Dundee Suburbs

Lochee

Old Lochee Book 1911.

From "Lochee" - As it was and is - by Alexander Elliot - 1911

printed in 1911 by James P. Mathew & Co, Oaxton House, Cowgate, Dundee.

Drawings by Joseph Lee (the Black Watch Poet)

Book Chapters

1	Origin of Name of Lochee — Loch and Mill of Balgay — Rev. Dr Constable, Liff, and Sir Walter Scott — Industrial Pioneers — Early Settlers in Lochee — Inducements to Others — Lochee Burn: Its Usefulness — Rapid Expansion — Shrewd Manufacturers — Hand-loom Weaving — Fabrics Produced — Household Linen — Wage Standard — The Simple Life — Maid-servant Question: Wage and Bounty — Status of Ploughman and Labourer — Education — Schools and Schoolmasters — Deplorable Conditions of School-houses — Low Paid Teachers — Matters Marital — Attitude of Lochee Young Men Towards Fair Sex — Sanitary Conditions — Blights — Epidemics — Prevalence of Tuberculosis — Condition of Dwellings — Old But-and-Ben — The Pirn Wheel — Housing of Employers.
2	Old Lochee Delineated — Locheyefield: Its Destruction by Fire — Expansion of Lochee — Migration Eastward — Foggielea — Lochee in 1831— Described from Municipal Diagram — Snuff and Twopenny Club: An Old-fashioned Coterie — Neglected Poetess — New Trunk Road — Lochee Burn — Washing and Bleaching — Logie Feus: Origination of — Police Supervision Sixty Years Ago — Fire Brigade — Police Act 1850 — Its Adoption — When Lochee was Included in Dundee — Water Supply — Old-fashioned Wells — Cholera Hospital at Wellburn — Drainage — Resentment of Inhabitants — Postal Facilities: When Initiated and by Whom — First Post Office — Postmasters — Registration District Established.
3	Public Transit — Early Venture — Buses placed on Route — Introduction of Tramways — Horse, Steam, and Electric Power — ' Nae Licht": Origin of Phrase — Introduction of Gas — High Street first Lighted by Electricity — Extension of same — Weavers' Lodge and Hall: When Lodge Instituted — Date of opening of Hall — Public Demonstration — Handy Meeting-Place — Turned into Cockpit — Banking: When Branches were introduced and their Status in Lochee — Establishment of Branch Library, Public Baths, Wash-houses, and gift of Public Park — Tolls and Toll-Bars — Lerrick Ha'.
4	Churches and Ministers. — Parish Church: When Built — Early Ministers — Affected by Disruption — Popular Clergyman. St Luke's: Purchase of Structure — Endowed — Repeated Alterations — Tokens of Appreciation by Congregation Awarded to Minister. United Presbyterian Church: Spiritual Life in Lochee early in Century — Building of New Church — Church Described — A Faithful, Revered Pastor — His Successor and Erection of another Church — A Splendid Combination of Ecclesiastical Equipment — The Pastor a Man of Splendid Gifts — A Cultured Divine. East U.F. Church: Congregational Difficulties — Worshipping in Weaving Shed — Two Ministers in Seventy Years — Public Clock. Lochee Road U.F. Church: When Originated — Started as a Mission — Clergymen — Church Built — Wiping off Debt — A Creditable Transaction. The "Iron" Church and St Thomas' Established: Sketch of Origin of "Iron" Church — Its Difficulties — Transference to Establishment — New Church at Lochee Road — Successful Ministry. Baptist Church: An Unobtrusive Body. Episcopacy in Lochee: Bishop Forbes' Enterprise — The Building of Places of Worship — Starting of Schools — Clergymen. Roman Catholicism in Lochee: A Recrudescence — Earlier Places of Worship — Spiritual Needs — Lochee not Overlooked — Purchase of Property for Educational and Religious Purposes at West End — St Clement's Academy — Coming of Nuns — St Mary's Built — Wellburn — Little Sisters of Poor.
