Earlston Businessman - and Arson Suspect: Christopher Sanderson

Christopher Sanderson of Earlston was, in the 1860's,  a successful master grocer and corn dealer,  in a position to buy a plot of land at West Green, demolish the cottages there and build a substantial corner block of townhouse properties.   

Yet he left all this behind in a series of moves and made several court appearances, charged with arson and fraud.  What was the background to these changes in his life? 

Local hairdresser Morag Sterrick was prompted to research the history of her West Green shop premises that she has occupied since 1995  and her findings into Christopher Sanderson's life form the basis of this blog post.  Her starting point was  her title deeds which showed that the land had been occupied as far back as 1662.

In  1851 Mr. Sanderson was an apprentice spinner, aged 21,  living with his parents James Sanderson and Agnes Lang.   By 1861 he was a master grocer, living with his wife, daughter and a servant at 9 Main Street in a house  with 7 rooms.  He bought the plot at West Green, occupied then by two dilapidated thatched cottages. 

Eventually gaining permission from the Parish Council, he demolished the  cottages and built a handsome extended corner property, which by 1866 was fully occupied.  It included a double fronted shop with house above, rented by David Lochhead (Tom Davidson's today);  a significant town house with servant quarters which  became the Sanderson residence for Christopher, his wife Elizabeth and small daughter Margaret;   on the corner was his large  grocer's shop with windows on the High Street and the Green, whilst above was the Templar Hall, accessed by an internal stair. 

 It is worth noting that the village of Earlston was prosperous at this point in history, the 1860's, when the decade saw the coming of the railway, the opening of the Commercial Bank and the opening of the Corn Exchange in which Christopher Sanderson had shares.   Many of the properties we are familiar with today that form the Square and both sides of the High Street were built during this period.  Most of these houses included a shop, and some had stables, a small yard and an outhouse.   

There were already nine grocer's shops in Earlston in 1861.   Was there possibly antagonism to Christopher Sanderson setting up a rival business? 

Looking across to the corner property built by Christopher Sanderson.

The young trees  in this photograph were planted around

The Green to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.

It seemed all was going well for Christopher Sanderson.....but not for long

In 1866 the Sanderson’s five year old  daughter, Margaret, died. Christopher and Elizabeth moved to Gordon where their son James was born in 1868.  Back in Earlston, their grocer shop was staffed and business continued.

But soon another move was made, as the 1871 census saw the family at Loughhead  Farm Berwick-upon-Tweed.  

Three years later, "The Newcastle Courant" of 16th October 1874,  along with Border press,  reported  on a fire at the farm - cause unknown, with stacks of wheat, barley and oats destroyed.   But as the paper put it "It was rather curious" that the grain had been sold the day before, and that a similar stackyard fire had taken place there in the previous January.   The loss  however was covered by the insurer.  

Newcastle Courant:  16th October 1874 

But similar incidents were to occur at Loughhead Farm,  as widely reported In March 1875 in Border newspapers, and the press in Edinburgh, Yorkshire, Derby, Leamington Spa and Brechin, Angus, with a typical headline "Farmer Charged with Setting Fire to his Stack Yard".

"The Berwickshire News" described how Thomas Rutherford, farm servant, saw a man go from the farmhouse in the direction of a  stack of barley,  and immediately the stack went on fire.  The man turned round and went back to the farmhouse and Rutherford saw that the man was Sanderson, the prisoner.  He had on a pair old  trousers, a Guernsey shirt and his braces were hanging by his side.  Rutherford went to the farmhouse to raise the alarm,  and was told to go into Berwick for the fire engine, but the prisoner did nothing to stay the fire. The whole of the stacks were consumed.  The insurance had been paid to the prisoner.  The Berwick Freemen, the Corporation of Berwick who were proprietors of the farm offered £50 for further information, but none was forthcoming. The case collapsed and Sanderson was discharged, as the "evidence against him was uncorroborated in in some essential particulars".  

 Edinburgh Evening News:  20th October 1875

By the time of the 1881 census, the family was still at Loughend Farm, Berwick with Christopher described as a farmer of 99 acres, employing 2 labourers and one girl.   

But his involvement in matters of the law continued.  According to an item in "The Southern Reporter" of 19th February 1887,  Christopher Sanderson appeared at Berwick County Court, sued by farmer James Cousens, Chirnside for £5 5s for seed wheat.  Sanderson alleged that the seed  was not of the specified weight and was of inferior quality.  However he had not examined the seed on delivery, nor sent it back, and the Judge ordered him to pay. 

