Pope Families
THE POPE FAMILIES
OF SUTHERLAND, ROSS,
This is a partially updated Pope family report. There is much new information now available and some is now included here. I have for the time being removed pictures, charts and graphics (including scanned wills) from this report. Some have to be updated and others are not longer suitable to go with the new text. The text is more a rough note than anything else to let family members and others know where the research has lead and may be going. The good news is that it is now clear and proved beyond reasonable doubt that all the Sutherland and Caithness Pope lines derive from the same early source. The bad news is that there is still much to research.
INTRODUCTION
During
research into the Melville families of the Doll in the parish of Clyne in
Sutherland I came across a connection between Melvilles and a Pope family living
in that area through the marriage of John Melville to Roberta Pope.
As research progressed much information was collected locally and through
researchers in this country and abroad and their names are recorded in the
reference section to this work. From
the collected material it became clear that the Pope name had some importance
for the Melvilles making a home in the antipodes, in addition to those remaining
in
The Popes in the Doll lived at various places but principally at Sputie. Two areas not far distant from one another are designated Sputie on this map from the 1870s. One by the A9 road and the other a little up the Sputie Burn which marked the boundary between the Parishes of Golspie and Clyne.
In addition
to the Pope Melvilles of
It quickly
became clear that the Pope families of Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty, and
This work tries to logically and clearly document the known facts about the Pope connected families and briefly put their lives in the context of the periods in which they lived. There may be errors and omissions but hopefully this will not detract from the understanding of the significance of the prominent and important families in this family history research. By setting out what is known it is to be hoped that further information will come to light through others working in the same area of research.
The
Different Principal Pope Lines
The Popes lines which are most distinctive and which are researched in the greatest detail here are:
The Popes of East Sutherland
This group includes the families in Clyne and Kildonan Parishes
The Popes of
The Pope Melvilles of
The Popes of Durness and Scourie
This group includes the Pope families in
The Pope Smiths of
There are other families in
It quickly became obvious that success in the quest for the origins of the Sutherland and Caithness Popes, and the other associated lines, probably lay in identifying the family of Hector Pope of Loth. Though there were many uncertain areas in this family descent in the East Sutherland branch their connection to Hector seemed proven. However, the Durness group and their ancestry were more problematic and required extensive research.
The Pope family members of
interest identified in
Circumstantial evidence existed for this supposition before the final proof and this was as follows:
At the birth of James
to Alexander Pope and Ann Mackay in Durness in1787 Alexander is described as
‘from Sutherland’. This is a
very significant remark indicating that he was neither a Mackay country man from
Strathnaver in the widest 19th century terminology covering the north
of Sutherland nor a
The above being the
case what was his parentage? James
Pope a Writer in Dornoch had at least two sons to Isobell Monro – Alexander
and Hugh. Alexander was born in 1739
and so would have been about the correct age to be in Durness and marrying in
1787. James being a professional man
working in the law would be a good candidate to be Alexander’s father coming
from the Popes of East Sutherland who were a high status and generally
professional or landed family at that time.
Alexander in Durness
names his first son James in accordance with naming tradition if James was his
own father. The next son was called
Neil after Ann Mackay’s father and the third son Hugh which may be reference
to the child’s uncle and Alexander’s brother from Dornoch.
The girls are a little more problematic.
But his second child was Alexie and could well have been named after
himself and this often happened in Scottish families of the time.
Neilina is also possibly referring back to the maternal side and the
child’s grandfather. Fairly is a
name which appears on the north coast of
A John Pope who went
to
Two Popes from
Scourie were said to go to Brora to live with a cousin Angus Pope.
Though they did not live there permanently it is clear that the Scourie
resident who made this report knew of Angus Pope and was aware he was a relative
of the Scourie Popes.
In a letter to James
Dun Pope in
Both James Dun Pope
and James Pope of
The records in
Dunrobin Castle at the time of the Hector Lithgow Last Will
and Testament indicated Helen Pope, Hector’s mother, to be the daughter
of Hector Pope of Loth and indicated that all the Sutherland Popes were from the
same family.
However, the circumstantial evidence, most of it correctly assumed, becomes almost irrelevant with the appearance of all the evidence from the various claims and litigation surrounding the Hector Lithgow inheritance. Source are quoted later but the principal providers of information were George Sutherland Taylor, a Writer (Solicitor/Lawyer) in Golspie who in the late 1820s and early 1830s was commissioned to draw up a Pope family outline with regard to the claims and researcher Alistair Gordon in London who has collected much information and particularly that associated with the Gordons and Popes.
George S
Taylor was commissioned by a Mr Nichol of Doctor’s Commons which appears to be
similar to He conducted his
enquiries in the late 1820s and early 1830s concluding them around 1834 and
submitting his results as of 31August 1835. The wheels of justice grind slowly
and the date of the forwarding of the information to the Lords of the Treasury
by the above Mr Nicol is not clear. However,
a letter to the Lords of the Treasury of 24 March 1840 from Mr Nichol shows the
regard in which both George s
The letter stated:
“Your
Lordhips are aware from the various reports which I have had the honour to
submit detailing the enquiries made in Sutherland for the purpose of discovering
the history and connections of the late Hector Lithgow and of the different
members of the family of the late Rev. Hector Pope, formerly Minister of the
Parish of Loth in the county of Sutherland, that those enquiries were conducted
by George S Taylor of Golspie with the sanction of your Lordships, that
gentleman having been recommended as a person having peculiar means of access to
the muniments in Dunrobin Castle, from which much of the information desired was
ultimately obtained, and of the satisfactory means in which Mr Taylor performed
the services required of him.’
Clearly
there was satisfaction with George S Taylor’s work which included research at
THE
‘FIRST’ POPES
The Popes, or Papes/Paips, as the name was often spelt at that time, was one of prominent families in East Sutherland in the 1600, 1700 and 1800s. They were teachers, ministers, Tenant Farmers, even if sometimes on small lots of land, and soldiers and influential and notable in the area through their learning and social contacts with a number having studied for university degrees.
Black, in his Surnames of
Scotland, identifies a number of Popes, and the variant spellings of the name,
in the North of Scotland and the Northern Isles.
Of most interest from this source are the
One of the earliest references
found to Pope families is to be found in a charter of William Pop, son and heir
of William Pop who was a burgess of
Pope family tradition in the North of Scotland, as reported by George S Taylor, suggested that the first Pope to arrive in the area was a ‘stranger’ of the name of Pope, a churchman, who landed in Cromarty bay about the close of the 15th century. Certainly the present research might also lead to the conclusion that the Pope family originated from an incomer to that area at around that time. This ‘stranger’ would then appear to be the progenitor of William, Charles and Thomas Pope and their other noted but unconfirmed siblings. Cleary he was not their parent but possibly their grand or great grand parent though this is unlikely ever to be proved.
WILLIAM PAPE (POPE, PAIP)
William Pape, native of
Ross-shire, may be the gentleman first noted as a Reader at Ardersier, in the
Readers were used by the church after the Reformation in 1560 as there were too few ministers to cover the whole country. Ministers were responsible for an area with more than one church and they travelled around preaching in their various places of worship. The Readers read the service from a service book on the Sundays when the minister could not be present in the church.
William matriculated at St. Andrew’s University in 1583 and was a graduate of St. Andrew’s University in 1587. However, courses of study were not necessarily continuous in those times and he was, in fact, appointed Schoolmaster at Dornoch in 1585. He became the parson there in 1588. In 1599 further honour followed with his appointment, by King James, to the Chantry of the Diocese and he is later stated to have been appointed Chanter of Dornoch in 1602. This was followed in 1606 with his appointment as constant Moderator of the Presbytery. With the consent of the Bishop, Dean and Chapter he received from John, Earl of Sutherland, in 1607, for life and to his heirs for 19 years the tiend sheaves of the Chanter’s Quarter, town and lands in the parish of Dornoch. This land tenancy and the products thereof probably provided William with considerable social status and not a little financial gain. It should be noted that there is no inconsistency with William having been appointed reader and teacher and then attending University and subsequently becoming a minister of religion. This routeway to the ministry was not an uncommon one. Also as noted above the matriculation and graduation might be separated by a shorter or longer period and a graduation date was not always noted. There was an inference of graduation at that time if matriculation took place.
The parish of Dornoch was dedicated to St Finn Barr. Within this parish, indeed in the centre of Dornoch, there also stood St Gilbert’s, the Cathedral Church of Caithness. This church was to become the church of the parish in the later part of the 16th century. The church took its name from the St Gilbert, Bishop of Caithness, who founded the Cathedral. The Bishop was buried in the Cathedral in 1245 and also within the building is a chapel of St James. A convent of the Red Friars was founded at Dornoch in 1271, no doubt, due to the town’s importance as a religious centre. Further indications of the importance given to the early religious influence can be seen the fairs of St Finn Barr and St Gilbert held in the town.
The Cathedral spent many decades, even centuries, in disrepair due to a number of incidents. It was burned down in 1570 and in 1605 greatly ruined by a very violent storm. It was not until 1835 that a full resoration of the building was begun by Elizabeth, Duchess of Sutherland and this work went on for many years.
William Pape finished his career in the ministry and his life as Pastor of Nigg in Ross-shire. The date of his removal to Nigg appears to have been about 1613. He is reported as present at the Glasgow Assembly in 1610 and there are the indications that while Thomas Pape, parson of Rogart and Chancellor of the Diocese, attended on behalf of the Caithness Diocese, William was there in some other capacity.
William’s church at Nigg was described as a mensal kirk of the Bishop of Ross which indicates a church where the revenues were appropriated to the bishopric. In the parish there were also chapels at Cullins and Shandwick. In the area of William’s ministry there was in addition two holy wells, Tobar Chormaig and Tobar Eoin. The former was dedicated to St Cormac and the latter to St John the Baptist.
William’s influence in the affairs of Sutherland were not insignificant being a Commissioner for the county and through this, between 1593 and 1599, coming into contact and being an associated of Robert Pont (1524 – 1606) and his son, mapmaker and clergyman, Timothy Pont (c1564 – c1614). The influence in religious affairs of William Pape at a time of change was considerable due to his consistent supporter of Episcopacy. In this regard he attended the Assembly of Glasgow in 1610 along with his brother Thomas, parson of Rogart and Chancellor of the Diocese.
It is interesting in family history research and writings for family details to be put in the social, religious and political context of the times in which they lived. While not connected to the Pope family under consideration it is worth saying a few words about the Pont family who were undoubtedly known to the Papes of Dornoch.
