JAMES HOGG "THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD" - A FAMOUS ANCESTOR

My 6xgreat grandfather, William LAIDLAW,  is James Hogg's grandfather - James' mother and my 5xgreat grandfather, Robert Laidlaw, are sister and brother.

James HOGG (1770-1835) is my first cousin (six times removed) and is commonly referred to as "The Ettrick Shepherd". He was a poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English and who became one of the most unlikely literary figures ever to emerge from Scotland. He was born and brought up in a farming family in Ettrick and after leaving school at the age of 7 he became a shepherd. Largely self-educated he began publishing poems and longer works and rose to become a star of the Edinburgh literary scene and a friend of Sir Walter Scott, of whom he later wrote an unauthorised biography. He is probably best known today for his novel "The Private Memoirs And Confessions Of A Justified Sinner". He remained close to the land, however, and continued to work as a farmer in Ettrick and Yarrow until his death.

In 1801 Hogg had been recruited to collect ballads for Walter Scott's collection "The Minstrelsy Of The Scottish Borders". He met Scott himself the following year and began working for the Edinburgh Magazine. In the summer of 1802 he embarked on the first of three tours of the Highlands with a view to securing a farm of his own. He eventually found a farm on Harris but due to trouble with his finances and a legal issue he was unable to secure a lease by 1804. His experiences on his Highland tours were described in letters to Scott which were published in the Scots Magazine.

In 1814 he met William Wordsworth and made a visit to the Lake District to see Wordsworth and other poets. In 1815 the Duke of Buccleuch granted him a small farm at Eltrive Moss in Yarrow, where he could live rent-free for his lifetime.

Hogg's Poetical Works in four volumes were published in 1822, as was his novel The Three Perils of Man. In 1823, in debt to Blackwood, Hogg began publishing his work the Shepherd's Calendar in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. Later in the year he published his novel The Three Perils of Woman. In June 1824 he published his best known work, the novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner. His epic poem Queen Hynde was published at the end of the year.

In 1833 Hogg had an accident while curling, falling through the ice, causing a serious illness. In 1834 his biographical work Familiar Anecdotes of Sir Walter Scott was published in the United States, due to publishing difficulties in Great Britain.

James Hogg died in 1835 in Ettrick and is buried in the churchyard at Ettrick Church.

Upon Hogg's death, Wordsworth wrote a poem entitled "Extempore Effusion Upon The Death Of James Hogg",

When first, descending from the moorlands, 
I saw the Stream of Yarrow glide 
Along a bare and open valley, 
The Ettrick Shepherd was my guide. 

When last along its banks I wandered, 

Through groves that had begun to shed 

Their golden leaves upon the pathways, 

My steps the Border-minstrel led. 

The mighty Minstrel breathes no longer, 

'Mid mouldering ruins low he lies; 

And death upon the braes of Yarrow, 

Has closed the Shepherd-poet's eyes: 

Nor has the rolling year twice measured, 

From sign to sign, its stedfast course, 

Since every mortal power of Coleridge 

Was frozen at its marvellous source; 

The rapt One, of the godlike forehead, 

The heaven-eyed creature sleeps in earth: 

And Lamb, the frolic and the gentle, 

Has vanished from his lonely hearth. 

Like clouds that rake the mountain-summits, 

Or waves that own no curbing hand, 

How fast has brother followed brother, 

From sunshine to the sunless land! 

Yet I, whose lids from infant slumber 

Were earlier raised, remain to hear 

A timid voice, that asks in whispers, 

"Who next will drop and disappear?" 

Our haughty life is crowned with darkness, 

Like London with its own black wreath, 

On which with thee, O Crabbe! forth-looking, 

I gazed from Hampstead's breezy heath. 

As if but yesterday departed, 

Thou too art gone before; but why, 

O'er ripe fruit, seasonably gathered, 

Should frail survivors heave a sigh? 

Mourn rather for that holy Spirit, 

Sweet as the spring, as ocean deep; 

For Her who, ere her summer faded, 

Has sunk into a breathless sleep. 

No more of old romantic sorrows, 

For slaughtered Youth or love-lorn Maid! 

With sharper grief is Yarrow smitten, 

And Ettrick mourns with her their Poet dead. 