The 1891 census saw the family return to the Borders to  Crunklaw Farm, Edrom, near Duns, with Christopher aged 62,  Elizabeth 55 and James 22.  The  farm had its own corn mill. To raise the deposit on the lease, Christopher now took out a bond (his second), on the shop and house back in Earlston.

The Earlston Valuation Roll for 1890-1891 recorded Christopher Sanderson's continued ownership of his Earlston property,  with tenants Thomas Cledinnen paying a rent of £19 per year.   Next door was tenant John Paterson Weatherly, post master  paying £24.

Life at Crunklaw was hard, with corn prices falling.   Elizabeth died in 1895,  followed by  Christopher on 29th April 1896 at Edrom.  

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Morag Sterrick continues her story of Christopher Sanderson's original estate in Earlston. 

Both the bonds on his two farms were unpaid and the landlords sued Christopher Sanderson’s estate. The bondsman sold the properties. The tenant in the house and shop in Earlston bought the freehold, and the Templers bought the grocers and hall above.

With Christopher Sanderson's original Earlston property now with new owners, the future was more secure. The Templars decided to split the grocers shop into two which made it easier to rent out.   The Earlston Valuation Roll for 1950-1951 showed John Rutherford, hairdresser at what is now the sweet shop, with Lizzie Burrell, confectioner in the smaller unit (now the hairdresser's).  After Lizzie's  death, nephew Stan Mason and his wife Helen continued the sweet shop.  Helen sold  to Houston the Bakers. The shop was a busy bakers shop for many years including my schooldays at Earlston High. The school pupils were in daily buying lunch, myself included.

The corner of the building in  the 1950's - now the sweet shop

I bought the shop in September 1995 from Edward Bellerby.   I opened on 1^st November 1995 and have been successful from day one.  I have been delighted to research the history of the building  and I get so interested when people come in with memories, photographs, and old documents. 
 

I would like to tell this story to Christopher Sanderson’s descendants.  The family headstone is in Edrom churchyard.   Son James could not afford to keep on the farm there by himself and after falling behind on the rent, he moved away.    I know that James married and lived at Foulden.

But the mystery remains - why did Christopher Sanderson leave Earlston?  Why did he not return when  times were so hard?

 The original block today March 2017, built by Christopher Sanderson c.1862.

Sources of information:

Property title deeds 

Census returns 1851- 1891
Valuation Rolls for Earlston 

British Newspapers Online at  www.findmypast.co.uk

Berwick Archives

Heritage Hub, Hawick.

Local Earlston residents who accessed relevant information for me.

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Do you have a story to tell about Earlston.s past that we could feature here?  
We would love to hear from you.  
E-mail:  auldearlston.aol.com

News from "The Earlston Comet", 1891

Among the items donated to the Auld Earlston Group is a photocopy of the first edition of "The Earlston Comet", published Saturday October 10th, 1891 at a price of one shilling. 
 

  
Old  newspapers are invaluable in giving us a picture of the times.  So what was occupying the mind of this new village journal? 

The editorial promised to "advocate measures that are for the moral, social and industrial benefits of the community" .

 Is public spirit in Earlston declining?   

This was the controversial question posed in a letter from  "Alick" who  deplored  the demise or non activity of several societies, including the Literary Society, with its programme of interesting lectures,  the Choral  Union "that did something creditable in the musical way" and the "well managed Ornithological Society of considerable pretensions with an annual exhibition,  and a competition which drew a large number of exhibitors and visitors".   He also asked that someone who was at the Public Picnic and was  "gifted with a graphic pen forward a description of  the  grand proceedings of that occasion for publication in the next edition of the "Comet". 

The letter ends:

"What  is to become of Earlston if something is not done to arrest  the galloping decline of  public spirit which seems to have set in with such virulence."

Unfortunately we do not have later  editions of the newspaper to find what reaction twas provoked by this viewpoint on the state of the village. 

 Among other  reports were:

• Under the heading of Local Jottings, the Right  Hon. Mr.  E Marjoribanks, M.P. and Whip for the Liberal Party,  was meeting his constituents and giving reports on  his stewardship - but he  omitted  to visit Earlston, much to the concern of the newspaper, which  questioned  "why"?
   
• A General Election  was looming,  with the prediction that Mr. Marjoribanks would not have a walk over.  Both political parties  (Liberal and Conservative) "were  working quietly but actively  ahead   of the forthcoming struggle".
   