William Pape would have met
Robert Pont, an eminent and influential Scottish clergyman, practicing lawyer
and writer, as the latter became increasingly active in church affairs in the
North of Scotland. Pont opposed the
appointment by James VI of Patrick Adamson as Bishop of Caithness in 1587 and he
was very much involved in several commissions for ‘stamping out popery’ and
for instigating proceedings against Papists and establishing kirks from Aberdeen
to Caithness. In the 1590s, as
William Pape established himself and his family in Dornoch, Pont was a senior
statesman giving advice on all matters relating to the church in the
Though much
more is known about the life of Robert Pont than his son, Timothy, it is the
name of Timothy that is often remembered due to his mapping of
The life and times of William Pope is an intriguing and interesting one and equally so is the work and life of the Ponts. It is hardly possible here to give little more than a short description of the work of the Ponts in the Scottish Highlands. There are many sources of information on this family worth consulting but a good start can be made by looking at the Pont website at www.nls.uk/pont. The description of the work in which the Ponts were involved gives a good insight into the structure of society in which William Pape had to live and work.
William Pape married Cristine
(Christian) Monypenny and a plaque to their memory with their initials adorned
their dwelling in what is possibly the old Deanery.
This plaque can be seen in the
THOMAS
PAPE (POPE)
The second of William’s
brothers who came to Dornoch from Ross-shire and settled was Thomas.
He is said to have been encouraged to come by William’s prosperity.
Thomas became Chancellor of the Diocese and Minister at Rogart in 1590
and, as we have seen, along with brother William, was a member of the Assembly
in
CHARLES PAPE (POPE)
The other brother of William
Pape who came to Dornoch was Charles, a Notary Public and Messenger at Arms. The
records held by St Andrew’s University notes that Charles was the brother of
William and was from Meikle Reny. There
a number of places with the name Meikle in Ross & Cromarty and identifying
where Charles moved from to Dornoch was not at first thought possible with any
certainty. However, it became
apparent that the most likely was Meikle Rhynie to the east of Tain and in the
area of Fearn Abbey. Since there was
clearly a strong religious settlement and tradition here before the reformation
and even after 1560 the Abbey continued to be used as a church it soon became
clear that Meikle Rhynie would most likely have been Charles’s former abode.
Black in his surnames of
Charles was given the Sheriff Clerkship and was the unfortunate family member killed in the Pope Riot described later. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae Volume 7 in the same section, on William Pope of Nigg, states that both Charles from Meikle Reny was William Popes brother and also tells of his death in the Pope Riot of Dornoch. This being the case it is most likely that Charles came directly from Meikle Reny to Dornoch. It is said that Charles was an affable individual and a merry conversationalist who was popular in the area.
It was only when I became aware of a book entitled ‘The Calendar of Fearn’ published in 1991 by the Scottish History Society that the sought after place was identified with certainty as Meikle Rhynie. This book confirmed a number of suspicions about the origins of the Pope family and added to the family relationships with some other families in the Fearn area. It recorded the wife of Charles as Margaret Gordon, who elsewhere is noted as the daughter of Alexander Gordon of Siddera, and also identified a daughter Barbara.
The ‘Calendar of Fearn’
reproduces information collected in a manuscript from before 1517.
The Scottish History Society edition relied largely on a version bound in
or soon after 1844. It would appear
that there were several contributors to the Calendar and many additions
throughout the 17th century. Later
writers knew of its existence and referred to it and the Calendar was placed at
an unknown date in
It is worth printing part of the details here as they appear in the Calendar of Fearn:
Hugh Ross’s first wife Catherine Ross was dead by 23 October 1609,
when her widower made a marriage
contract with Margaret Gordon, widow of Charles Pope, portioner of Meikle Rhynie
(RS37/7, 75r-v, 8June 1650: for Pope, ‘publict notary and messenger at
arms’, killed in Dornoch in 1607, see Gordon, 246-8; Blackie, 45, traces his
ancestry to Bishop Henry Cockburn [d. 1476]). Barbara Pope, Margaret Gordon’s
daughter, contracted to marry her mother’s stepson Walter Ross, apparent of
Kindeace, on 22 July 1622, very shortly before Hugh Ross’s death (RS37/7,
74r-75r, 22 march 1650). When Walter
Ross lost Kindeace almost thirty years later his wife and his stepmother had to
renounce their rights (RS37/7, 74r-75v, 22 March 1650).
Margaret Gordon had remarried and was now the wife of Thomas or Hugh Ross
of Resolis (RS37/7, 75r-v gives both names.
To sumarise this it appears that after Charles Pope was killed in the Pope Riot his widow, Margaret Gordon, married Hugh Ross in 1609. Hugh Ross had previously been married to Catherine Ross and their son, Walter Ross, married Barbara Pope thus resulting in the marriage of Barbara Pope to her mother’s stepson.
After the death of Hugh Ross in 1622 Margaret Gordon (Pope and Ross by her previous marriages) married for a third time. This marriage was to Thomas Ross who had previously been married to Helen Ross and another and he too was therefore entering into marriage for the third time. Hugh Ross, the first husband of Margaret Gordon, was the son of a Walter Ross and Margaret Simson. This Walter later married to Agnes Vaus and he was probably the son of another Walter Ross.
CHARLES PAPE (POPE) OF CULLICUDDEN
In 1662 the parish of Cullicudden joined with Kirkmichael and became known as Resolis. Charles Pope of Cullicudden was still in the charge in August 1655 according to the Mackay Presbytery Records of Dingwall but by 1662 the charge was vacant hence the joining of the parishes. Whether Charles disappearance from the scene was through death or retirement is not known. There is no indication that he moved on to another church.
The Cathedral of Fortrose held
the prebend or stipend of Cullicudden, and that of Kirkmichael.
The former parish was dedicated to
Charles Pope of Cullicudden, is said in Fasti and by Sage to be most probably the son of the aforementioned Thomas who moved from Rogart to Cullicudden. He succeeded Thomas of Cullicudden there and he took up the charge before 1638 as he is mentioned in Mackay’s Dingwall Presbytery records as Clerk to the Presbytery in November 1638. It is from this Charles Pope of Cullicudden that Alexander Pope of Reay was descended according to Sage who also stated that Alexander was a descendant, through Hector Pope of Loth, of William Pope (Pape). It has also been suggested, though maybe less credibly, that Hector of Loth was son that Gilbert Pape, Burgess of Tain and son of Charles Pape who was killed in the Pope Riot at Dornoch.
Charles Pope, the Minister of Cullicudden and assumed son of Thomas Pope and nephew of Charles Pope of the Pope Riot, therefore appears to have been married but his wife’s name is not known at this time.
BISHOP HENRY COCKBURN AND THE LAING MANUSCRIPT
Further information upon the
ancestry of the Popes appears in the Calendar of Fearn in a minor reference to
Bishop Henry Cockburn. Blackie, in
the transcription of Laing MSS III 666,
The Chanonry of Ross, by
C.G.MacDowall (Fortrose, 1963), p.37:
"Further, it was
possible for men who were not in holy orders to be appointed prelates and
canons. In Ross a notable example of this cynical attitude towards what the
modern mind might regard as the neccessity for the preparation and training of
the clergy was provided by the example of Henry Cockburn who although not even
in minor orders had a promise from the Pope of the Bishopric of Ross whenever it
should fall vacant, an event which occurred in 1460. The Pope thereupon granted
Cockburn, described as having the tonsure only, a faculty or permission to
receive successively
the minor orders and the orders of sub-deacon, deacon and priest and to receive
consecration after taking the oath of fealty. Cockburn was thus enabled to
bypass the various orders and jump
at one bound from a clerk's desk in
An enquiry to St Andrew’s University Library produced some further information, printed as received below, on Bishop Henry Cockburn and also attributed an illegitimate son to the Bishop.
I can confirm from the Acta
Facultatis Artium and Early Records that Henry Cockburn matriculated in 1448-9
at the
The source of the St Andrew’s
information was from the book by Bishop John Dowden called ‘The Bishops of
Scotland’ and published in 1912, just after the author’s death.
Dowden states that Henry Cockburn was provided with the Bishopric in
March 1461 and paid his ‘commune servitium’ in April of that year.
His election and confirmation as Bishop took place, he states, on
Why or how this son was legitimized, according to Dowden on 20th September 1507, 31 years after the death of his father, is somewhat puzzling! However, legitimization could happen at any time, but usually when the father wanted to see the illegitimate offspring inherit. The legitimization process was normally a request to the king, and the official document then made it possible for the offspring to inherit some or all of the parent's land (eldest son, usually) or goods. The process could also be used to disinherit a younger, legitimate son, by making an older, illegitimate son a legal heir! Since the father was already some time dead it is probable that the latter reason applied in this case. One other alternative that comes to mind might be that the illegitimate individual wanted to be more acceptable in his profession or to gain more credibility and stature within that profession.
According to the Laing Manuscript Bishop Henry Cockburn had a concubine called Bessy Gordon and they had a daughter Ellen Cockburn. This Ellen was then named as the concubine of Sir John Reid, Vicar of Avah (unclear, might this be Avoch?) and they in turn had a son, John Reid. At this point there is mention of an Agnes Reid, most probably the daughter of this latter John though she could be his sister. This Agnes Reid appears to have been the mother of Charles Pope and several other children. The author of the manuscript lists the others as Father Jerom Pope, Thomas Pope, James Pope, David Pope, Nans Pope, Janet Pope and Bessy Pope. In all instances in the manuscript the name Pope is written as Pape.
One omission from the list is the name of William Pope the Pastor of Dornoch. There is little doubt that he was a brother to Charles and Thomas who are both mentioned. Whether he was not known about or missed out is unclear and it is possible that he was known by another name. Jerom (Jerome) is a possibility and it may have been that when William took his religious vows that this was his chosen name.
Bessy Gordon not only appears to have been an ancestor of the Pope family but also was a concubine of the parson of Alness, Father Nicholas Tulloch, the nephew of Bishop Thomas Tulloch. This line from Bessy Gordon leads through the Tulloch line into the Ross family of Shandwick, the family of William Sinclair of Channonry and the family of Sir John Spens in the Channonry of Ross. While those are interesting connections and indicate strong links between some of the principal families of Ross and the Popes it is not possible here to do little more than indicate some of the interesting and intriguing connections.
One of the most notable and infamous events to befall the Pope family while in Dornoch was what is known as the Pope Riot of July 1608. It should noted that an Privy Council enquiry dates the event to this time while Gordon in his history gives the year as 1607. The records of the Gaelic Society of Inverness point out this error on the part of Gordon and give a full account of the riot and the aftermath.
The events leading to the riot are not entirely clear but the consequences certainly were. Some say that the prosperity of the Pope brothers and their consequent pride of position and power was their downfall while others suggest that they were merely carrying out a duty to quell a disturbance in the Churchyard.
