To keep up with the philandering lifestyle of Hon Captain Robert Dunbar of Latheronwheel we need to read the records of the kirk session of Wick as well as Latheron.
Wicked Wick
With the fishing industry established in Wick, by 1823 some 12,000 people found employment in the fishing season, many of these being Highlanders displaced by the land Clearances. The three main suburbs of Wick were - Wick (to the north of Wick Water), Louisburgh and Pultneytown.
The Herring Season Wick
- George Washington Wilson
Not everyone was happy. In 1840 Rev Charles Thomson wrote “The herring fishing has increased wealth, but also wickedness. There is a great consumption of spirits, there being 22 public houses in Wick and 23 in Pultneytown. Seminaries of Satan and Belial”. It was not unusual for 500 gallons of whiskey to be consumed in one day.
https://www.caithness.org/atoz/wick/historyofwick/eveolutionofwick.htm
Louisburgh Street, Wick
Wick 1826
On 24th March 1826, the Wick session met and constituted. Marjory Miller in Louisburgh compeared (appeared) who lately brought forth a child in fornication and being exhorted to tell the truth gave up Mr Robert Dunbar at Latheronwheel Parish of Latheron as the father. The session appointed an extract of this minute to be sent to the session clerk at Latheron. The said Marjory Miller being a very hardened offender was sharply rebuked and exhorted to repentance.
Marjory gets rebuked, the baby not baptised, Dunbar gets off
There is no record in the Latheron kirk session of the minute being received by the session clerk at that time. As Robert Dunbar of Latheronwheel belonged to the parish of Latheron it would have been important to the kirk session at Wick that they did not have to take responsibly for the upkeep of this child. But at that time neither the Wick session nor the Latheron session agreed to baptise this baby. There is no record of Robert Dunbar being fined nor being exhorted to repentance or held to account in any way. Robert Dunbar certainly did not marry Marjory or any other of woman he took advantage of.
The Roundhouse is a category B listed building
which overlooks Wick Harbour. It was built in 1807 for George Burn, a local
contractor who constructed Wick Bridge, the inner harbour and houses in upper
Pulteneytown.
The Hardened Offender
Why did the Wick session elders say Marjory Miller was a hardened offender? To find that out we need to go back a couple of years. On 18 April 1824 Marjory Miller appeared before the session and confessed herself to be with child to John Munro Soldier in the 72 Regiment of Foot. She was rebuked, exhorted and ordered to attend again when called.
Wick Nov 11th 1840
In November 1840, fourteen years after the ‘1826 Dunbar baby’ was born there is a record in the kirk session of Wick stating “ Dunbar The Hon Robert at LatheronWheel had by Marjory Miller an illegitimate child born March 2 1826. Name of Robertina”. Although not recorded, the name would indicate it was a female child.
Robert Dunbar finally formally acknowledged himself as father to this Robertina, the daughter he had with Marjory Miller.
So by the time the Wick session does baptise her Robertina must have been 14 years old. Without baptism Robertina would have been stigmatised and regarded in society as a bastard which would have been difficult for her and her mother. Even though still recorded as illegitimate actually taking her father’s name in the church records, especially a landed proprietor, would have been a significant milestone for them both.
By this time four of Robert Dunbar’s illegitimate children were in Wick or Latheron.
To be continued…
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results/11358404076502614cb8e17
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