• Fishing on the Leader had been badly affected by "a great flood and tempest on Monday September 21st - Black Monday, as it has been termed", when caulds at Leaderfoot and Earlston were washed away. The fishing fraternity were "desirous to maintain and protect" fishing on the Leader" and were proposing to petition landowners to put up fish ladders.
  
• The Harvest - the report noted that the harvest had now been gathered in and  "t is gratifying to note in better condition  than at one time expected, there being frequent storms of wind and rain.   With the serious failure of crops in Russia and otehr foreign countries there is every prospect that  agriculturalists  will have th beef nit of higher prices than have been experienced  for a number of years past." 
   
•  News of a Grand Pigeon Show in the Corn Exchange, followed by a dance 8pm to 10pm - with gentlemen admission 6d, but ladies free.
   
• George Crooks was offering pupils in Earlston tuition in the pianoforte, organ, harmonium, American organ and singing - and  also in Italian and Spanish language.

• As was the practice of the day, large advertisements had a prominent placing on the front page, with clothiers Thomas Clendinnen, David Wallace and  Miller's Drapery promoting their latest fashions. Also featured were boot-makers, James Ballantyne, Thomas Nichol and Alexander Young;  clock and watch maker George Pringle;  saddler and harness maker John McDonald;  and  grocer and ironmonger, Robert Smith. 

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Background Information
Finding  more information on "The Earlston Comet" proved a challenge, with the National Library of Scotland providing some answers, although it did not hold any copies of the title itself .  There  was mention of it  in "The Waterloo Directory of Scottish Newspapers and Periodicals, 1800-1900", and in  "Mitchell's Annual Newspaper Press  Directory".

The Earlston Comet" was published by William Norrie, with "frequency irregular" between 1891 and 1894 and was then  the only newspaper printed and published in Berwickshire" .

William Norrie adopted the name of "Waverley Press" for his  business, and wrote and published in 1891 a book "Edinburgh Newspapers, Past and Present".  Apart from those points,  William Norrie has proved very elusive with no information traced on him either in Edinburgh, Midlothian or the Border counties - surprising given that the 1891 census had taken place a few months before "The Earlston Comet" first appeared on the scene. 

It seems, however, that the title proved short lived. Perhaps  a contributor factor was the cost of one shilling (12 pennies)  which would be beyond many residents, given a loaf of bread cost around one  penny. 

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Earlston Kirk Session Records - Censure and Charity

EARLSTON KIRK SESSION RECORDS   provide us with a unique  social commentary on life in the village at the time - with the emphasis on chastisement and charity, as the church provided help to the poor and needy, but censure to those involved in what was regarded as moral turpitude.

The Kirk Session, made up of the Minister and the Elders of the parish,  was the local court of the Church of Scotland,  set up after the Reformation  of 1560 and the break with the Catholic Church of Rome.  Its duties were to maintain good order amongst its congregation, administer discipline and supervise the moral and religious condition of the parish. 

The Minute Books recorded:
Detailed accounts of income and expenditure.
Appointments of church officials,
Reports on the parish relating to poor relief, and the parish school.
Proclamations of banns, communion rolls, seat rent books and the hire of the mortcloths which was used to cover the coffin prior to burial.

Below  are some random entries from Earlston Kirk Session Records 1820-1901:

• 1st January 1843 - the Kirk Session agreed that:
  
  "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be dispensed on the second Sunday in February  and that the Thursday preceding shall be observed a day of humiliation but likewise as a day of thanksgiving  for the late abundant harvest".
• 17th January 1843 - "Paid three pounds, thirteen shillings and sixpence to William Scott, Saddler, for harness, and one pound, four shillings and seven pence for laying the gas pipe from the street to the church."
  
  

• 8th January 1861 -  the Session recorded the early history of the Parish School noting that it had opened the beginning of winter 1825. 
   

• 24th November 1856  - "Mr Daniel Aitkenhead , who was lately chosen to be schoolmaster of the parish, the Session unanimously appointed to the office of Session Clerk. At the same time they appointed Mr Robert Smith to the office of Treasurer and Mr Adam Shortreed to be precentor."
• 
   

• Mr Aitkenhead's signature appears at the end of many of the minutes.   He went on to serve Earlston in varied  roles, dying in 1922 aged 90. A memorial in the churchyard, erected by his pupils and friends noted that he was "a scholar for whom the ancient classics were his delight,  a teacher of rare merit and a man to all the country dear".