It would seem that while most of
the able-bodied men of the parish were on duty guarding the Sutherland border
against an attack from
For some clarity of the event it is worth reproducing here part of the text of the Gaelic Society of Inverness report on the matter as presented by William Matheson in 1974 in an article in a Society publication.
The
fullest account of the Pape Riot is to be found in
the pages of Sir Robert Gordon's History
of the Earldom of Sutherland, and it
deserves to be quoted at some length.
though, as will appear, some details require to be
corrected. The affair has come to be known as the Pape
Riot because three brothers of that name were the victims. The oldest
brother, William, was minister of Dornoch, Thomas
was minister of Rogart,
and Charles Sheriff-clerk of Sutherland. At the time in question the Earl of
Sutherland had gathered his forces to oppose an expected
invasion of his territory by a considerable army
assembled on his borders under the command of the Earl of
" Everie man," he writes, "
being departed from the toun of Dornogh
vnto this convention at Strathully, the yeir
of God 1607, except William Morray, a boyer,
and some few others, who were also readie to goe
away the nixt morning, Mr William and Thomas Paips,
with some others of the ministrie, had a meitting
at Domogh, concerning some of the church effairs.
After they had dissolved their meitting, they went to breakfast to ane
inn, or victualling-hous of the toun. As they were
at breakfast, one lohn Mackphaill
entered the house and asked some drink for his money, which the mistress of
the house refused to give him, therby to be red of his company, because shee
knew him to be a brawling fellow. John' Mackphaill taking this refusall in evil
pairt, reproved the woman, and spok somewhat stub-bornlie to the ministers, who
began to excuse her; wherevpon Thomas Pape did threattin him, and he agane did
thrust into Thomas his arme ane arrow, with a
broad forked head, which then he held in his hand. So, being parted and set
asunder that tyme, Mr William and his brother Thomas came the same evening into
the churchyaird, with their swords about them, which John Mackphaill perceaveing,
and taking it as a provocation, he went with all diligence and acquented his
nepheu Houcheon Mackphaill, and his brother-in-law William Morray, the boyer,
therewith; who, being glaid to find this occasion whereby to revenge ther old
grudge against these brethren, they hastned furth, and meitting with them in the
churchyaird, they fell a quarrelling, and from quarrelling to feighting. Charles
Pape hade berie all that day abroad, and at his retume, vnderstanding in what
case his brethren were, he came in a preposterous hast to the fatall place of
his end and rwyne. They fought a little whyle: in end, Charles hurt William
Morray in the face, and
therevpon William Morray killed him. Mr William and Thomas were both extremlie
wounded by John Mackphaill and his nepheu Houcheon, and were lying there for deid
persons, without hope of recoverie; but they
recovered afterward beyond expectation. The offenders escaped becaus
their wes none in the toun
to apprehend them (except such as favored them), the inhabitants being all gone
to the assemblie at Strathvilie.
John Mackphaill, and his nephiu Houcheon, have
both since ended their dayes in
The Pape brothers were comparatively recent immigrants from
Ross-shire, but in the space of some twenty years
they had become men of considerable wealth and position in Sutherland. Their
busy acquisition of property in Dornoch was
bitterly resented by many of the inhabitants' and,
though the immediate cause of the affray was trivial enough, it was in fact the
final eruption of hostile feelings that had been smouldering in the community
for some time.
Sir Robert Gordon was absent at court in London when the Pape Riot took
placet and it is not surprising that, lacking personal knowledge of what
happened and writing many years afterwards, his account is inaccurate in some
respects. He assigns the riot to the year 1607; but the records of the Privy
Council show that the actual date was
The matter was further pursued by the Privy Council and the fugitives involved in the case were pursued though at the end of the day there seems to have been little real justice achieved in the case with the perpetrates of what amounted to a murderer effectively going free.
Hector
Pope (Pape) (c1650 – 1719)
Golspie’s
Story by Margaret Wilson Grant makes no mention of Melvilles and only one Pope (Pape)
but this reference to the latter is of some importance.
It is stated that Hector Pape, Minister at Loth, met along with others,
at a diocesan synod in 1682 and also in the following year. According to Fasti
Hector graduated MA at
Hector firstly
married to an individual surname of
Hector was the father of the
well known Alexander Pope, Minister of Reay in Caithness, of which more below,
and he, it was said came from, and had, a large family.
Two questions immediately came to mind as research progressed.
Was this Hector the one whose name was perpetuated in the Pope and
Melville names in
Alexander Sage, in Memorabilia Domestica, indicates that Alexander Pope, Minister of Reay, was the son of Hector and quotes Sir Robert Gordon who said, in his history of the Sutherland family, that Hector had a numerous family of sons and daughters. To date this numerous family amounts to a son and a daughter by his first marriage and four sons and two daughters by Christian Dunbar.
The church that stands at Loth
today was not the one that Hector Pope preached in and it may not be on exactly
the same spot as the old church. Marauding
Mackays burned down one early church in the 16th Century and a new
church was built there but the plaque above the present church door seems to
indicate a date of 1822. The
building rather too modern to be the one that would have been the house of God
used by Hector. About 100 metres
lower down the hillside at Loth is situated the old
What is known is that the church
at Loth was dedicated to St Curadan and belonged to the Bishop of Caithness.
It was not the only religious building in the area there being at least
three chapels. St Tridwal’s was at
Kintradwell, St Inan’s at Easter Garty and a chapel at Navidale dedicated to
St Naomhan. Fasti states that he
ALEXANDER POPE OF REAY AND HIS FAMILY
Alexander Pope of Reay, born
1706, merits mention in a variety of sources.
Donald Sage, recorded in Memorabilia Domestica, recounts much of the
story of Alexander Pope’s life and notes that Alexander was the son of Hector
Pope of Loth. He additionally points
out, as noted earlier, that this Hector was a descendant of Charles Paip
minister at Kirkmichael and Cullicudden and that William Pope (Paip) Precentor
at the Cathedral in Dornoch was an ancestor.
A booklet by Reverend D. Beaton of Wick, published in 1910, titled ‘The
Rev. Alexander Pope, Reay,
Prior to becoming parish minister at Reay, Alexander Pope acted as schoolmaster in the parish. There is mention in an instruction by the Caithness Presbytery to their Commissioner to the General assembly of 1726 regarding his suitability as a teacher in the parish of Reay. It was noted that he was, ‘ a hopeful young man, having the Irish language’. This latter remark indicates that he was a Gaelic speaker, as well as an English speaker I would expect.
Alexander had
graduated from
Various sources give a good description of Pope both in respect of both his physical makeup and his character. He is described as of great bodily strength and size and as having a vigorous intellect. The former attribute of size and strength he appears to have used to great advantage in his ministry in a wild and untamed part of the country. Calder, when quoting earlier sources, describes the parish of Reay as being in a state of ‘semi-barbarism’ and ‘the natives’ to be ‘in general grossly ignorant, disorderly and intractable’. It is said that Pope carried a cudgel with him both for protection and to hand out punishment where necessary.
There are a number of tales of Alexander Pope’s exploits that should be recounted here. The most interesting is his journey in 1732, probably from his residence at that time in Dornoch, to meet his namesake Alexander Pope, the poet. It is said, he travelled all the way to Twickenham, London by pony and though he at first got a cool reception the two men eventually became friends and indeed the poet presented the Reverend Pope with ‘a copy of the subscription edition of the Odyssey in five volumes quarto’.
Other gifts from Alexander the Poet to Alexander the Minister emphasise the affectionate friendship between the two men.
Sage in ‘Memorabilia Domestica’ recounts a number of those tales of Alexander Pope’s time in Reay. It is said that on Sabbath evening after preaching to a small congregation he sat on a stone seat to the west of the manse. This spot gave him a good view of a hut used as a tavern. It became quite clear to Alexander that may more attended this tavern than the church and a number were his parishioners. Those men in the tavern were well under the influence of the liquor they had consumed and two of them in the first instance left the group and approached the minister. They tried to induce him to take drink which was politely refused though he did remark upon their behaviour on the day of rest and worship.
For some time the drunken men tried both make Alexander take a drink and get him to join their company. Having not succeeded they returned to their company themselves and brought back a group of almost a dozen strong, able-bodied men to confront their minister. They were sufficiently drunk not to see sense but sober enough to fight. Alexander placed himself with his back to the wall and with his cudgel in hand stood firm awaiting their actions.
The minister was again asked to drink from a filled glass of whisky and threatened should he not do so he risked injury. When Pope refused this was the signal for battle. A bottle was thrown by one of the mob who was quickly and efficiently felled by a blow from Alexander Pope’s baton. Three or four more of the group came forward but each in turn received the same treatment. It was not long before the gang beat a hasty retreat, carrying with them their wounded companions.
In the days before pictorial communications of any sort it was easy at the start of his ministry for Alexander Pope to visit parishioners without them at first realizing who he was. He would appear to have visited households around his parish dressed in what might be termed a disguise. He might appear as a drover, pedlar or a stranger on a journey looking for accommodation for the night. This lodging was never refused and was a ready method of entry by Alexander Pope to the home of those in his charge. In one instance he compelled his host to allow family worship to be conducted and when the true identity of the visitor was divulged the host became devout himself and later an elder of the church.
The elders chosen by Alexander Pope were said to be not just the most decent and orderly men of the parish but also the strongest to be found. This latter attribute was necessary as Alexander of required to exert force to ensure certain parishioners attend worship. It is reported that on one occasion he required a rather coarse fellow, occupying a small farm with his mistress by whom he had two children, to appear before the Session. He did appear but refused to attend church to make a public repentance before the congregation. The minister not to be outdone arranged at a Session meeting for three of his strongest elders to go to the farmer’s house on the following Sunday and forcibly take him to church. This was done and the man was tied to the pulpit, with an elder on either side of him, throughout the service and induced to endure a thorough lecture by his minister.
The Reverend Beaton, in his booklet on Pope, observes that the parishioners ‘advanced in the knowledge of the truth and also in the arts of civilized life’. He further states that ale and whisky drinking was discontinued in the Sabbath evenings but was still much indulged in during the week. He tells of an instance when the landlady of the tavern sought Pope’s assistance in clearing six heavy drinkers from some distance who had continued drinking when asked to leave and had began to fight with one another. Pope expressed to her that she should not be keeping a disorderly house but assisted by gaining access to the roof, removing some of the thatch and pouring water onto the drunkards below. With drenched clothes, it is said, they left the tavern to be confronted by Pope with his cudgel. This was enough to send them on their way.
