Gladsmuir Parish - Old Statistical Account   
Volume X, pages 316-322

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Old Statistical Account for the Parish of Gladsmuir, East Lothian, Scotland

Origin and Names. — The church of Gladsmuir was built by Baillie of Lammington, in the year 1695, and the parish was then formed by annexations from the contiguous parishes, Tranent, Haddington, and Aberlady. The etymology of the name offers nothing worth inquiry; it probably arose from the number of glades (kites), which frequented this parish in its barren state, and are yet not unfrequent in this neighbourhood.

Soil and Climate.— between the Frith on the north, and the banks of the Tyne on the south, the country rises gently to a ridge, on the summit of which the churches is placed. The top of this ridge, which was long and open muir, was for ages robbed of its soil, being incessantly pared of its turf by the neighbouring inhabitants; it is now, the therefore clayey, shallow, and barren; but the soil becomes more fertile as you descend on either side. The air is pure, dry, and healthy, and epidemical distempers accordingly are rare.

Landed Property, Agriculture, &c.— the parish is divided amongst 15 landed proprietors, only three of whom reside within its bounds. It contains between 5 and 6000 acres of land, of which 3000 are in tillage; above 500 acres are annually sown with grass seed; about 1600 are in pasture, and above 200 in wood. The real rent is about 4500 l. paid by 22 farmers, 4 of whom pay above 300L a year each, and seven under 100L. The rents are wholly paid in money, the kane and carriages, which were formerly extracted, being now converted.
One hundred and six two horse ploughs, and 240 horses, are employed; 134 Black cattle, and about 100 sheep are kept. Wheat, barley, oats, and pease, are the common produce of this district, cabbage and turnip crops are little raised, nor are potatoes so much cultivated as perhaps they ought to be, considering what a wholesome and cheap food they yield to the lower class of people.

Population, Employments, Sects, and Manners. — The villages in this parish are 3 in number, and, by a singular coincidence, they contain exactly 59 families each. The number of families in the whole parish is 340; of souls, 1380; of these 647 are males, 733 are females, 1010 are above 10 years of age, and 370 are under 10. By Dr Webster's table in 1755, the numbers were 1415. From the appearance of ruined houses on the northside of the parish, an opinion has prevailed, that the inhabitants were once more numerous than they are now; but by enumeration, which was made at the first seating of the church in the year 1697, it appears that the number of inhabitants then must have been under of 1350. The baptism roll, at an average for the last 30 years, gives only 47 each year, which should denote a population considerably inferior to that which is here given; but many who attended the church are careless about enrolling their children's names, and Seceders often do not enroll at all in the parish register.
No foreign trade is carried on, nor it is any considerable manufacture established in this parish; the inhabitants (excepting colliers) are mostly employed in agriculture, or in the occupations connected with it. Twenty-two are farmers, and 140 farm servants are employed by them.
Nine are smiths or journeyman, 8 carpenters, 20 weavers, 26 shoemakers, 7 tailors, 4 masons, 4 Millers, and 40 Colliers.
About a twelfth part of the whole number may be seceders.
The people, in general, are industrious and sober. Few of them go into the army or navy. Very few crimes are committed, and punishments, accordingly, are but seldom required.

Rates of Wages.— Farm servants generally receive 3 l. 8 s. in money, half a boll barley, half a boll pease, 6 bolls and a half oat-meal, and a cow's pasture, which, altogether, may amount to 12 guineas, or 13 l. a year. The wife's labour in harvest pays for the cottage, which they inhabit; and they pay kane (a few fowls) for their garden. Women servants, living in the house, have from 50 s. to 70 s. a year; men servants in the same situation, have from 5 l. to 7 l.. Day-labourers earn 10 d. a day in winter, and 1 s. or 14 d. In summer. Carpenters earn 2 s. 2 d. payments in winter, and 1 s. 6 d. in summer; Masons, 1 s. 8 d. , and 1 s. 10 d.
The wages of the colliers depend upon the work which they perform; when the seam of coal is about a yard in thickness, one active collier will employ two bearers, and, with their help, earn a guinea or 25 s. a week. At present, when the stratum of coal is only two feet thick, even an industrious collier can employ but one bearer, with their help, he throws out from 80 to 90 loads of coals in the week, each load weighs 200 lbs and for this he is paid 2 d.
In general, over the whole country, (a strong and a pleasing proof of its improvement), the wages of labour are in a state of rapid progression; in time of health, they are equal to all the necessary expenses of the sober labourer, and even enable him to rear a numerous family.

