EARLSTON IN THE AGE OF THE HORSE

Introduction

At a recent meeting of Auld Earlston, a member posed the question 'What did Earlston look like in the age of the horse?'

That prompted a lot of other questions such as ‘Who had horses?; Where did they keep them? and more.

Here then, are the answers to some of those queries.

Looking for clues

There are still some clues to life in Earlston in the age of horses but many of these are being lost to progress.

As a starting point, where were horses and ponies were traded in Earlston?

The Horse Market

The market was located in the east end of the village. The parcel of land, initially known as Horse Market Green, grew into a well respected horse market.  By the 1850s newspapers such as The Perthshire Advertiser in the north to the North & South Shields and Durham Gazette and Advertiser in the south regularly reported on the  value and variety of horses and ponies traded in Earlston. However, and for whatever reason, by the beginning of the 20th century the horse market had moved. The October 1912 edition of the Berwickshire News and General Advertiser reported on the trade at the Earlston horse market held on the West Green.  The grassy area previous known as Horse Market Green was now simply known as the ‘East Green’.  The East Green is now disappearing to make way for the new primary school and an access road to a housing development.

Travellers camping on the Horse Market around 1900. The old primary school wall and gate can be seen  in the bottom right of the picture.

The East Green was a favoured site for travellers and the villagers petitioned to the land owner, Lord Binning, to prohibit camping there. He did not support the petition. However, the green was put to other uses. 

On one notable occasion in 1904 a circus encamped there. The Berwickshire News and General Advertiser reported that ‘Sedgwick’s menagerie had taken up position on the East Green and was visited by a large number of people who were greatly pleased with the show and the various performances.’ 

Later that night an elephant, stabled behind the Red Lion Hotel, escaped and was caught by the hotel proprietor, Mr Smart, devouring a haystack which was destined as feed for the hotel’s horses. By use of ‘strong measures’ the animal was returned to its stable.

Not all horses were bought and sold at the Horse Market. Local newspapers ran classified adverts under ‘Horse, Cattle, Dogs, Etc.’ In the June 20, 1895 edition of the Southern Reporter, Dr Young, the village doctor, advertised - 

‘Harness Cob for Sale. Chestnut Mare, 15.1, very strong and hardy, grand worker, sound. Apply Dr Young Earlston’

And when John Newton proprietor of the Red Lion Hotel died in 1894, his estate was sold at public auction. The range and number of items related to horses indicates the amount of equipment needed to run an hotel and meet guests needs.

Included in the sale were -

‘6 useful Harness Horses and Cobs, … 1 Landau, 1 Side-glass Phaeton, 1 Brake, 2 Wagonettes, 1 Chapel Cart … 3 Sets of Double Harnesses, 5 Sets of Single Harnesses with all Stable Utensils and Horse Clothing.’

The sale also included 1 milk cow, presumably kept to provide fresh-milk to the guests and kitchen.

Who owned horses?

Up until the mid 1860s, horses were the only means of transport for Earlstonians, but very few people could afford a coach fare let alone own a horse.

Most horses were draft horses such as Clydesdales which were used on farms for heavy work such as ploughing and pulling other machinery.

A pair of heavy horses pulling a reaping machine. Note the bondager (female farm servant) in her distinctive costume on the right of the picture.

Other businesses such as carters, tradespeople and professionals used draft horses or ponies. Dr Young used a horse and gig to attend patients in the areas surrounding Earlston.

Earlston baker making a delivery to  customer

Where were the horses stabled?

Those who were fortunate enough to own a horse needed to have access to a stable to shelter the animal. 

A look through the old Valuation Rolls, an early version of rateable values, shows that a number of houses had stabling either in a yard or in a garden.

Many houses along the north side of the High Street, towards the east end of the village, had stables in the garden.  Since some house names haven’t changed we can see that for example, Aitchison Place, Rose Place and Green View had stables.

Owners could access their stables and lead the horse out on to the ‘Back Road’.