Alexander Pope was a very
popular preacher and also a man of considerable literary talent and a celebrated
archaeologist in his day. He
translated the parts of the Orcades of Torfeus relating to
Alexander preached into ill health and after suffering paralysis he was carried into the pulpit to deliver sermons. His final years must have brought him great distress as not only did this ill health disrupt the end of his ministry but also his son and successor, James Pope, died in 1779 shortly after being appointed assistant to his father. Alexander Sage, in Memorabilia Domestica, indicates that his father, Donald Sage, was employed for several years as assistant to Alexander Pope until the death of Pope in 1782. He states that when his father assisted the Reay minister he resided, in the capacity of private tutor, with George Mackay of Bighouse. This family, the principal heritors of the parish, were relatives of Donald Sage on his mother’s side.
Alexander Sage notes that after
the death of Alexander Pope his father, Donald Sage, was interested in, and
received backing, for the position of minister at Reay. However, the charge was
offered to and accepted by David Mackay, the son of a ferryman from
Reay was built in 1739 when Alexander Pope was minister in Reay. It originally had a thatched roof and the walls were made of clay. In their book ‘Reay. Looking at the Past’ the pupils of Reay School say that on the outside of the church at the south-east end there is a ‘Louping Stone’ used to allow people to get on or off their horses with dignity. They also point out the ‘Jougs’ on the outside of the walls of the church. People who were of bad behaviour were tied to those on Sunday so that the church goers could boo and hiss at them.
It seems that Alexander Pope had fight hard with the heritors of Reay, even through the instruments of the law, to obtain his new church and to get a school and manse. It was not until 1740 that his new manse was begun, a very small building, and used later, when a further manse built for later ministers, as an outhouse. The school took much longer and it took a decision of the Court of Session in 1773, upon action by Pope and the Moderator for Caithness Presbytery, to obtain the requirement of the 1696 statue with regard to the provision of education in the parish. This 1696 Act decreed that a school be established in every parish, that the Heritors,the landed proprietors, provide a ‘commodious house’ for a school and that they settle a salary of 100 to 200 merks on the schoolmaster.
The Reverend James Dewar in his book, ‘The Old White House of God’, reproduced a plan of the church from 1846. Here it states that the ground for the church was granted by the Sandside family. They had their own private Isle and burial place in the church and Sandside put up a loft which was let to the Minister. This was done at the time of repairs to the poor loft in the church, this poor loft having originally been erected by Alexander Pope. One other loft exists in the church and it was put up by the local Laird of Bighouse in the time of the ministry of David Mackay in the first half of the 19th century.
A large window was built at the west end of the church in 1933 and in 1989 the church was renovated. In this most recent renovation the church was kept in it original style. The window was not to everyone’s liking there been a view that it was not in keeping with the older design of the building.
Robbie Synge in the book by Reay
pupils tells of four manses and states that Alexander Pope’s manse, the first
one, was at right angles to the road and gave him a good view of goings on at
the
It is thought that the church
before the present one was in the old cemetery.
Fasti states that the Old Church of Reay, dedicated to St Colman, stood
‘at the
Within a vault in the old cemetery there is a plaque to the memory of Alexander Pope. Services in the early days of Alexander’s ministry would have been held in the part of the cemetery where this building stands and often taken outside due to the numbers attending. It is thought that this vault was the vestibule of the old church with the rest of the church now under the line of the main A836 road through Reay. An alternative view is that the vault was at one time the structure that housed the minister while he preached. As suggested earlier, the congregation would stand outside to listen. Both suggestions may well be true at various stages in the life of the church before 1739.
Though Alexander had a ministry of almost half a century in Reay he did almost leave the parish in November 1743. At that time George Sinclair of Ulbster presented him to Halkirk. It appears that only a promise by the Heritors of Reay to carry out much needed repairs kept him in his present charge.
Alexander Pope married twice.
Firstly to Margaret Sutherland in 1735 in Dornoch and then to Janet Ross
in 1745. By his first marriage he
had three sons noted in the parish registers of Reay.
William born in 1836, Alexander in 1737 and Harry in 1739.
The family of the second marriages appears to have produced one daughter
and four sons. Abigail, born 1747,
married David Campbell, Thomas (1749), John (1750), James (1750), Charles
(1752). As many full dates as are
available can be seen on the charts in the reference section of this work.
Alexander did not have a lot of luck with his family with the exception
of Abigail. James his assistant at
Reay and his successor died 1779 and James’s twin brother, John, in 1752.
Thomas died unmarried in
Little of Peter (Patrick) Pope of Gartymore is known other than that he was the son of Hector Pope of Loth, he was married to Isabel Fearn from Tain in Ross-Shire, had at least four sons and four daughters and he died in 1802. Though not a lot more was initially known of his family information is beginning to emerge. Sons William and Robert Pope were clearly associated with the early ‘improvements’ in Sutherland at the very beginning of the 1800s and daughter Williamina, through her marriage to Alexander Ross and their family, heads an impressive group of Pope Smith with links in Australia and New Zealand.
In a 1745 list of men able to carry arms there is a Patrick Pope from Wester Helmsdale and Marrel and a Peter Pope in Captain McAlister’s Militia Company in early 1746. Since Patrick and Peter were inter-changeable names it is probable that the records refer to the same person. Certainly George Sutherland Taylor in his research indicated as much.
William Pope’s exact date of
birth is not known but his date of death is recorded as the 15th
April 1826 and no reference has been found, as yet, to a wife or legitimate
children though there is mention of a daughter Helen in his Will.
In this Last will and Testament William named his executors as Joseph
Gordon, Edinburgh; Major William Clunes , Crakaig; Alexander Simpson and Donald
Simpson, Helmsdale; James Smith, Hayfield,
The most interesting part of
William’s will relates to money that he did not have access to at the time of
his will or death. In the will of
Hector Lythgoe, as can be seen in the appendix article relating to ‘The
Succession Of Hector Lithgow’, amongst others, Pope family members received
bequests which were not fulfill due to long running legal proceedings. William
Pope was a beneficiary having been given a specific gift and he also appears to
have had desires on a share of the final estate which was likely to be
substantial due to the inability of the authorities to find any trace of Hector
Lythgoe’s two illegitimate sons. This
money that might become the way of William was bequeathed in the hope that it
might be forthcoming at some time in the future.
A gift of £50 to his servant, Margaret Polson, and his wish to have his nephews and nieces receive equal shares is clear and straightforward. The puzzle is in his statement where he says, ‘I beg leave now to recommend my respected natural daughter Margaret Pope to the humane care and kind protection of all my good Executors and in the event that the estate of Hector Lithgow is ever recovered I give and bequeath to the said Margaret Pope the interest of one thousand pounds sterling to be settled upon her and her heirs forever’. The clear indication from this is that William had a daughter and the language used would suggest this daughter to be an illegitimate offspring. There being no sign of other family nor a wife to William and the language above the assumption must be made that William was a batchelor.
There are references to William appearing in the Sutherland Estate Papers in relation to developments along the Sutherland coast from Helmsdale to Golspie and associated with the Sutherland Estates planned harbour construction and fish buying and selling project.
It seems that the Marquis and
Marchioness of
William is described by the Marchioness thus, ‘ who I think we shall find an excellent and usefull man; he is now here with his brother (Robert) and we have a great scheme en l’air that he should undertake a fishing establishment at Midgarty ( when Mrs Gray’s farm is out of lease next year) which will employ numbers of people, establish them, and bring riches and industry into the county.
The Estate had plans to improve
the
In the first instance plans were made for a new village at ‘Fishertown of Golspy’ in July 1805. Here houses 50 feet by 20 feet with three quarters of an acres of croft for each were to be laid out. The houses were to be built by the tenants themselves but on a 99 year lease. To enable changes in the land arrangement the croft ground had to be released each year.
One improvement made quickly was the construction of a small pier to provide a safe landing place for boats serving Dunrobin. It was said that the shore was so bad there at times that violent tides prevented a boat from getting near for the rocks. To build the required safe landing place the Marchioness of Stafford had information placed at the church door indicating the requirement for 40 men at one shilling a day for the following week, ‘to make up stones on the beach so that there might be proper and safe landing place or a little pier costing £20’. This work was to be under the auspices of William Pope as was the more major works planned at the places noted above.
The detailed Golspie Plan was revealed to the Marquis of Stafford by his wife, the Marchioness, in August 1805 showing the houses to be built as previously planned with gardens with no lease. The landing place or pier to serve Dunrobin, it seems, was almost ready and would it was suggested not only would benefit Dunrobin but also the ‘fishermen of Golspy’. A suggested by-product of this harbour preparation seems to have been a blueish marl clay which Captain Baigrie had analyised and which might be used to the ‘people of Moray’ who require it there. Captain Baigrie was the father of Charlotte Baigrie who married William Pope’s nephew George, the son of Robert Pope. He is noted in 1808 as the tenant of Mid Garty in the Parish of Loth with a victual rent of 46 bolls 0 firlots 3 pecks 2 lippies and a monetary rent of £41 3s 2d. By 1812 it seems he was dead as his tenancy art Midgarty and part of Wester Garty had been in the hands of his heirs as so described in Estate records. The rent at the time is give as 46 bolls 0 firlots 3 pecks 2 lippies in victuals, as previously, and an annual amount of £78 3s 3d. The lease from Whitsunday 1787 had expired and the heirs, is appears, were having to move having first seen that the houses were left in a condition conforming to the tack. In the records it notes the ‘Tenants warned out; Mr Young to set this farm’. Mr Young being the Estate Factor at that time.
In 1804 – 1805 there was a clear change in the desire of the population, outside of the fishing area, for a better standard of accommodation. The Minister and the Schoolmaster were not happy with their lot and extensive renovations were required at both the manse and the schoolhouse. Of particular interest in the work carried out in 1804 is a reference to James Pope, a mason, working on the manse. I cannot identify this Pope with certainty but living at Sputie, Doll was James Pope his wife, Jane Chisholm, and their family. This individual is the only James Pope I have identified in the area at the time and in 1804 he would have been aged 37 years making his participation in the work a real possibility. In addition this James had a son William described as a Mason in the Clyne Militia list of 1826 suggesting a continuation of the family occupation of Mason..
While working on the planned
developments in 1805 the Marchioness inspected the coastline from Golspie to
Helmsdale and indicated that she observed Kilgour harbour from a boat and was
pleased by its very promising appearance. It
is worth noting that William Pope and Captain Baigrie, amongst others, met with
the boat party at the proposed site of the harbour to discuss the drawing up of
a plan for the area. The Braes of Kilgour were seen as a fine backdrop to a
harbour just to the south and the village nearby.
Some Caithness people could settle the fishery and Pope could deal with
the present company, Selby and Co. of
The cost of the harbour was to be about £400 but this money, it was though, could be recouped fairly quickly. Nature itself, it is said, had given the chosen spot an advantage and only the removal of some stones and the heaping up of 75 to 100 feet of stones would be required to form a pier. The engagement of engineers for the coming spring was part of the development plan and the setting out of land for William Pope and the village crofts.