5	Education: Trend in Scotland — Laxity of Attendance — Parish, Denominational, and Adventure Schools — Olden-time Teachers — Lochee: Some of its Schools — Old Roads — Primitive Condition — Their Commercial Aspect — Telford and Macadam — Dr Samuel Smiles describes state of Scotland — Logie Spout — Bridle-Paths and Pack-Horses — Old Coupar Angus Road Described — The Pilgrim's Path — A "Holy Well" of Forfarshire — Clumsy Methods of Conveyance Displaced — Former Roads Discarded — Trunk Road to Lochee and Strathmore Described — Houses of Refreshment — Settlers in Lochee — Hallowe'en — Introduction of Gas and Electricity — Sacramental Observances — Old Customs — Method of Psalmody.
6	Logie: The Old Church — Its Antiquity — Date of Dedication — Dark Ages — First Cleric — Scott's "Fasti"— Church Destroyed by Mob — Wishart, Knox, and Paul Methven — Their Teaching — Finances of Dundee Run Low — Logie Sold for an Old Song — The Auld Kirkyard: When Privilege of Sepulture Conferred — Relics Discovered — Baptismal Font, so-called — Resort of Nondescripts — Violation of Graves — Most Desolate Burial Ground in Scotland — A Tumuli of Bones — Terrible Death Rate — Burial Pits — Dishonoured, Degraded — Building of Retaining Wall — Epitaphs and Inscriptions — Final Interment.
7	Manor House of Logie: Built in Separate Stages — Owners — Dates and Finding of Inscribed Plate — Comes into Possession of Well-known Families — Demolition. Story of the Dark Lady of Logie: Story Mixed with Marvellous and Incredible — Kernel of Tale — Popular Belief Related — Marriage of Princess — Dowry, Weight in Gold — Solicitude of Parent — Will be Cherished as Child in Cradle — Home-coming — Building of Cradle — Princess Immured — Mission of Espionage — Princess Neglected — Death — Prince Apprised — Reported Death of Prince — Husband Proceeds to India — Disappears. Obverse Side of Story: Was Fletcher Read Guilty? — Was he ever in Indian Army? — Did he Marry an Indian Princess? — Proof of Marriage to Another Woman — Date of Same — Name of Wife — Deed of Annuity in Town House — His Death — The Delinquent: Who was He? — Light Thrown upon Another Relative — Residence in Logie House — His Connection with Family of Blackness — The Dark Princess's Children.
8	Lift: Closely Identified with Old Lochee — Early History of Church — Gifted to Abbey of Scone by Alexander I.— Was it the Church of the Reformation Era? — Religious Upheaval — Church Sacked by Crowd from Dundee — Bell Stolen — Magistrates Order its Return — Curtailed of Former Embellishments — Contentions of Rival Churchmen — Another Church Built — Parishioners Dissatisfied — An Architectural Abomination — Deserved the Sarcasm Lavished Upon It — Third Church Erected — Date, Dimensions, Accommodation — Inscription on Bell — Lift an Attractive Parish — List of Clergymen, Ancient and. Modern. Myrekirk: Secession from Lift — Erection of Manse—Petition to Associate Presbytery — Clergymen and their Emoluments — Disaffection — Depletion in Membership — Debt — Closed — Church Blown Down. Little Kirkie: Offshoot of Myrekirk — Assisted by Haldanes — "Kirkie" Described — Fusion of Sects — Gifted to United Presbyterian Church. U.F. Church, Muirhead, Liff.