Poor and Poor's Funds. — But sickness and other misfortunes are unavoidable, and will often reduce the most industrious families to unexpected distress; in such cases the aid of public charities is required. This parish admits no vagrant poor to receive parochial aid, farther than is necessary for transporting them, when lame, beyond the bounds of the parish, therefore no common beggars reside within its bounds. The settled poor are maintained in their own houses, or are boarded with any relation, who is willing to receive them. To prevent improper claims, the kirk-session requires an assignation of their effects, from all who become regular pensioners. There are at present 21 of this description upon the poor's list receive, at an average, about 40 s. a year each. This, with charity to occasional pensioners, and session clerk salary, make the whole annual expenditure amount to about        —           —          —         L. 55  0  0

Church and Schools. — The church was built in years 1695; the manse was erected 30 years later; both were lately repaired, and are now in very good condition. The parish having been principally formed by the annexations from the parishes of Tranent and Haddington, the King and Earl of hopeton who are the patrons of these two churches, are alternately patrons of Gladsmuir. The Glebe contains between 5 and 6 acres of indifferent land. The stipend consists of 34 bolls wheat, 35 bolls barley, 31 1/2 bolls oats, and 18 L. of money.
There is a parochial school at the church, which is attended by about 60 boys and girls. The master has a pretty good house and garden, and 8 l. 6 s. and 8 d. a year as schoolmaster,which, with 40 s. as session clerk, and pre requisites when registering births and marriages, together with fees of teaching, make an income of 24 l. or 25 l. a year. There are, besides, two letter schools at the north and south extremities of the parish. The masters are allowed 1 l. 2 s. 2 d. by the heritors, and teach about 30 children each.

Eminent Men. — This parish gave birth to George Heriot, founder of the hospital in Edinburgh, which still bears his name. His ancestors were proprietors of the small village of Trabrowne, and the name appears sometimes on the role of the Scottish Parliament. What is still more to the honour of the parish, it was the first settlement of Dr Robertson, the historian of Scotland; and his history of Scotland was composed here.

Miscellaneous Observations. — On the 21st of July 1789, a thunderstorm began in the north, and came gradually nearer, having circled round by the west. The school, where above 70 children were then assembled, unfortunately stood in its way. The thunder burst upon the house, and seems at first to have levelled it with the ground. The walls were rent, the windows shattered, and the roof demolished. A thick darkness, caused by the smoke and dust, for a while concealed the extent of the mischief; when it subsided, the neighbours, who first entered, anxious for the fate of their children, had reason to fear the worst; for few signs of life appeared, the whole crowd of little ones, either stunned or terrified, lay stretched upon the ground, beneath the tables or benches where they sat. Many were quite senseless, but afterwards recovered. Two boys were killed outright, and the master, with many others, much injured. The effect of such a scene is not so soon worn off from the minds of the children; a black cloud still terrifies the whole school, and a clap of thunder, more than ordinarily loud, scatters the whole little troop in an instant.
The present incumbent was not then minister of Gladsmuir, but he has since been at pains to obtain information as to all particulars of so uncommon at an event. The following, amongst others is singular: two boys, who were in a separate apartments in the west end of the school, (the thunder came from the west) declared that they saw ball of fire, which hovered for a few seconds over their heads. There was a skylight in this part of the house; but it was through the tiles, or rather within the roof, as the boys imagined, that the glare of this meteor was seen. They had no apprehension of danger; and were still gazing at it, when it burst with the fatal explosion.
Accidents like this, however, but rarely occur, and, upon the whole, the inhabitants of this district are very well satisfied with their lot, of the nor have they any partial or local inconvenience to complain. One great improvement, indeed, might be made in the situation of all the lower class of inhabitants, in this corner of the kingdom, by such an alteration in the excise laws, as would enable and induce them to drink good ale, for their common beverage, in place of whisky and other spirituous liquors. Such a change would be favourable to the health, the morals, and the industry of the people.

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