Pope’s letter of acceptance of the plan to develop the fishing, and his place in the scheme of things, to the Sutherland Estate’s Legal Agent in Edinburgh, Colin Mackenzie, is worth printing in full as it appears in the Sutherland Estate Management Papers.
William Pope to Colin
Mackenzie
After fully
considering the plan which you was so good as submit to my perusal at Dunrobin
for establishing Fishing Villages and making Harbours on this Coast at the
several stations of Helmsdale Kilgour and Golspy I beg to acquaint you that I am
not only desirous but ambitious to Embark in the undertaking as general
superintendant of the two Northern stations of Helmsdale and Kilgour. The
Station of Golspy as proposed in the plan to be made under the more immediate
management of Colonel Campbell.
I beg also
to assure you that I am deeply impressed with a full sense of my obligation to
the Noble Proprietors and to yourself and your brother for the preference given
to me, and deeming me qualified to promote a scheme which promises to be a
permanent advantage to the County of Sutherland, and if persevering diligence
and a faithful discharge of every duty that may be entrusted to my care can
forward the real interest of the undertaking I Pledge myself with confidence
that they will be faithfully exerted.
Upon
perusing your sketch of the scheme the evening before you left Dunrobin I
perceived at once that I could not engage then to do Justice to the various objects which the plan embraced with my own funds
alone. It became necessary therefore that I should consult with my brother to
know how far he could assist me in the undertaking and from the friendly manner
in which he has come forward, being equally zealous with myself to promote any
scheme that promises to improve the County of Sutherland I have no doubt but I
will be able with his aid to command sufficient funds to meet the principal
objects of the plan - vizt. to provide a proper supply of Salt and casks etc.,
To engage qualified people at the different stations to cure the Fish and to be
prepared at all times to purchase the fish with ready money from the Fishermen
and perhaps I may find it necessary to supply many of the Fishermen with hooks
and lines and some articles of Canvass and small cordage at prime cost, Charging
them. legal interest till they could repay the debt with Fish. I am fully aware
that much will depend in the infancy of such establishments upon granting the
Settlers little aids of this kind and being punctual in taking their Fish off
their hands at all times with ready money and therefore it will be absolutely
necessary that I should reserve the principal part of my funds for that purpose
to guard against any disappointment to them or any check to their industry
whatever difficulties I may be opposed to myself before I can find a regular
favourable market for my fish.
After
making a fair estimate for all these objects and for the expence of stocking a
farm my advances will fall so heavy that it will not be in my power to undertake
to build storehouses at Kilgour and Helmsdale nor do I think that a store house
will be necessary at present as all the fish must be cured in the Sun and open
air and after it is fully cured it will be brought to the centre station to
prepare it finally for market.
As
to the Farm of Kilgour and the Highland Place of Sheeskill that is attached to
it all that I know is, that it is not intended to grant longer leases than
Nineteen years. If to that a Life rent can be added with the Highland place of
Kinbrace with Shuskill it is all that I would beg to propose on that head Only,
that I am afraid that building the intended village upon the Farm of Kilgour
will circumscribe it too much, particularly as you propose that some of the
settlers should have Grass lands for cows. Considering the scheme in the most
favorable point of view as to myself it is evident that it cannot become
an object of profit to me for a long time. Indeed for some years I will be
perfectly satisfied if I can guard against a loss, because my advances must be
accumulating daily according to the success of the fishings and the villagers
will be advancing to prosperity when my returns from the Produce of the Fishings
must be extremely precarious and uncertain. Nevertheless I am willing to engage
in it and to make it the Principal object of my future industry. Trusting with
confidence that the Noble proprietors and yourself will at all times be ready to
afford me Protection and support in every measure which may appear necessary to
promote the prosperity of the undertaking.
Though William Pope appeared to
favour a farm for himself on the coast and inland ground in Kildonan parish at
Kinbrace and Sheeskill (Suisgill) Colin Mackenzie indicated to David Campbell
that most of the proposals seemed acceptable except that regarding the farms.
He said that a low farm should be more suitable than areas separated from
one another with the hill ground some distance from the coastal property.
It would seem more appropriate, it was thought, to add
In November 1805 further
correspondence between Mackenzie and Campbell indicates that William Pope had
accepted the low country farm offered to him.
At that time a rent had not been fixed as the amount of ground required
for the village had not been ascertained. However,
plans were made to work out a rent for the whole area and to include an
estimated rent for each individual villager’s plot, including a quarter acre
of ground to each, which could be deducted from the Pope rental when
appropriate. Despite those plans,
however, much to the annoyance of the Estate, word came in 1806 that the village
would have to be delayed for a year due to the refusal of the tenant of
This delay must have had some influence on William Pope’s prosperity and that of his brother Robert. They ran into financial difficulties with Robert losing control of his Wadset in 1808 and William surrendering his Culgower lease at Whitsunday 1809. William is recorded in the Estate Management Papers as living on in reduced circumstances on the Wadset of Gartymore held by his brother Robert’s trustees.
There is no further mention in the Sutherland Estate records of William Pope until a brief entry in 1815 where there is a direction that William’s rent of £5 should be remitted to him in future as he is in distress and very ill. It is further noted that he has always behaved well and deserves to be allowed his croft rent free. This croft must, I assume, have been on the land at Gartymore to where he moved upon the surrender of his lease of Culgower.
The harbour at Culgower was not
developed due to the escalating costs estimated for its construction.
It was principally Factor William Young in 1809 who was concerned by the
cost and stability of a large project at this point on the Sutherland coast.
As at many places on
At Dunrobin for the convenience of the castle a further and probably more elaborate pier was planned for construction in 1811 at a cost of £357. The earlier pier there or nearby was likely to have only been a fairly temporary solution though still important as passengers certainly were off-loaded from large vessels onto the beach by small tenders prior to this. The new 1811 pier was to be constructed by a builder from Burghead with experience in such matters. I am not certain of the exact positions of some of the early piers and no doubt many small constructions came and went with the tides.
A pier at Dunrobin, which I
remember from my young days, but now no longer there, was clearly, a much more
modern construction and the old, and joined, newer piers of Golspie were also of
much later dates than the developments considered here.
I also recall a small pier, with a sandy bottom to the west side,
situated approximately half way along the
At Golspie there is a barrier of rocks running almost the length of the village beach and a hundred to two hundred yards off-shore which is partly a natural barrier but was clearly further developed by the addition of rock material to protect boats anchored within the bay. At the west end of this rock breakwater and close to the present harbour there are the very distinct remains of early mooring places and markers to show the rock barrier at high tide. This rocky protection or rudimentary anchorage can be seen in the rather poor quality pictures below. Since this barrier runs from not far from Golspie Point and it was at Golspie Point that a harbour suggested in 1809 should be placed then this raised natural barrier could be in part the result of this harbour building and of further developments for the protection of boats and coastline.
As a youngster, I remember walking the length of the rocky structure, only have to get my feet wet at a couple of points where there was a clear break in the barrier. Those breaks were probably there to allow small boats to pass through and also for the water to come in with the flow tide and allow small boats to float in the inner bay before the barrier became partially submerged.
The Sutherland Estate Management papers give details about many aspects of life in the area of Sutherland where the Pope families lived and much more local history could be gleaned from those records. The purpose of this work though is to identify where Popes and their relatives lived and what they did in centuries past and not to present a history of developments over the whole area. To this end the Sutherland Estate Management Papers have given an interesting, if not complete picture of the sort of work that William Pope engaged in and the esteem in which those in authority held him.
It is worth commenting that when
one looks around the Loth area today it is hard to imagine the fishery planned
at that time and how it might have developed had the costs not been so high and
the reports of the suitability for a harbour so pessimistic.
The area is not particularly well populated today and could not support a
project such as was given to William Pope to manage.
However, in a Sutherland Estate Census, the full details of which no
longer exist except for a few places, the Loth parish had 1295 inhabitants, a
quite astonishing number when compared to today’s population.
The flat plain bordering the sea was prone to flooding in William
Pope’s day and though much improved there is still evidence of drainage
problems to this day. At the farm
steadings of
Robert Pope was Tacksman of
Navidale and received the Wadset of Gartymore, Achintou and Liriboll on
There is reference in the
Sutherland Estate Papers, in a letter in January 1804 from Colin Mackenzie to
David Campbell, to the collection of rent from Navidale.
The position of Robert Pope within the social structure of the time was quite a comfortable one while he was a tacksman. Being a Tacksman he held a lease of a tack of land through a formal written contract with the landlord and through this arrangement he could sub-let all or parts of the tack. This written contract was known as a Wadset and laid down the rights of the Tacksman and the level of rent he had to pay for his tack. Those wishing a tack made offers and generally, thought not always, the landlord accepted the highest offer. The Wadset often included not just a money rent but also victual rent. Victuals were generally some sort of grain or corn to be made in payment in addition to the money rent. Clearly this arrangement allowed the landlord of an estate to obtain rents for his property through many different tenants and to obtain victuals which he could sell or use to stock his own larder.
Robert was married to Roberta Sutherland and he died on29th August 1808. During the summer of that year Robert signed over his leases of Gartymore, Achintoul and Leriboll into trust and his trustees held the lease until 1815 when the Estate redeemed them. In the Estate records of Martinmas 1808 Cain and Kilfedder (both in Kildonan Parish) are listed as wadsets of Robert Pope at a rent of £35 per annum while in the 1815 record both are given as wadsets of Robert Pope’s heirs at the same rent.
The is one further reference in the Estate Papers to the late Robert Pope in 1811, when an evaluation was being made of the properties and rents on the Estate for the period Martinmas 1811 to Whitsunday 1812. The Cain and Kilfidder Wadsets are given under the ‘Heirs of Mr Pope, Navidale’ and indicate a lease of 38 years to 1836 which was clearly not held as can be seen from the redemption above.
An interesting short description of Robert Pope is given by Donald Sage and reproduced here.
The farm of Navidale
was taken in lease by Mr. Robert Pope, second son of Mr. Peter Pope, tacksman of
Gartimore, younger brother of Mr. Alexander Pope, minister of Reay. This old
gentleman I recollect to have seen at Kildonan, and I was much struck with his
antique and venerable appearance. He must, when I saw him, have been close upon
seventy years of age. He wore what was usually called a Welsh wig, and showed by
his manners a rude and choleric temper.
Robert Pope and Roberta
Sutherland had at least two sons and three daughters.
Peter, born 1804 and died 1845, married Mary Baillie Mackay in 1827,
George, born, 1805 was married to Charlotte Baigrie in 1829, Roberta 1844,
In Memorabilia Domestica, Donald Sage describes the meeting and pursuit of Roberta by her future husband. Again the description is best given in the words of Donald Sage.
