Local Celebrities, William Bruce, Blacksmith - Article XI - Rambling Recollections of Berriedale, Badbea, & Neighbourhood – Part G

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

The blacksmith shop at Timespan Helmsdale	The blacksmith bellows at Timespan Helmsdale

William Bruce

“William Bruce, the blacksmith, was a man well known in the district - a quiet, kind, obliging man, possessed of a vein of humour, which helped to make him very popular. A man from Dunbeath estate came to the smithy one day to get something done for him. After the job was finished, the poor man said, "Well William, I am not able to pay you, but God 'ill pay." "Indeed no," replied William, "you won't let him: you will pay me yourself, Donald." Which of the two paid the amount I never heard; but William was not very hard on his customers, and I believe he did not lose much by bad debts.”
 
A Native of Badbea.
(To be continued.)
 

My comments:

 
William Bruce was born in Gerston, a small village near Halkirk, Caithness, in June 1786. His father was Robert Bruce and his mother Esther Sutherland. 
 

Looking from Gerston toward Halkirk	The old Kirke at Halkirk where William may have been baptised.

By the time of his marriage to Isabella McPherson in 1830 William had moved over to Berriedale. Aged over forty when he married, William was likely to be established as a blacksmith by then. Isabella was ten to fifteen years younger than her husband.
 




The map shows the smithy at Berriedale situated close to the Berriedale water. Postcards and photos show the ‘old smithy at Berriedale’ still in good condition, with antlers as a distinctive decoration. However, I doubt this is the same building as William Bruce worked in. Another smithy building near the present one is a possibility.

	The lane at Berriedale showing the old smithy building at the end

The census records give information about William and his family. He moved from Berriedale to Tenants Park which I think was near Latheron settlement. The ages of William and Isabella are not always accurate but that is common in old Scotland census records.
 

William Bruce Death record

William died in 1869 from old age with some family around him. William Bruce’s son Robert, also a blacksmith, who will have learnt his trade from his father, has made sure his father is recorded as a ‘Master Blacksmith.’ From son to father there is a nice feeling of respect and honour there.
 

The old smithy building with antlers	This building maybe the old smithy

Census Records
 
Piece: SCT1841/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 13
Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Berriedale
Folio: 0 Page: 11
Address: Smithy

Surname

First name(s)

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

Remarks

BRUCE

William

M

45

Blacksmith

Caithness

BRUCE

Isabella

F

35

Caithness

BRUCE

Robert

M

10

Caithness

BRUCE

Janet

F

8

Caithness

BRUCE

Esther

F

5

Caithness

Piece: SCT1851/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 11
Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Latheron
Folio: 0 Page: 15 Schedule: 58
Address: Tenants Park

Surname

First name(s)

Rel

Status

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

BRUCE

William

Head

M

M

58

Blacksmith

Caithness - Halkirk

BRUCE

Isabella

Wife

M

F

40

-

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

Robert

Son

U

M

19

Blacksmith

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

Janet

Dau

U

F

17

Student (Orig: Scholar)

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

Esther

Dau

U

F

13

Scholar

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

George

Son

U

M

5

Scholar

Caithness – Latheron

Piece: SCT1861/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 15
Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Latheron
Folio: 0 Page: 1 Schedule: 7
Address: Latheron

Surname

First name(s)

Rel

Status

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

BRUCE

William

Head

M

M

68

Blacksmith

Caithness - Halkirk

BRUCE

Isabella

Wife

M

F

55

-

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

Robert

Son

U

M

28

Blacksmith

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

Esther

Dau

U

F

23

-

Caithness - Latheron

BRUCE

George

Son

U

M

15

Scholar

Caithness – Latheron

Piece: SCT1871/38 Place: Latheron -Caithness Enumeration District: 11
Civil Parish: Latheron Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: Latheron
Folio: 0 Page: 10 Schedule: 60
Address: Latheron

Surname

First name(s)

Rel

Status

Sex

Age

Occupation

Where Born

BRUCE

Isabella

Head

W

F

66

Housekeepr

Caithness - Berriedale

BRUCE

Robert

Son

U

M

56

Blacksmith

Caithness - Berriedale

BRUCE

Esther

Dau

U

F

28

Field Labourer

Caithness - Berriedale