This eulogy notwithstanding, Wordsworth's notes state "Hogg was undoubtedly a man of original genius, but of coarse manners and low and offensive opinions".

So some of Hogg's personality may have been passed down the line - it's just a pity it wasn't his "original genius" (heh, heh).

Hogg's reputation was significant during his lifetime but waned until the 1920's when interest in The Confessions led to the rediscovery and reconsideration of his other work in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Now his novel The Three Perils of Woman is also considered a classic and all his work, including his letters, is undergoing major publication in the Stirling/Carolina editions. However, Justified Sinner remains his most important work and is now seen as one of the major Scottish novels of its time, and absolutely crucial in terms of exploring one of the key themes of Scottish culture and identity: Calvinism. In a 2006 interview with Melvyn Bragg for ITV1, Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh cited Hogg, especially The Confessions, as a major influence on his writing. A James Hogg Society was founded in 1981 to encourage the study of his life and writings. Hogg's story "The Brownie Of The Black Haggs" was dramatised for BBC Radio 4 in 2003.

Finally, at the head of St Mary’s Loch, on the Selkirk to Moffat road, there is a statue to James Hogg. It was carved in 1860 by the Borders sculptor and antiquary, Andrew Currie of Darnick, who made a successful career in recreating characters from the works of both James Hogg and Walter Scott. Hogg is shown seated, larger than life, and in the familiar costume of his portraits with his collie dog Hector, neatly carved at his feet. He faces westwards and looks over the loch to the distant hills where his shepherding days had begun.

Monument on the site of the cottage in Ettrick, where James Hogg was born

The gravestones of James Hogg and William Laidlaw, in Ettrick Kirkyard

The statue of James Hogg, overlooking Tibbie Shiels Inn and St Mary's Loch

Front view of the statue

Me in The Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, standing beside a portrait of James Hogg, by Sir John Watson Gordon

THE TURNBULL FAMILY FROM CASTLETON PARISH, ROXBURGHSHIRE

My Turnbull family line, which stems from my maternal grandmother Agnes TURNBULL, all originate from Castleton parish in Roxburghshire, and go back to George TURNBULL, my 7xgreat grandfather, (born 1644 and died 1729 at Greens in Castleton). Funnily enough, my granny Agnes, was the first Turnbull to be born outside the parish - she was born near Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.

George Turnbull had married Jean BEATTIE (1669-1739) sometime prior to 1701 and they had two children I am aware of - Elizabeth and Francis, my 6xgreat grandfather (1701-1772).

Francis TURNBULL married Agnes ROBSON and three children were born, namely John, my 5xgreat grandfather (1723-1804), Hannah (1733-1802) and Thomas (1744-1804). Francis and Agnes both died in Yethouse, Castleton.

John TURNBULL married Esther NIXON (1729-1800) in 1750, in Roan, Castleton. They had 8 children between 1752 and 1768, including James, my 4xgreat grandfather, who was third born in 1759. Both John and Esther died in Dastonburn, Castleton.

James TURNBULL married Elizabeth OLIVER (1768-1809) and they had four children between 1802 and 1807. My 3xgreat grandfather, John, was born second, in 1803. James died in 1847 at Floriday in Castleton, a farm that the Turnbull's would occupy for quite a few decades. Elizabeth had died much earlier, in 1809, at Hudhouse, Castleton, aged only 40.

John TURNBULL married Jane ARMSTRONG on 4th January 1835 in Hobkirk, Roxburghshire and had 9 children between 1831 and 1847. My great great grandfather, Andrew Stavert, was the youngest and was born at Floriday in 1847. John and Jane both died at Floriday in 1872 and 1878 respectively.

Andrew Stavert TURNBULL married Jane MURRAY on 15th April 1869 in Newcastleton, Roxburghshire.

Andrew Stavert Turnbull

Jane Murray (at Middleholm)

Andrew and Jane had 10 children, with my great grandfather, James, being eighth born in 1883. Jane, the eldest was born in 1869 in Newcastleton. Then Elizabeth born 1871 at Floriday, but Janet, Isabella and Euphemia were all born in Kershopehead, before Margaret, John, James and Janet again born at Floriday.