Old
Peter Pope amused us on our return by stuffing his coat pockets with new-mown
hay. His eldest son, William, whom I well knew, was then in the
Not only does Donald Sage record the meeting of Robert and Roberta but he also tells of their marriage at Kildonan Manse by the Reverend Alexander Sage, Donald’s father. It seems Donald, being a young lad, was engaged in amusing himself outwith the Manse building a mud house when he was called inside and was off to bed unaware of events to follow. In the morning he was quite astonished to find Miss Bertie’s little shoes, side by side with Mr Popes boots, outside the principal bedroom used since some days by Robert Pope. Donald was quickly told by one of the servants that nothing was amiss and that his father had married the couple the previous evening upon the insistence of Mr Pope.
Robert Pope’s wife, Roberta Sutherland, was seventh daughter of Major George Sutherland and his first wife. By his first wife Major Sutherland had eight daughters and two sons. All his daughters, except one who died young, were ‘well married with their spouses coming from prominent families on Sutherland’s east coast. As one examines the various families and their relationships it becomes clear that the families of farmers, tenant farmers, the ministers and members of the medical profession were moving in a social structure where they fraternised and intermarried.
Donald Sage gives information regarding Major Sutherland’s daughters, the families of their spouses and much historical and social detail about life at the end of the 18th and start of the 19th centuries. A summary of this information is given below.
Robert Pope’s Last Will and Testament appears to have been completed on 15th August 1808. In this document, a copy of which is include in the appendices, Robert indicates that the trustees of his estate should be his brother William Pope; William Fyfe a Merchant in Wood street, Cheapside, London; Robert Sutherland formerly of Jamaica and then of San Domingo; and Joseph Gordon of Carrel, a Writer to the Signet.
The Will indicated that the Trustees should sell off as soon as possible, at latest 12 months, after his death his property, bonds and bills, wadsetts and, indeed, all his assets with the exception of his Gold Watch and Chain, Seals, Plate and Linen. The Watch, Chain and Seals were to go to his daughter Elizabeth and the Plate and Linen was to be reserved for the use of his children. The other various provisions can be read in the Will and particularly those that relate to his brother, William, are of interest. The estate itself was a very significant one as can be seen from the break down listed in the Will. The final sum listed at £5661.14.10 (five thousand, six hundred and sixty one pounds, fourteen shillings and ten pence) is a quite substantial figure for the period and indicates a man and family of some substance and standing in the community.
Janet Sutherland married Gray of Skibo
I am not aware of the forename of Mr Gray of Skibo but he
was a member of the Skibo family and amassed a fortune as a tea planter in the
Esther Sutherland married Lieutenant Sutherland the son
of Sheriff Sutherland of Shibercross
Esther did not marry Lt Sutherland until some years after the death of her father and the marriage was kept secret. It was not disclosed until after her husband’s death and done so in order that she might receive the annuity due to her as the wife of an officer. Lt Sutherland died within a year of his marriage to Jean.
Jean Sutherland married the Rev Alexander Sage
Alexander and Jean were married
at Midgarty on
Williamina Sutherland married Captain Robert Baigrie of Midgarty
Captain Baigrie, a native of Buchan, was the master of a West Indiaman vessel before he came to reside in the impressive house of Midgarty. He had the two rooms added to Midgarty and furnished those in the style of a ship’s cabin. Baigrie appears to have been a sociable man, generous and friendly. His years at sea, however, give rise to a life style and eating habit that was moderate and in certain aspects simple. He, it is said, would eat the coarsest of food rather than have it wasted.
Williamina was Captain
Baigrie’s second wife and they married about 1784.
His first wife, a Miss Hadden, had a daughter to him who was brought up
in
Captain Robert Baigrie resided at Midgarty until his death in 1809.
The family of Captain and Mrs
Baigrie are of interest here due to the marriage of their daughter Charlotte to
George Pope, the son of Robert Pope and Roberta Sutherland.
This, of course joined the Pope and Baigrie families together again as
It is interesting to note that
Charlotte Sutherland married Dr Macfarquhar
This couple resided in the
Elizabeth Sutherland married Joseph Gordon second son of Gordon of Carrol
Joseph Gordon of Carrol was the second son of Gordon of Carrol and his brother was John Gordon the Laird of Carrol. Carrol is in the upper area of the Doll in the parish of Clyne and on the border of Golspie parish.
Joseph was tacksman of Navidale
and later resided at Embo near Dornoch. Prior
to taking up the Navidalelease he had made some thousands of pounds as a
coppersmith in the
Roberta Sutherland, as noted
above, married Robert Pope.
There is information elsewhere in this work regarding this couple but suffice to say it is clear that the Pope families were very well connected to the prominent families of East Sutherland.
George and James Sutherland
The two sons Major George
Sutherland and James Sutherland died unmarried.
The former in
Major George Sutherland’s
second wife was a Robertson, possibly Janet, and they had a daughter Janet and a
son Robert. Janet married Captain
Kenneth Mackay of Torboll while Robert became a planter in the
Williamina’s date of birth is not known and her date of marriage is only estimated being about 1777. Her husband was Alexander Ross, known as Sanny, of Wester Helmsdale. He was the tacksman there and the brother of the Minister of Clyne, Walter Ross. They were natives of Ross-Shire with Sanny coming to Wester Helmsdale at about the same time as his brother took up the position in Clyne.
In Memorabilia Domestica, Sage
describes Sanny Ross as being ‘abundantly shrewd’ in all practical matters.
However, it would appear that the Ross brothers were more than a little
inclined to exaggerate and embellish stories and events some of which are
recounted by Donald Sage. In this
regard Sanny seems to have been even able to outdo the inventions of his brother
and did so with a lisp and a shrill, whining tone of voice with a
Williamina and Sanny resided in
a small cottage on the hillside at Wester Helmsdale with a fine view towards the
River Helmsdale as it made its last few flowing miles to the sea.
The now long gone
The couple had what was
described by Sage as a numerous family of sons and daughters.
So far identified are the daughters Isabella, Williamina, Johanna and
Margaret. The sons Robert, Walter
and Hector have come to light. The
first named daughters both married into the Smith family of Olrig House in
Sage is well placed to describe the Ross family having lodged with them on his travels, being a colleague in the Ministry with Walter Ross and Sage himself the Minister of Kildonan.
For the present there is little
information of note about John himself. He
was married to Lizzy Calder and had three sons and five daughters.
A John Pope was a Sergeant in Captain Gordon’s Militia Company in
February 1746 and it is likely that the John referred to is this person.
The records do not indicate another John Pope at that time and he was in
the right place and as far as can be judge would be the correct age for military
service. The Militia, like Captain
McAlister’s referred to above, was one of a number raised from men able to
carry arms at the time of the 1745 Jacobite rising and the period following the
defeat of the Pretender, Prince Charles, at Culloden in 1746.
The main purpose of the Militias was to protect the borders of Sutherland
from infiltration by Jacobite sympathisers from the south or across the
JAMES POPE SON OF HECTOR POPE OF LOTH
As with his brother John, above, little is known personally about James. However, he was married, to Ann Ross from Doll, and had a family and this family has been identified with a good degree of certainty. His sons, James and Hector Pope, head families in the Doll in the early 1800s and it is through Hector’s family that the connection to the Melvilles of the Doll and Golspie comes. Details of this family and links are described later.
However, the most significant
find in James’s family is the connection to the Durness and Scourie Popes and
hence the Dun Popes in
In addition to the sons James, John and Alexander named above, James Pope and Ann Ross had another son, Donald, and two daughters, Christian (Chirsty) and Janet and a final child whose name I have been unable to interpret though it is noted he or she died in Aberdeen..
As with the other Popes listed as able to carry arms in 1745 there is reference to a James Pope and since this is at Ardachy in the Brora area of Clyne parish it is very likely that the James identified is this son of Hector Pope of Loth.
The Family of James Pope and Jane Chisholm
James Pope was the grandson of
Hector Pope of Loth and son of James Pope and his wife, Ann Ross.
James, the husband of Jane, was probably born around 1767 in Clyne,
Sutherland and died at Sputie, the Doll in 1837.
His gravestone in
James and Jane had at least seven children, four sons and three daughters. The first born and best documented was yet another James who entered this world in 1797. His details and those of his siblings follow.
James Pope
James was born, as already
indicated, in Clyne Parish in 1797 and died in South Leith,
His widow Christiana continued living in the family home with their son, Robert, and daughter, Emma, after the death James. This home was Junction Villa, Cardross, Dumbarton.
Ann Pope
Anne was born on 1798 in Clyne Parish and died in 1881 at Sputie. Her death was reported by her nephew, William Pope. Her marriage to Angus Davidson, a Cartwight, took place in 1829. They had at least two children, James, born 1831, and Jane, born 1836. The long gap between children might suggest that others were born in the intervening period but the thorough search has not yet been made to determine this. The details of the marriages and families of James and Jane can be found in the reference section containing the Pope database information.
William Pope
His birth date is recorded in 1800
Margaret Pope
Margaret Pope was born in 1803. She probably died young as there was also a later child named Margaret.
Donald Pope
Born in 1804 in Clyne there are, unfortunately, no further details available for Donald at this time.
Margaret Pope
Margaret Pope was born in 1807 in Clyne parish and died at Sputie in the same parish in 1881. She was a Nurse by profession and her death was reported by her nephew, William.
Robert Pope
Robert’s birth year is given as 1810 in Clyne and his place of death is noted at Sputie in 1874. He was a Tenant crofter/small farmer, presumably on the family run croft at side of the Sputie burn close to the route of the present A9 main road. His death was reported by his nephew, William Pope, who appears to have been responsible for this duty for most family members.
Family of James Pope and Christiana Band
Robert Band Pope
Robert was born in 1835 in
In 1881 census Robert was living at Junction Villa
in Dumbarton with his mother and younger sister Emma.
In the 1891 census for Dumbarton he was in Meadowbank House and with him
he had his brother Donald and his sister Eliza Hay.
This house was demolished about 1900 and probably resulted in their move
to the house called Navidale and named after the Pope family home just to the
north of Helmsdale, Sutherland.
Robert
Band Pope was Manager of Marine Engine Works and Partner in Denny's Shipyard in
Dumbarton and a Marine Engineer (Master). He was single according to death
certificate which indicated that he had died of Cardiac Valvular Disease and
Dropy . His death registered by his
niece, Rosalee Wallace, of
A
Memorial Plaque placed in
ROBERT BAND POPE
POPE
At Navidale, Dumbarton on 29th July Robert Band Pope, engineer
(of the firm Denny & Co.) The
only intimation. Funeral private –
no flowers (by request)
Noted Engineer Dead
The death has taken
place at his residence, Navidale, Dumbarton, of Mr Robert Band Pope. A partner
in the firm of Messers Wm Denny & Co., Engineers and Boilermakers, Dumbarton.