This map from 1857 shows the ‘Back Road’ running parallel with the High Street from the west end of the village to the church. The road provided church-goers from the west end of the village a path to the Kirk. 

Very little is left of the Back Road, just a short strip from the ‘Postie Close’ (now Kyle Court) for about 100 metres towards the church.

The road is in a poor state but that’s nothing new. An article in the Southern Reporter dated December 1911, reported that concerns had been raised about the condition of the road. The article stated -

‘It is a complaint of long standing that the Back Road is always in a condition to render it a most undesirable thoroughfare to the ordinary pedestrian. Not being a scheduled road it is left severely alone by the County Council and ratepayers, whose property it adjoins, bestow no more attention upon it that they can help, with a view to effecting a much needed improvement in this respect.’

The Valuation Rolls also show that some houses on New Street (now Thorn Street) also had stables. These properties had the advantage that the stables had direct access to public roads.

For example, the 1893 Valuation Roll records that Miss Jane Roger owned a property on New Street that comprised a house, garden, shop and stable. The tenant was a Mr David Jameson who was a carter by trade.

The early photo of Thorn Street shows an entrance to a stable immediately behind the gig. The arch over the stable entrance can still be seen in the recent photo on the left.

Naturally, hotels also had stables with direct access to the street for the use of guests and the hotel proprietor.

The photograph below shows the old Commercial Inn on the High Street, (long since converted to a private dwelling house), with access to the stables at the rear of the building via the arched entrance.

Who looked after the horses?

Not only was stabling needed for the horses but also blacksmiths, saddlers and grooms.

The 1900 business directory for Earlston lists four blacksmiths in the village. The bulk of their work would be repairing farm machinery and carts but the number of horses needing shoed would provide a good income too. One blacksmith, J & A Brotherston, is still under family ownership and working from the original premises.  Another blacksmith, Robert Lee, whose premises, although no longer in use, still stands on the corner of West Green and Station Road. 

Robert Lee's smithy, Now and Then

 

Opposite Lee’s smithy was the village saddler, John MacDonald, on Station Road.

John MacDonald, Saddler, Station Road (white door and window) now converted to a private house

On farms it was the job of the ‘hinds’ (male farm servants) to care for his assigned horse. Around mid-day the hind would feed and water the horse and allow it to rest for a couple of hours. At the end of the day the horse was unhitched (lowsin’ time) and brought back to its stable for more food and water, and grooming. If needs be the hind would polish the harness and leather work to keep it supple and waterproof.

Some businesses and private individuals would employ grooms to tend to the horses. For example, the 1911 Census shows that Dr Young, in addition to employing a cook and house maid, also had a groom to tend to his horse.  The village hotels employed grooms to tend to the proprietor’s horse and those of guests. 

Extract from 1891 Census showing Robert Reid, employed as a groom at the Red Lion Hotel.
Credit: Scotland's People

Where roads safer in the age of the horse?

Would roads have been safer in the age of the horse?  Certainly there were fewer vehicles on the road and generally they travelled much slower than today’s cars and trucks but accidents still happened to drivers, passengers and pedestrians. 

In November of 1895 Co-Op vanman, James Weatherston had just made a delivery to Cowdenknowes Mains when his horse bolted upsetting the van. When Weatherston fell, the van landed on his legs breaking one of them. He was taken to his home in Darlingfield   where he was treated by Dr Young.

In August 1895 a four wheeled phaeton carriage carrying an ‘excursion trip’ was returning from Lauder to Earlston. The horse suddenly bolted and one passenger, Mrs Valance who was holding her seventeen month old child, jumped from the carriage. She landed on her shoulder breaking her collar bone. The child was unharmed and both taken home to Galashiels where they received medial treatment.

In December of 1885, a young boy, Robert Moffat was run over by a spring cart near the entrance to the cattle sale-ring in Earlston. He was taken home where he was treated by Dr Young who did not consider the boy’s injuries as serious.

