is, in general, an annual collection so appropriated, amounting, to L. 6 or L. 7.
A new manse was built in 1815, and offices in 1828; and both are in good condition.

EDUCATION
There is only one school in the parish. The schoolmaster has the maximum salary, with an addition of 50 merks Scots per annum, a mortification of an old date by an heritor in the parish to the person then called the reader. The common branches of education, English reading, writing, and arithmetic, are taught. But the schoolmaster is qualified to teach English grammar, Latin, practical mathematics and geography, and sometimes has a few scholars attending these higher branches. The fees per quarter are 2s., 2s. 6d., and 3s. The fees received by the teacher may amount to L. 15 or L 20 per annum. There are none in the parish who cannot read and few who cannot write, and are not also somewhat acquainted with arithmetic. The children of the labouring classes are in general sent to school at an earlier period of life, and leave it sooner than formerly, so that, unless they are attended to by parents or masters, or have the benefit of a Sabbath school, they too soon forget what they have learned. A Sabbath school has been long taught in this parish, but is now attended chiefly by girls.

LIBRARY
There is no public library for the use of the parish, but Sabbath scholars and others are supplied with a few appropriate books from the manse. There is, indeed, a library of some value belonging to a heritor, to which a certain class of the parishioners have access, if they choose to avail themselves of the privilege. But the very terms upon which it is granted, operate as an exclusion from the carefully secured treasure. The books, as well as the acres, are strictly entailed. The heir of entail is prohibited from lending a book to his neighbours; but he is bound to keep a suitable room for the library in his house, and to allow free access to it to the minister and other gentlemen, there to read and study, but all women and children are expressly excluded.

POOR
The poor in this parish, whose average number is about 7, and who get from 4s. to 10s. per month, according to their circumstances, are supplied by collections at the church door, by the interest of a small sum of money, and voluntary contributions by the heritors. The collections and interest amount to L. 18 or L. 20, and nearly as much is contributed annually by the heritors. Instances of praiseworthy delicacy respecting dependence upon the poor's fund sometimes occur, but a very different feeling is evidently increasing. The session records and parish register are regularly kept. The date of the earliest is 1660.
December 1837 ( Rev Andrew Melville )