Through advancing years, Mr Pope’s health has been failing of late, and
he has not been so actively connected with the business as was his want.
The deceased was connected with William Denny for considerably over half
a century. A skilful engineer, who
combined the faculties of imagination and application, he was so successful in
the fulfilment of the posts of works manager and chief draughtsman from 1857 to
1885 that in the latter years he was assumed a partner of the firm.
Deceased’s connection with Dumbarton corresponded with the period of
the burgh’s development as a shipbuilding and engineering centre, and his name
is associated with the numerous successes of the firm.
His skill was reflected in the results obtained from the first of the
British India Company’s steamers. When
the compound engine was introduced he designed those of the ‘
HELEN POPE DAUGHTER OF HECTOR POPE OF LOTH
Helen Pope’s birth date is not
known but is estimated to be about 1710. She
had an illegitimate son, Hector Lythgoe or Lithgow, to Alexander Lithgow.
Though noted as illegitimate in some research George S Taylor in his
evidence for the Lords of the Treasury points out it was said that Alexander and
Helen married at house of her half sister in Kincurdie, Ross-shire. He also
notes that a Robert Lithgow was in Dornoch in 1730-32 and had two illegitimate
children there. He adds that this Robert was known to the Rev Alexander Pope.
Being an unusual name, and particularly in the
At the time of the attempted settling of Hector Lithgow’s rather substantial Will enquiries were made regarding his ancestry and records at Dunrobin corroborated the view that she was the daughter of Hector Pope. The Will was generous in its gifts to some Pope family members and to some friends though the main beneficiaries were to be Hector’s sons to Frances Sweet. It would appear the money was never paid out and remained in Chancery for many years as claim and counter claim was submitted and court cases between hopeful contestants was played out.
For details of Hector and the Will it is best to read the article by John Kennedy reproduced in the appendices. The family tree below shows some the Lithgow family links and includes some with an interest in claiming the inheritance. Principal amongst those is John Eckford who spent many years trying to find Hector and Frances’s children and who himself also sought reward from the Will only to receive expenses for his efforts.
THE SUCCESSION OF HECTOR LITHGOW
By JOHN KENNEDY
Hector Lithgow was born at
Alexander Lithgow was intended for
the Church but, after "his views to the Ministry were thwarted,"
enlisted in the 42nd Regiment. He was still serving in the regiment when Hector
was received into a Hospital (or orphanage) in
At the age of ten years Hector ran
away from the Hospital as he had broken a bottle of oil and was afraid of the
consequences. He was befriended by John Barclay, a farmer of East Wemyss, who
appears to have given him employment and shelter until he joined the Army and
went to
No record has been found of when he
joined the Army or went overseas but it is confirmed that he was stationed in
It is not known why the boys, Hugh
and John, were not looked after by their mother, Frances Sweet, as they were
taken in charge by one John Cleary who applied to the Attorney General of the
Province, William Nesbit, to know how they were to be provided for. Hugh went to
live with Hugh Kirkham, a carpenter, and afterwards entered the service of
William Nesbit aforesaid, and John remained with John Cleary.
Hector returned to Scotland and for
the next two years again stayed with John Barclay at East Wemyss for part of the
time, and then with Dr Spencer, Minister of that Parish. During this stay in
During November 1765 Hector
enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Artillery, aged 25. He was 5' 101/4" in height, had no trade, but could read and write and, on 31st March.
1768, was discharged with the rank of sergeant having been promoted to the East
India Service, which he joined in London, aged 27, during March 1768, on board
the "Talbot" bound for Madras and Bengal.
Hector Lithgow served in
It has not yet been possible to
elicit more information as to how he managed to amass such a vast sum in the
space of 16 years, but apparently as a Commissary of Ordnance, he would have
been responsible for the purchase of fodder for the Artillery animals; horses,
mules, camels and even elephants; purchase of saltpetre for gun powder (India
being a major supplier); rations for the troops; tools and equipment for the
maintenance of guns, carriages and limbers. He would, without doubt, have placed
orders with the Indian merchants offering the highest secret "backsheeesh,"
which would never appear in the official accounts.
Lithgow must have known that he was
likely to die at an early age as his will was dated
Under
the terms of the Will he left the following legacies:—
To his
cousin Wm. Pope, son of Peter Pope of Gartmore in
To well beloved friend. Mrs
Elizabeth Grant of Dallas Chapel in Strathspey
interest of £200 for life;
To his cousin Abigail Campbell
(formerly Pope), wife of David Campbell* in the
Parish of Reag (Reay), Caithness;
Christian Kirkwood (formerly Anderson)
of Perth (Schoolmistress); Mrs Frances
Sweet, mother of his two sons, the interest on £100 for life;
To his cousin Helen
Pope, daughter of his Uncle John Pope of
Sutherland, £50;
To his cousin Hector Pope,
son of his Uncle James Pope of Sutherland, £50;
To Mr John Barclay of East Wemyss
in
To Archibald
Edinton of
The residue of the estate was left
to his two sons with the proviso that should they
predecease him extra legacies were to go to the aforesaid
relatives whether or not intestate and who were their next of kin at time of
death.
As John and Hugh Lithgow could not
be traced in Halifax, the Executor. Charles William Alston, advertised for
information regarding them in
In 1822 an opinion was sought of Mr
Roupell, Lincolns
Inn, re Pope v. Oswald 1793 (as John and Hector
Lithgow appear to have been illegitimate, if they died intestate and without
issue the Crown is entitled to the residue and not the next of kin of the Estate
of the Testator, Hector Lithgow). "If John and Hugh Lithgow have not been
heard of since 1793 they will be presumed dead. but to entitle the Crown to
receive the property administration must be taken out by the Grantee of the
Crown."
It was not until 1827 that William Weston,
a Cooper, swore before the Hon. James Stuart,
a Judge of His Majesty's Supreme Court of Judicature,
On the same day, 5th May, 1827,
Walter Cathcart Wilkie of Halifax, gentleman, swore an affidavit before James
Stuart stating that in the year 1793 he commanded a Brig called the Porcupine in
the West Indian Trade and he was about to sail for Jamaica when Hugh Kirkham
waited on him and requested 'that he make diligent search and inquiry for Hugh
Lithgow. Wilkie's family resided in a house belonging to Kirkham, who told
Wilkie that he would permit him to occupy the house rent free for one year if he
discovered Hugh Lithgow, and that he would give him the house if he found him
and brought him to
From the foregoing it was accepted
that the two sons of Hector Lithgow were dead and had left no issue and the
residue of the fortune was escheated to the Crown. As already stated, however,
litigation went on for some 50 years as claims were made by relatives and
others, some of which were based on very dubious statements as to relationship
with the Testator.
As the beneficiaries under the will
were his sons and relations of the Pope family; with the exception of "his
well beloved friend," Elizabeth Grant of Dallas Chapel: John Barclay and
Archibald Edinton, both of East Wemyss, who had befriended him as a boy; it
seems that he had no great affection for his Lithgow relations of whom there
were a number, as none of them were remembered.
Hector's grandfather, the Reverend
Robert Lithgow, Minister of Ashkirk, Roxburgh, had a sister Helen who married
James Anderson and had three children; Thomas. John. and Jean, who married
George Thorburn, the smith in Ashkirk. The Thorburn's daughter. Jean, married
another Anderson, called John, tenant in
Eckford entered the field of
claimants in his wife's name and pursued the claim with a determination and
energy that won the respect and admiration of many famous people of those times,
with perhaps a modicum of ridicule from some of his townsmen. He is described in
the 1872 Transactions of the Hawick Archaeological Society:—
"John—or as he was generally
termed, Johnny—Eckford, who died upwards of thirty years ago, was a well known
character and a somewhat local celebrity. Eckford was an operative stocking
maker, a quiet inoffensive man of plodding habits and taciturn disposition.
Dressed in a short tailed blue coat and knee breeches, his legs encased in
coarse blue stockings, a low crowned broad brimmed hat on his head, his short
thick body bent forward as if pressing in advance of his legs, while the firm
way he planted his feet on the ground bespoke of a decided determination of
character indicative of the man."
His determination was such that for
the remainder of his life he applied himself to the task of collecting evidence
of the relationship of his wife Jean, to Lithgow, and to ascertain whether or
not the two sons John and Hugh were alive, or, if dead, had issue.
To this end he travelled thousands
of miles examining tombstones, interrogating witnesses, obtaining sworn
statements, and once crossed the Atlantic to examine tombstones in the
churchyards of the City of
He haunted the courts and lobbies
of
He was so well known to the drivers
of the stage coaches between Hawick and
'"When at home Eckford spent
much of his Sunday evenings in reading the Bible in a loud monotonous manner
without stop or variation in the tone of his voice. The subjects generally
selected for reading were the accounts of the treasures in gold, silver and
brass, and precious stones collected by King David in the City of
From the records however it is
apparent that Eckford was the only person who presented a true version of the
genealogy of the Lithgows and Popes and their descendants, and most of the
foregoing information is taken from his researches and those of the King's
Proctor in his preliminary report on
The latter had contacted Mr Locke,
a resident of Sutherland, who introduced Mr George Taylor of Golspie, resident
Agent to the Duchess Countess of Sutherland, who confirmed the circumstances of
the birth of Hector Lithgow from the records in the Charter Room at
In 1630 William Pope was
Schoolmaster and Minister of Dornoch and Chanter of the Cathedral of Caithness',
he had two brothers. Charles, a Notary and Sheriff Clerk, and Thomas, Minister
of Rogart and Chancellor of
A memorial to Sir Thomas Denman,
His Majesty's Attorney General, of November 1831 states: "John Eckford
presented a petition in September 1822 and another in September 1823 to the
Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury praying for a part of the
Succession of Hector Lithgow whose Estate was found by a decree of the Lord
Chancellor in 1823 escheated to the Crown from his being a Bastard."
A remit having been made by their
Lordships to the Barons of Exchequer in Scotland in 1823 they were pleased to
report that "the petitioner John Eckford was entitled to the Discovery
Money and to immediate payment of the expenses he had incurred in tracing the
said Hector Lithgow's parentage and pedigree, the charge then made being
considered by the Barons to be moderate."
The memorandum then traces the
descent of various claimants as confirmed by twenty six affidavits which
satisfied Alston, now a Lieut. Colonel, and the remaining executor, that on the
death of the Testator, Jean Thorburn, David Anderson. John Anderson and Helen
Anderson were the nearest relations to the father of the Testator. He also
stated that the opposite parties who claimed next of kin were not related to the
family at all and earnestly recommended that a Bill be filed in the Court of
Chancery with all possible expedition in order to show that the property
escheated to the Crown in the year 1823 upon the information then given by John
Eckford.