Fortunately, these examples of ‘road traffic accidents’ resulted in, what would be considered today, minor injuries , however one wonders if the injured were left with any lasting damage, for example from bones that didn’t set properly, if they lost their jobs as a result of their injury or how they would be able to pay for any medical treatment they received.

Just like the modern day, there were at least some controls to make roads safer. Local newspapers of the late nineteenth century reported cases appearing in police courts. A frequently reported offence was ‘being drunk while in charge of horse’. 

Punishment seemed to be inconsistent. For example, labourer William Dawson, was found guilty of being drunk in charge of a horse and cart in the Market Place and Station Road in Melrose. He was find 25s (£1.25) or ‘suffer twenty-one days imprisonment. Whereas farmer George Beattie (his tenth appearance before the court on this charge!) was ordered to pay a fine of 10s (50p) or suffer seven days imprisonment for the same offence.

In another case heard in Hawick in 1897, a labourer was charged with ‘careless and reckless driving”.  The labourer, who was under the influence of drink, was driving rapidly on the wrong side of the road when one of the shafts of his trap struck a horse being ridden by a local postman killing it. The labourer was fined 20s (£1) or ten days imprisonment.

All work and no play?

If you drive from Earlston towards Kelso, about 2.5 miles after leaving the village, you pass the road end to Yarlside Farm.  The farm was once the site of Earlston horse racecourse.

When the track was established isn’t known however when the Ordnance Survey conducted a survey of Berwickshire in 1871 the site was known then as the ‘old racecourse’ so its obvious that it is much, much older than the 1870s.

The old race track in red and Racecourse Plantation
Credit: Canmore.org.uk

When the race course fell out of use and the area was planted as a wooded area. 

The Ordnance Survey maps of today (Sheet 74) still show ‘Racecourse Plantation’.

The final journey

For many villagers the only horse drawn carriage ride would be in the village hearse to the churchyard.

A coach-house still stands on Church Street which once housed the hearse (locally known as the ‘hearse hoose!), although these days it is used by Scottish Borders Council for other purposes.

The hearse was shared between churches in Earlston and Lauder to give the recently departed a suitable send off on their final journey.

The photo below shows the ‘hearse hoose’ as it is today together with an early, colourised photo of Church Street showing a pony in front of the hearse coach-house.

The end of an era

At the outbreak of the First World War, the British army was desperate for horses. Within days of the declaration of war army personnel visited towns and villages requisitioning horses deemed suitable.

In early August 1914, troops visited Earlston. They took 4 horses from Colonel Hope at Cowdenknowes and 3 from Robert Smart, the proprietor of The Red Lion Hotel. Other businessmen were affected, Ralph Dodds, a grocer, Robert Murdison, a plumber, and, George Stewart, a dairyman, each had a horse requisitioned.

This signalled the beginning of the end of a way of life where horses played such a central role.

It would take many years for working horses to completely disappear from Earlston. As a child in the 1950s, I can remember Davie Brown delivering firewood (‘sticks’) door to door by horse and cart.

What are your memories?

Do you have any memories of working horses in Earlston? Are there any other clues on the buildings showing links to the age of the horse? Please share them in the comments below.

Edward Weatherly (1892-1946) - Earlston Soldier, Baker & Confectioner

 The third part of our Weatherly Story profiles the life of  Edward Weatherly, the  son of John P. Weatherly  and grandson of  Thomas Weatherly   who founded the family business in Earlston.   

Edward William Sprott Weatherly was born in 1892 to John Patterson Weatherly and Margaret Thomson Winter.  Two sisters followed  - Ellen Sarah Patterson Weatherly, born in 1889 and Margaret Thomson Weatherly,  born in 1891 - both are remembered still today by  many local residents.

Edward did not follow in his parents’ footsteps into the family business, but became a baker and confectioner.  He was active in the community life of the village as a church elder, President of the Bowling Club and a member of the Rifle Club.  As with most men of his generation, the First World War proved a searing experience. 

