Local Celebrities, John Wallace - Article XI - Rambling Recollections of Berriedale, Badbea, & Neighbourhood – Part F

 
Article XI written by Alexander Gunn aka A Native of Badbea was printed in the Northern Ensign on 29 January 1880 – Part F

Dunbeath showing locations of Markethill and the Telford bridge	Markethill
‘Gingerbread stand at the fair - Geikie	Pedlar - Geikie

“John Wallace was a celebrity in his day. He was a stout, able-bodied man of ordinary size, but possessed of great strength and very fond of a fight, when not infrequently he came off second best.”

“His last great performance was at one of the Dunbeath markets, when he was overpowered by superior numbers. His head was laid open by a blow from a spade, after which he was hurled over the rocks to the west of the village. Had he not been possessed of more than ordinary vitality, he would never have recovered, but he survived, and some of those who took a prominent part in the fight were sent out of the kingdom at the country's expense. John was never so ready for a fight after this, and Dunbeath markets enjoyed a measure of peace and orderliness to which they were strangers before.”

“John was not destitute of good natural qualities, for all his fighting propensities, and was over ready to assist a neighbour. I remember him coming to Badbea, with his pony, to give a day's harrowing to "John Badbea." His pony irritated him in some way, when he struck it a blow between the eyes with his clenched fist, which made the poor beast groan and stagger.”

My Comments:

Dunbeath in Groome’s Ordnance Gazetter of Scotland 1882-4	Dunbeath Map
The location of the assault – the old Telford Bridge in background	The Telford bridge in the foreground was built in 1813. Plenty of stones here to throw.

I have found the report on this assault in the Inverness Circuit Court on 29 April 1829

The Inverness Courier 29 April 1829

The transcription reads:

INVERNESS CIRCUIT COURT.

Monday, April, 27

"At ten o’clock this day, the court was opened by Lord Mackenzie. After prayer by the Rev. Dr Rose, a Jury was formed and the court proceeded with the following trials.

ALEXANDER MUNRO….(not transcribed)

ROBERT SUTHERLAND, of Dunbeath in the parish of Latheron, County of Caithness, JOHN BRUCE, and DONALD HENDERSON all of the same parish, were indicted for Mobbing and Rioting. Bruce and Henderson did not appear and were consequently outlawed. The libel stated that on the 7^th August last, Sutherland, Bruce and Henderson, with a number of other persons, assembled in the neighbourhood of the house of John Gunn sheriff-officer and messenger at Dunbeath, and there assaulted John Wallace, fisherman at Brogie, and George Bain labourer, in the parish of Latheron. Wallace and Bain having run down to the bridge of Dunbeath, were assaulted by the mob who discharged vollies of stones at them, by which they were both struck and wounded. Having afterwards returned across the bridge in order to go home to their respective lodgings, the mob again surrounded them; they retreated to a lane or bye-way, whence they were followed by the mob, and instantly attacked. Wallace was knocked to the ground and reduced to a state of insensibility, being severely wounded on the head, sides and back, and his skull fractured. Bain was assaulted in a similar manner, though less severely injured.

John Wallace (who appeared in court with his head wrapped up) deponed that he was at Dunbeath fair on the 6^th of August last. He was in John Gunn’s house (a public-house) in the evening with George Bain. Six sailors belonging to the Queen, of Annan, were in the house. Being informed that his life was to be taken away he left the house and called up Bain who was gone to bed. Witness described the assaults as detailed above. He was first struck with stones, and then went along the road a considerable distance. Being advised by the sailors to return, he did so, and was again assailed with stones. He stood up against a wall, when he was struck with a spade on the side of the head. Saw Sutherland in John Gunn’s house, but does not remember seeing him in the crowd. Witness was only able to go to the herring fishing one night during the whole season in consequence of the injury he received. Knows of no other cause of quarrel than some dispute about a stick which was taken from a boy.

Cross-Examined. Had not above 2 ½ glasses of whisky all day, and had none in the house, as he left it on hearing his life was to be taken away.

George Bain corroborated the former evidence as to the assault, and said he heard the panel say – “Give me a spade to split his skull.” Did not see Sutherland at the time but knew his voice. Witness was knocked down himself, and when he got up found Wallace on the ground. He (witness) was confined fifteen days to his bed.

Charles Sutherland remembered the fight at Dunbeath bridge at the last day of the fair, and saw people throwing stones. First saw Robert Sutherland come up with something in his hand and strike Wallace. Did not see Wallace offer to strike.

Other witnesses deponed to the same circumstances, and one said he heard Sutherland scolding Wallace about “bragging the estate,” and afterwards saw him striking him in the riot.

Dr Henderson of Clyth, parish of Latheron, read a report of the wounds inflicted on Wallace, whom he attended about three weeks, and who was still afflicted with throwing up of blood in consequence of the injuries he received.