• 1st May 1864 - reflecting concern  for the poor, the young and the aged,   2/- was paid to a destitute family, 6/6 to a family for school fees, and 5/0 to Widow Watson.
• Bags of coal were regularly distributed to the poor, many of whom were listed as widows.  The local press reported on this gift  to around 50 poor of the parish who each received about 10-15cwt of fuel, supplied by William Gray, coal agent at Earlston Station. It was noted that this Kirk bounty would be very welcome in the severe winter.   Below a list of recipients in 1901.
  
• November 1862 saw a surprising entry which reflected the church's concern for a wider mission beyond the village,  with the decision that:

  A collection be made in the church on Sunday, the 23rd instant  in aid of the distressed cotton weavers in Lancashire.

  This was at the time of the American Civil War when a blockade of ports in the Southern states meant that raw cotton supplies were not reaching Lancashire and workers at the mills were unemployed and facing hardship.

• 4th December 1859 - the Kirk Session discussed  a £200 legacy  from William  Rutherford, spirit merchant of Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh to be used "for the benefit of the poor".  £200 in 1859 is equivalent to about £19.000 today, so a huge sum. According to a newspaper report on the bequest, Mr Rutherford was believed to be native of Earlston.

• Two pages of accounts for 1864 note payments to Robert Shillinglaw  (a church official}, the salary to the precentor increased to £10 per annum, for communion wine, and  the  cleaning of the church yard walls, - and a rather unusual entry for the supply of cod liver oil.
• Income came from legacies, church collections, fees for proclamation of the banns, from fines,  and from the hiring of the hearse and mortcloth for burials.  It was customary for Kirk Sessions to hire out a mortcloth (funeral pall) to cover the coffin or corpse during the funeral service.  From the point of view of family historians, the Earlston records unfortunately do not name  the deceased person.
  
  
  
  
• Many entries abound with the church's concern for what was termed "ante-nuptial fornication". The notable feature of these record is the fact it is the woman who bears the brunt of the  "rebuked".
  
  
• 7th May 1820 - it was confession time for Isabel Dunn - although she had had a child out of wedlock, she now wished to have her church privileges restored. Compassion was duly shown.
   
• As late as 14th October 1901,  a woman was brought before the Kirk Session  to be questioned on her "sin of fornication and having a child out of wedlock". 

"Having confessed  in sorrow for her sins and resolution to walk through grace in newness of life, the Moderator after solemn admonition did in the name of the Kirk Session absolve her from the scandal of her sin  and restore her to the privileges of the church,"

How attitudes have changed!

Note:  Parochial boards later took over responsibility for matters such as poor relief, with elected parish councils introduced in 1894. 

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Scottish Kirk Session Records are not available online,  but many archive centres across the country have them available in a digitised format for their area,  including the Heritage Hub, at Hawick, which serves  the whole of the Scottish Borders.

Earlston Blacksmiths

Horses are absolutely necessary in this part of the country, for it is by them the farmers labour their farms and drive their corn to market.  They never work with oxen now as they did formerly" - a quote from "The First Statistical Account of Scotland" written 1791-1799.  

Sixty years on,  the 1851 census for Earlston (including Mellerstain and Redpath) lists 9 men working as  blacksmiths, 7 carters/carriers, 3 saddlers, 2  stable boys, an ostler, a farrier, a groom and a coachman - plus of course all those who would be working  with horses on the many farms in the parish.   

The Old Smiddy on the Green 

One of the most prominent families of blacksmiths in the village   were the Brotherstons who worked in Redpath and Earlston down many generations and still man  the  Smiddy  at the East End today.

 

In the 1851 census for Earlston Parish, 49 year old Andrew Brotherston, blacksmith  was at Redpath with his wife Jessie and five children - Margaret, John, William, Isabella and young Andrew. Ten years on, he was still at Redpath   where in the census,  he was described as a "master blacksmith employing one apprentice".  Andrew senior died in 1867.

John and Andrew followed their father in the family business and by 1881 were working in the East End, Earlston as "smiths and implement  makers".

Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of 1882 listed three blacksmith businesses in the village:
John Brotherston - also an agricultural implement maker
Robert Lee  - also an agricultural impement maker and engineer
James Wilkie 
 

By the time of the 1901 census,  John Brotherston    was  at 119 High Street, with his wife Susan and young son James. John was a prominent member of Earlston Horticultural Society,   with his name featuring often in the local press reports as a prize winner at the annual shows.   

The 1903 Directory for the village showed John and  his brother Andrew As blacksmiths.  John died  two years later in December 1905. 

Continuing the family business in their ancestor's smiddy were John's son,   James,   and grandson John.

 

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