Wartime Service 

Edward's  Service Record showed that he joined up, ahead of conscription  at the age of 22 on the 12th May 1915.  His medical record noted his height as 5 feet 8 inches, and  his address the Post Office,  Earlston.

                                          Edward's signature on his recruitment record.

Edward was badly wounded and was awarded the Military Medal  - as revealed in this report in   “The Berwickshire News”: 2 November 1918:

“The 2 gallant youths who in last week’s “News” were reported to have been awarded Military Medal are well known Earlston ‘callants’.

(1)  Corporal James Burns……… [who will be remembered today by many older residents]

(2)  The other distinguished soldier is Gnr. Edward W. S. Weatherly, Postmaster, Earlston, only son of Mr. J. P. Weatherly, Postmaster, Earlston  and brother of Misses Weatherly of the Post Office, and Agent for the ‘Berwickshire News’.    The gallant Earlstonian comes from of an old Berwick Family.

Gnr. Weatherly volunteered for Active service in Motor Machine Gun Corps, but was afterwards transferred to the Royal Tank Corps. 

 He has seen active service in France and had many hair-breadth escapes in the imminent deadly tank.     As an example of the hardship he endured, he was nearly frozen to death when on sentry-go and after doing his allotted time at his post it was several hours before he could be thawed out of his refrigerated condition and his temperature raised to normal.

A few months ago the tank in which he was serving was struck by an explosive shell and many of its occupants killed.   He himself received several severe wounds, the result of one being the loss of his left eye.   He has no fewer than 14 wounds in his pelvis.

The doughty deeds of these gallant soldiers thrills everyone who hears it and their fellow townsmen offer them their heartiest congratulations on their display of such fearless bravery and contempt of danger in their defence of King and Country.”

Serving in the Royal Tank Corps - motto "Through mud and blood to the green fields beyond” - was by all accounts an appalling  experience.  Tanks, known initially as "land battleships" were first in action on the Somme in 1916.  Men inside them had to contend with intense heat, noise and exhaust from the engine, violent movement as the tank crossed the ground and molten metal splash as bullets struck the plating. Men would often be violently sick or badly incapacitated.    (https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/tank-corps-in-the-first-world-war/)

Edward’s name was recorded in the Roll of Honour printed in “The Berwickshire News:   7th January 1919.

 Postwar Family Life  

In 1924, Edward married Mary Webb at Holy Trinity Church, Melrose.  Three children were born to the marriage  -  John Patterson Weatherly in 1923, named after his grandfather; Margaret Campbell Weatherly  in 1926; and in  1928 Frederick Edward Weatherly.

Edward had worked initially for William Shaw, baker at Lauder, before opening his own business in Earlston in the late 1920s.   

 Near tragedy hit the family when their young son was involved in  a road accident. "The Southern Reporter":  27^th October 1927 noted:    

“The four year old son of Mr Edward Weatherly, who has lately opened a cafe in the High Street Earlston,  was playing about his father’s premises, when he darted between two heavy wagons attached to a heavy traction engine belonging to Mr James Cochrane, contractor, Earlston.  The child was knocked down but extricated by a passer-by. After  medical assistance had been procured, it was found that the child’s foot had been badly crushed.  He was conveyed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary." 

Given that the little boy was not named in the press report, it is assumed this must have been Edward's elder son John, born in 1923. Edward's  cafe and bakery on the High Street   was next to  the Post Office on the east side of Post Office Close.

                 

Edward's cafe and bakery premises in a photograph taken much later around 1987 - the occasion a procession marking the Guild centenary, 

During the 1930s several articles in the local press  showed  that Edward Weatherly   of The Café, Earlston, gave demonstrations of Cake Icing at various venues around the area; such a one at Earlston Women’s Rural Institute, as reported in "The Southern Reporter”: 17^th June 1937: 

“A meeting  of Earlston WRI was held  in the Good Templars Hall – Miss Vera Davidson presiding over a large attendance.  The demonstration was cake icing and decorating by Mr Edward Weatherly, the Café, Earlston  who kindly presented two cakes.”