The Advocate Depute being heard for the prosecution, and Mr Milne, as Counsel for the panel, the Judge summed up, and the jury having retired for ten minutes, returned a verdict of Guilty of Mobbing and Rioting and art and part in the assault. 

Sentence, transportation for seven years."

So after a day or two at the Dunbeath market John Wallace, George Bain and a bunch of sailors were at the public-house when a fight broke out and continued down at the Telford bridge. Two sailors who did not appear were outlawed while Robert Sutherland got transportation which was a common but awful sentence.

A Merry meeting by Geikie	From “Songs, naval and national” by Thomas Dibin 1841

Transportation or penal transportation is the sending of criminals or other persons regarded as undesirable to a penal colony. Over a century, thousands of people, both men and women, were transported by the British government to Australia. Transportation was often imposed for petty crimes and for offences for which hanging was deemed too severe. The sentence was imposed for life or for a set period of years. If imposed for a period of years, the offender was permitted to return home after serving out his or her time, but had to make their own way back. Many offenders stayed in the colony as free persons, and obtained employment.

Black-eyed Sue and Sweet Poll of Plymouth taking leave of their lovers who are going to Botany Bay. Published by Rbt Sayer & Co., 1792	Chain gang convicts going to work near Sydney N.S. Wales. 1842

To recap on the further comments on the character of John Wallace:

Pony. At Thurso museum. By Ann Henderson

“John was not destitute of good natural qualities, for all his fighting propensities, and was over ready to assist a neighbour. I remember him coming to Badbea, with his pony, to give a day's harrowing to "John Badbea." His pony irritated him in some way, when he struck it a blow between the eyes with his clenched fist, which made the poor beast groan and stagger.”

From the way he treated the unfortunate pony John Wallace clearly had not dealt with his fighting propensities.

Post Script John Wallace.

Since first posting this I have researched a bit more information on John Wallace.

Time line.

• Baptism: John Wallace: 11 July 1804, Father John, Latheron
• Marriage: 21 Dec 1820, Abode Berriedale Bride: Eliza Sutherland, Berriedale. So these two must have been about 16 when they got married.
• Children:

1. Janet: Bap: 8 Oct 1821. Abode: Borgie
2. Angus: Bap: 28 July 1823. Abode: Berriedale
3. Isabella: Bap: 24 July 1825. Abode: Berriedale
4. Margaret: Bap: 6 July 1827. Abode: Berriedale
5. Elizabeth: Bap: 28 July 1828. Abode: Berriedale
6. Margaret: Bap: 28 Aug 1830. Abode: Berriedale
7. John: Bap: 14 Jan 1833. Abode: Mid Clyth
8. William: Bap: 31 Mar 1835. Abode: Mid Clyth
9. Robert Macalister: Bap: 4 Sep 1837. Abode: Mid Clyth
10. Robert McAlister: Bap: 21 April 1839. Abode: Mid Clyth
11. John Sutherland: Birth 12 June 1840. Abode: Mid Clyth
12. Janet: Birth: 10 Dec 1843. Bap: 18 Dec 1844. Abode: Mid Clyth

John must have been about 25 at the time of the assault and he was the father of five children.

Somewhere between 1841 and 1843 the eldest daughter Janet must have died and a little sister was named after her.  The first Robert Macalister must have also died. John Sutherland doesn’t appear on the census either so maybe he has also died.
The 1841 census is shown

The 1851 census shows Elizabeth a widow. She is described as a Spinster but that is a quirk of the census. The W beside her name means Widow

Somewhere between Janet’s baptism in 1844 and the 1851 census John has died.

Census 1841

Piece: SCT1841/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 8 Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: - Folio: 0 Page: 10 Address: Mid Clyth

Surname

First name(s)

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

Remarks

WALACE

John

M

35

Farmer

Caithness

WALACE

Elizibeth

F

35

Caithness

WALACE

Janet

F

20

Caithness

WALACE

Angus

M

15

Caithness

WALACE

Isabell

F

15

Caithness

WALACE

Margret

F

10

Caithness

WALACE

Willm

M

6

Caithness

WALACE

Robert

M

2

Caithness

WALACE

-

M

1m

Caithness

Forename enumerated as "n.k."

Census 1851

Piece: SCT1851/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 2 Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Latheron Folio: 0 Page: 15 Schedule: 53 Address: Mid Clyth

Surname

First name(s)

Rel

Status

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

Remarks

WALLACE

Elizabeth

Head

W

F

50

Spinster Formerly Fisher Wife

Midlothian - Edinburgh

WALLACE

Margaret

Dau

U

F

21

Net Maker

Caithness - Latheron

WALLACE

Robert Mca

Son

-

M

11

Scholar

Caithness - Latheron

WALLACE

Janet

Dau

-

F

7

Caithness - Latheron