The
evidence produced by Eckford and set out in the memorandum was certified correct
by sixteen ministers, J.P.s, hosiers,
elders, farmers, manufacturers and merchants of Hawick and was further endorsed
by the following signed statements:—
"After
having looked through the accompanying documents — and having also a knowledge
of many of the persons who certify them, I am of the opinion that John Eckford
has made out a strong prima facia case to give him a claim for having a Bill
filed in his favour in the Court of Chancery."
Alexander Pringle M.P.
30 Bury Court, St James
"Having
examined the above statements and being satisfied as to the relationship of John
Eckford's wife to Helen Lithgow, I venture to recommend that he be admitted to
the Court of Chancery."
"Having
examined the above statements and feeling satisfied as to the relationship of
John Eckford's wife to the Testator (Hector Lithgow), I venture to recommend
that he be admitted to the Court of Chancery."
Henry F. Scott M.P.
"Having
some knowledge of John Eckford and many of the parties certifying the foregoing
statements, I am satisfied that there are good grounds for his application to
the Court of Chancery."
"I
verily believe and can conscientiously testify that John Eckford, whose labours
in extracting the tangled genealogy has been extremely great, has made his case
and that of the other descendants of Helen Lithgow who will share in succession
along with him."
Abbotsford II July 1829.
Walter Scott.
Sir Walter Scott had previously
written sternly to Eckford saying that he was looking into the proceedings on
behalf of a poor neighbour, Thomas Anderson of Gattonside. In the letter he
points out that Jean Anderson, the grandmother of Eckford's wife, had two
brothers Thomas and John both of whom had issue. The descendants of Thomas he
believed were poor people in Selkirk, and John Anderson in Gattonside was the
son of John the second brother of Jean. Scott points out that all the evidence
which Eckford collected to establish his claim through his wife would also
establish any rights which vested in his wife's maternal uncles. "I
therefore wish you to consider whether it would not be best to understand each
other and make a common cause of it as your claim coming in separately and as it
were in contradiction to each other will certainly excite in the Lords of the
Treasury a suspicion that others and nearer relatives may also be kept out of
view. I should also think that your present claim in Exchequer for reimbursement
of expenses etc. is much more likely to succeed when there shall be no
appearance on your part of concealing the rights of others."
Scott in writing to John Lock, who
also became involved in the case, said Eckford was "an accomplished bore
but a shrewd and persevering man." (
As previously mentioned Eckford
went to New Orleans and the reason for this may have been, that with the mass of
documents in the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, covering the period 1790
to 1841, one which states that about 1784 Hugh Lithgow was a seaman before the
mast in the Guard Ship at the Nore and that he had deserted and not been picked
up. There is also a statement from a man in
It is a fascinating thought that
perhaps Hugh after all was not dead and that after deserting from the Royal Navy
he would not dare to return to England to claim the fortune, if perchance, he
had seen or been told of the advertisement. As the American War of Independence
had now come to a conclusion he would be safe in the newly born
John
Eckford died in
REFERENCES
The
foregoing information was in the main taken from the documents kept in the
Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London, being the records of the Chancery,
the Treasury, and the Treasury Solicitors under the following references:—
Chancery
proceedings:
Pope v oswald (1790)
C12/1090/17
Lythgoe
v
Lythgoe
v West (1841) C13/444/5 C13/425/9
Treasury
& Treasury Solicitors papers: Tl/3938-3942
TSII/76/243
TSII/77/244
My wife
Doreen Kennedy and myself made the search during April 1976, but owing to the
short time at our disposal were unable to examine all the evidence and a vast
number of documents still remain to be looked at.
(NOTE—The
Hawick-born author is a grandson of the late David Kennedy, chemist. and a
great-great-great-great-grandson of the above John Eckford, stockingmaker).
* In the bequests
should Abigail Pope be married to James Campbell rather than David Campbell.
EXTRACTS FROM ACCOUNT BOOK OF
JAMES CAMPBELL,
SCHOOLMASTER OF HELMSDALE
SCOTTISH
ARCHIVES,
Helmsdale Febry 11th 1887
Dear Sir
I notice from the Northern Chronicle that it is requested that all claims against the late
Misses Pope of Navidale be lodged with you and as I am not sure whether Mr Wahab gave you these a/c s for the ladies funeral expenses I beg to enclose accounts for the same herewith as follows:-
Miss Isabella Pope’s Funeral £19 18 5 ½
Miss Eliza Pope’s Funeral £20 19 6
Other accounts per list
£ 4
7 3
In All
£45 5
2 ½
I induced Mr Nicol of the Caledonian Hotel, Wick to reduce his a/c for Hearse for Miss Isabella Pope’s Funeral from £18 2/- to £12 as I considered the first charge excessive. I believe Mr Duff, Ederton forwarded this a/c to you with the request that payment be made direct to Mr Nicol. - You will observe that the amounts of these a/c s £7 11 5 is due to me for advances made in Settlement of Some of the a/c s.
If you wish me to forward the different a/c s as indicated I will be glad to do so.
The servants who were in the Cottage have been calling here saying that Mr Wahab promised to send board wages for them to me which I would hand them and take their receipts.
The keys of the cottage are left with me to get the place aired and fires lit once a month.
I assume my right to claim for any trouble I may have had in this matter.
I am yours obediently
Jas Campbell
J. M. Murray Esq
STATEMENT OF
EXPENSES OF MISS ELIZA POPE’S FUNERAL 1886
Dec 28
Paid Advertising Death of Miss Eliza Pope as follows:-
Times 12/- Scotsman 5/- Northern Chronicle 3/-
John o’ Groat Journal 3/- Northern Ensign 3/- £ 1 . 6
30
Mr Clark’s a/c for printing Notifications of Death
And Funeral Letters – Miss Eliza Pope . 7 3
Warning to Miss Pope’s funeral in Parish of Kildonnan . 9 .
Do to Parish of Loth per Rev G. McMillan . 4 6
Opening and other work about frame
And tolling bell – Miss Eliza Pope 1 . .
Postage etc in connection with Death of Miss E Pope 7 2
A. Gordon’s a/c for Coffin, Shroud etc for Miss Eliza Pope 10 10 .
1887
Jany 3
Mr Geo Ross’ account for refreshments at
Miss E Pope’s funeral at Navidale 1 9 .
Mr John Ross’ a/c for ‘do’ at Loth 2 18 1
Railway bill Corpse Helmsdale to Loth £0 . 10 .
42 third class return tickets to Loth
at 11d £1 . 18
.6
2 8
6
£20 19 6
STATEMENT OF EXPENSES OF MISS ISABELLA POPE’S FUNERAL etc.
86 Dec 13
Paid per instructions of Miss Eliza Pope for advertising
Miss Isabella Pope’s death as follows
Scotsman 5/- Northern Ensign 3/- Times 12/-
John o’ Groat Journal 3/- Northern Chronicle 6/- £ 1 9 .
For warning to Miss Isabella Pope’s funeral
Parish of Kildonnan £0 9 6
“do” Loth per Rev G McMillan 0 4 0 13 6
Opening and other work about grave
Tolling bell etc 1 . .
J Clarkk’s a/c for printing Notifications of death and funeral letters
Miss Isabella Pope . 7 3
Postage and stationery . 7 9
John Milne’s a/c for Coffin Shroud etc 10 10
George Ross’ a/c for refreshments at funeral at Navidale
Hire of Carriage at Funeral
- telegrams about hearse etc 3 4 1 ½
John Ross’ a/c for refreshments at funeral at Loth 2 6 10
£19 18 5 ½
Accounts lodged with Jas Campbell Helmsdale by instruction od Mr Duff or Mr Wahab
Dr Rutherford for attendance on Miss Eliza Pope £ 1 7 6
‘do’ Miss Isabella Pope 1 1 .
George Ross’ private a/c against these ladies 1 5 9
Alex McPherson for repairs to the cottage
(He says Miss Bertha Pope knows tis account to be correct)
1 3
.
£ 4 7 3
Helmsdale Feby 1887
Dear Miss Pope
I thought several times of writing to you to say that everything is right about the cottage. Thrice in four days the windows have been opened and the whole place thoroughly aired once I got the fires lit.
It is quite dry and sweet. No person is going near it. It is so sad to see it shut up.
Mr Wahab informed me that Mrs Fraser, the nurse, was to look after some washing but this has not been done. I told Mrs Fraser that I will be glad to open the doors for her whenever she desires.
Last time I saw her she said she was looking for a competent person to do the work.
Perhaps bye and bye the carpet should be lifted and floors scrubbed. All the ornaments would be packed and placed in the back bedroom where they would be safe.
We have for some time splendid weather.
I hope Mrs Pope and you are quite well
I am
Yours sincerely
Jas Campbell
Helmsdale
Dear Miss Pope
Mrs Fraser has not called for the keys of the cottage but as soon as she does so I will hand them to her. – Last time I saw her she had not decided who to employ for the washing and this may be the cause of the delay.
We have very cold weather with biting east winds.
Trusting you and Mrs Pope are quite well.
Yours faithfully
Jas Campbell
Helmsdale Feby 18th 1887
Dear Sir
I herewith send additional a/c against the heirs of the late Misses Pope as follows
Alex Gordon Carpenter (2nd a/c) £1 2 6
George Cooper Fishcurer £1 14 0
£2 18 9
I am only responsible for charge made by Courier for advs Miss Isabella Pope’s death
I am
Yours Truly
Jas Campbell
J M Murray esq
SOURCES
(in no particular order)
OPR
Census
Returns for
Statutory
Registration Records for
Statutory
Registration Records for
Memorabilia Domestica by Donald Sage
Sutherland Management Papers
Scottish
Archives,
Memorials in Loth Church
Cemeteries – Golspie and Loth
The Succession of Hector Lithgow by John Kennedy
‘The Old White House of God’ by James Dewar minister at Reay
‘The
Bishops of
Moneypeny Plaque -
‘Calendar of Fearn’
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticane
‘Reay,
Looking at the Past’ the pupils of
Last
Will and Testament of Robert Pope of Navidale, Helmsdale
Last
Will and Testament of William Pope of Navidale, Helmsdale
College
Marischal and university Archives
Dictionary
of National Biography edited by Sidney Lee
Sheena
Elizabeth McCarrol, Bothwell, Glagow
Richard
Snedden, NSW,
Jane Waite, Pope Family member and member of Caithness Family History Society
The
James Smith of Olrig - Internet website.
Alistair
Gordon, Researcher in
‘The Rev
Alexander Pope, Reay,
George Sutherland Taylor, Writer in Golspie
The County-Sutherland Website by Christine Stokes
27/11/2009