Edward died in the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh  23 April 1946, with an announcement in “The Scotsman”  newspaper  -  “beloved husband of Mary Webb and son of the late John P. Weatherly, post-master, Earlston."   

”The Berwickshire News” of 7^th May 1946 printed an obituary  giving us a picture of Edward’s life.                                                                                                   

 "EARLSTON MAN’S DEATH

The death took place at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after a brief illness, of Mr. Edward Weatherly, The Gables, Earlston, who was in the bakers and confectionery business.

Mr. Weatherly served his apprenticeship at Earlston Co-operative Society and thereafter went to Edinburgh. He returned to his mother’s business at the Earlston Post Office.  

At the outbreak of the 1914-18 war,  he joined the Tank Corps and was wounded.   He was awarded the Military Medal. 

He worked in Wm. Muir, Baker, Lauder and in 1927 he opened the business of The Café in Earlston.

Mr. Weatherly was an elder of Ercildoune Church, now the United Parish Church, and was an ardent worker for his Church.  Recently he was elected president of the Earlston Bowling Club for the second year in succession. Mr. Weatherly was also a member of the Earlston Rifle Club and a very grand marksman on either the indoor or the outdoor ranges.

Mr. Weatherly is survived by Mrs. Weatherly and two sons and a daughter.  The funeral to Earlston was attended by a large company of mourners."

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Postscript:

• Edward's widow, Mary survived him by more than forty yeas, until her death  in Melrose in 1989, aged 97.
  
  
  Mrs. Weatherly seated on the  right - in possibly a Guild event 
   
   
  

  Mrs Weatherly, third from the left, on a Guild trip. 
  
  
• Edward's  two sisters, Ellen  and Margaret took over the running of Earlston Post Office, following their mother's  death in 1914. They never married and are remembered today as two rather  austere spinsters.  Both died in 1970.
  
  
  
• 

  Edward's elder son  John Patterson Weatherly (1923-2006) became a well known figure in Earlston,  taking over from his aunts Ellen and Margaret at the Post Office  He qualified as a pilot during the Second World War  and was heavily involved in many community organisations.  He also served as Cornet in his birthplace of Lauder. 
  
  
  
• Edward's daughter Margaret, born in 1926,  did not marry and died in Earlston in 1993 aged 66.
     
• Edward's son Frederick, known as Fred, was born in Earlston in  1928.  He carried on his father's cafe and bakery business for several decades, with Weatherly's Scotch pies and morning rolls special favourites of the local community.  Fred   died in Melrose in 1994 aged 65.
  
   
• The two brothers took to the stage in this Earlston Dramatic Club performance.
  
  
  
  Fred fourth from left - John third from right. 
   
   Sources

• British Newspaper Archive
  
• Find My Past - British Newspapers 
• Scotland's People
• Ancestry UK

Contributed by Susan Donaldson and Sheila McKay  

 

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John P. Weatherly (1851- 1907 ) - Earlston Postmaster and Photographer

Part One of the Weatherly Story featured Thomas Weatherly  who came to Earlston from Berwick upon Tweed  in the 1870’s and set up the stationers/newsagent’s High Street business that survived over
one hundred years.

Following Thomas’s death, his eldest son John P. Weatherly took over the business. Born in 1851 in Berwick, John’s middle initial was for Patterson – his mother’s maiden name.

John married Margaret Thomson Winter  and the birth of four children followed in Earlston - sadly eldest son, also named John, born in 1894  died  at the age of only nine months; Ellen Sarah Patterson Weatherly was born in 1889, Margaret Thomson Weatherly in 1891, and Edward William Sprott Weatherly in 1893. 