9	The Duncans of Lundie and Camperdown — Settlement of Family at Lundie Castle — Sketches of Principal Members of Family — Remarkable Triumvirate — Municipal 'Distinction — Risings of Mar and Prince Charlie — Loyalty to House of Hanover. A Duncan of Note: Grand Old Soldier — One of Fenimore Cooper's Heroes. Admiral Duncan: Birthplace — Career — Personal Appearance — Blue Ribbon of the Navy Victory — Settlement at Lundie House — His Interest in Old Lochee, its Industries, and People — Death and Burial-place — Succeeding Heads of Family — The Haldanes — Death of Father and Mother — Youth, Training, and Early Predilections — Lady Duncan — Her Interest in her Grandsons — Admiral Duncan and his Nephews — The Homes of the Duncans — The Admiral's Tree, &c.
10	The Cox Family — Founders of Lochee — Pre-Reformation Settlers — First Known Member Born in Reign of Charles II. — Became Merchant Manufacturer — Development of Business — Enterprise — Successive Principals of — Founding of Great Firm — Notable Quartette — Camperdown Jute Works Model of Efficiency — Colossal Fabric — Gigantic Chimney — Details of Structure — Provost Cox's Public Career: Connection with Tay Bridge Undertaking, Benefactions, &c. Other Notable Firms — Well-known Families.
11	The Wisharts and the Estates of Pitalpie and Dryburgh — Owned by Kinsman — Managed by Cousin — Situation of Pitalpie Fortalice — Vestiges of Same — Arms of Family on Stone in Retaining Wall, and Date — Two George Wisharts — George Wishart the Martyr and Assassination of Cardinal Beaton — Accused of Conniving at Same — Views of Historians — Bailie George Wishart an Outstanding Personality in Dundee — Keen Reformer — Was Wishart a Visitor at Pitalpie? — The Bailie Meets Knox in Dundee — An Accomplished Diplomat — An Owner of Two Estates — Death.
12	Druid Circle: Dimensions — Set Apart for Judicial Purposes — Power of Druid Priesthood — The Oak an Object of Veneration — Places of Sanctuary — Other Circles in Neighbourhood — Underground Dwelling at Camperdown — Chambered Cairns — Sacrificial Kites. Dark Stane Roundie: Large Block of Whinstone on Farm of Menzies Hill — Split by Lightning — Broken into Road Metal — Human Remains Found Below Surface — An Ancient Place of Sepulture — Standing Stones — Public Resorts in Olden Times. Roman Camp at Invergowrie: Conquering Roman Legionaries —"War in its Highest Ideals — Erection of Strongholds — Cattermille — Fine Situation on Gowrie Hill — Agricola and Severus and Building of Camp — Camp Extensive — Subsequently Used by Other Soldiers — Existed till Two Centuries Ago — Derivation of Name — Interesting Picture of Roman Camp Life. Castle of Invergowrie: Stronghold of Alexander I. — Found Refuge in Castle from Conspirators — Abode of Barons of Invergowrie — Discoveries — Paved Court and Remains of Well, Hurley Hawkin: Occasional Royal Residence of Alexander I.— Chase a .Favourite Pastime — King Attacked by Conspirators — His Escape — Fierce Retaliation — Residence Burned — Foundations, Description of.
13	“Standard" Stone: Tradition Thereanent — Claims to have Supported a Flagstaff — Battle of Pitalpie — Accuracy Questioned — Chroniclers Differ — "Was it King Alpin who Fought Battle? — "Was he Executed on "Standard" Stone? — Fiction Explained — Dundee Historians and Incident — Higher Destiny of Stone — Base of Ecclesiastical Cross — Description of Stone and Measurements — A Neglected and Uncared-for Relic. Village of Pitalpie: Built of Debris of Old Manor — Fine Situation — Antique and Attractive — Traces Still Observable. Village and Chapel of Gourdie: Belonged to Pre-Reformation Days — Built on Site of Camperdown Gardens Near Road to Liff — Chapel of the "Haley Spreit" — Supported by Rent from Tenement in Overgate — An Ecclesiastical Dignitary Offended — Sues for Payment of Dues — Gains Case — Memento of Chapel. Old Road and Gallowhills.

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Iain D. McIntosh, 2020