A Man of Many Parts:
John was soon involved in the family business, described in census returns as Bookseller’s Assistant, and Postmaster/Stationer

Advert in Berwickshire News:  31t December 1889 

But John. along with his postmaster role,   also gained renown as a  local photographer  and proved  to be an owner of four properties in the village.

As Photographer 

The official opening of the rebuilt church in Earlston in 1892  featured in a lengthy article in “The Berwickshire News” of 12^th July  and ended with the paragraph:

“Through the great kindness of Mr J. P. Weatherly, photographer, Earlston, we are enabled to give a portrait above of the church, from a photograph specially taken by Mr Weatherly for the purpose.”

 John also  produced a series of local postcards entitled the “Weatherly Leadervale Series”  - with three examples shown below.

The postcards are all labelled on the reverse as “Weatherly’s Leadervale Series”

             

                                       

This charming photograph was gifted to Auld Earlston by a reader who had bought it off Ebay.  The only information was the fact it was produced by John P. Weatherly of Earlston – no name of the little girl, no date, but thought to be printed around 1900. 

The photograph is in the format of a “carte de visite”  - a small photograph mounted on thick  card, which originated in France but some became popular elsewhere, as people exchanged them to foster friendship and family bonds. 

Following his death in 1907, “The Berwickshire News” paid tribute to John P. Weatherly in  this role:

“For some years he gave a good deal of his spare time to photography in which he acquired considerable skill – his views of Earlston and district being well known and appreciated by the public”.

As a Property Owner

John appears to have developed a portfolio of property. The 1905 Valuation Roll for Earlston shows John owning:

As proprietor & occupier:  A house and shop on the High Street, and a washhouse.

As proprietor & landlord:   A smithy with the tenant Robert Waldie, blacksmith, and a house & stable, with the tenant Thomas Wilson,  labourer.

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John P. Weatherly continued to hold the position of Post Master until his death in 1907,  with obituaries appearing in a number of newspapers.

Southern Reporter:  14^th November 1907

John was buried in Earlston Churchyard, with “Earlston Monumental Inscriptions”, published by the Border Family History Society, recording the details of his gravestone:

“In loving memory of John Patterson Weatherly, beloved husband of Margaret T. Weatherly who died 11.11.1907 aged 46 years; also the above Margaret Thomas Weatherly 23.10.1914, aged 53; also their son John Patterson who died 24.9.1895 aged 9 months.  also their daughter Ellen Sarah Patterson Weatherly 21.1.1970 and Margaret Thomson Weatherly who died 10.12.1970.” 

Postscript:

Following John P. Weatherly’s death in 1907, his wife Margaret took on the role of Postmistress, until her death in 1914, with an obituary appearing in “The Berwickshire News” of 27^th October 1914.

“The death of Mrs Weatherly, Post Mistress, which took place on Friday morning, caused surprise and regret in the town and district, where she was well known and much respected. Mrs Weatherly succeeded her husband, Mr John P. Weatherly, who died in 1907, in the management the Post Office, the duties of which she performed the great satisfaction of the community, who appreciated her business competence, her obliging disposition and courtesy. Mrs. Weatherly for very many years has been Agent for “The Berwickshire News,” a position held for a long time by her late husband; and both Mr and Mrs Weatherly were highly esteemed and valued representatives of  the County Newspaper Earlston. Mrs Weatherly’s illness was not generally regarded as of a serious nature, and her death naturally came as a shock to the general public. Much sympathy is felt under their severe bereavement for her family consisting a son and two daughters, all grown up.”  

Sources of Information:

• ·       Ancestry.co.uk – records of births, marriages &  deaths, and census returns
• ·       ScotlandsPeople -  valuation rolls
• ·       British Newspaper Archive
• ·       FindMyPast – Newspapers
• ·       Earlston Monumental Inscriptions, published by the Borders Family History Society

 

                                      Contributed by Susan Donaldson and Sheila McKay.
 

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