From the 1851 Census, and indeed up until the 1891 Census, Andrew lived and worked at the farm of Floriday, latterly as a shepherd. However by the time of 1901 Census, Andrew and family were at Middleholm Farm, near Langholm, Dumfriesshire and his occupation is stated as Farmer on his own account. The 1911 Census has Andrew and Jane still at Middleholm, with daughters Margaret, aged 32, and Janet, aged  25, grandson James, aged 16, son James, aged 28, daughter-in-law Agnes, aged 26, and granddaughters Jane, aged 3 and Agnes, aged 1.

I have photographs of some of Andrew and Jane's children -

Isabella Turnbull (1874-1955)

Euphemia Turnbull (on the left) (at Middleholm) (1876-1934)

Janet Turnbull (1885-1920)

Janet lived with her parents at Middleholm, near Langholm at the time of the 1911 Census, but she emigrated to the United States of America in 1914 and gave birth to a daughter, May Jane, in Wyoming in 1916. She had married an Andrew SCOTT although I cannot yet find any evidence of marriage. It appears he emigrated to the U.S. in 1893, so they may have married over there. In late 1917, she gave birth to a son, John, in Nebraska, USA. Per the 1920 United States Census, Andrew and Janet, with their 2 children lived in New York (Lebanon, Maddison district). Janet died later that year and in the "U.S. Find A Grave" Index, there is mention of a "Mrs Andrew Scott", born 1884 and who died in 1920, being buried in Earlville Cemetery, Madison County, New York. Per the US Social Security Index, John Scott died in 1997.

Violet Turnbull (centre, with Janet Turnbull and nephew Jimmy Turnbull, at Middleholm) (1888-1950)

James Turnbull (my great grandfather) (1883-1962)

I also have a photograph of the Turnbull family at Gorrenberry Farm Steading, taken in 1912, not long before Andrew Stavert Turnbull died. My great great grandfather farmed in Dumfriesshire, but his brother, William, had died at Gorrenberry in 1909, so there must have been some Turnbull connection to that farm.

James TURNBULL, a game keeper, married Agnes McGLASSON on 5th March 1908 in Langholm, Dumfriesshire. Five days earlier, their daughter Jane had been born at Glentarras, near Langholm and in 1910, my grandmother, Agnes, was born at Andrews Knowes, near Canonbie.

Jean Turnbull, Agnes McGlasson and Agnes Turnbull

Me and my great grandmother, Agnes McGlasson circa 1957

PHOTOS OF WHERE MY ANCESTORS LIVED AND WORKED

The following photographs relate to where my grandparents, great grandparents etc. worked and lived.

44 North Hermitage Street, Newcastleton, Roxburghshire (my 5xgreat grandfather, Francis Ballantyne, is credited with building the first house in Newcastleton in 1793, and this photograph was taken when it had become a garage. The building has since been demolished).

Andrews Knowes, near Canonbie, Dumfriesshire  (where my grandmother, Agnes Turnbull, was born in 1910)

Billhope Cottage, Castleton, Roxburghshire  (where my great grandparents, James and Agnes Turnbull, lived in the 1920's)

Westerkirk School  (where my mother attended in the 1930's)

Milligansbush Farm, near Gretna, Dumfriesshire  (where my great uncle, Marius Byers, and his wife Hilda, lived and worked, in the 1940's/1950's).

Glendinning Farm, Dumfriesshire  (where my grandparents, Archie and Agnes Anderson lived and worked in the 1940's)

Woodbrae, Teviothead, Roxburghshire  (Archie and Agnes Anderson lived here from 1950-1953)

Chesters Lodge, near Ancrum, Roxburghshire  (Archie & Agnes Anderson lived here from 1958-1968)

Victoria Laundry, Hawick  (where my father worked in the 1950's / early 1960's)

Rockview, Denholm, Roxburghshire  (ground floor of property)  (Archie and Agnes Anderson lived here from 1969-1983)

PHOTOGRAPHS OF HOUSES I HAVE LIVED IN OVER THE YEARS

This is a photographic record of the houses and flats I have lived in over the last six decades.

40 Loanwath Road, Gretna (where I was born) 1953-1955

18 Oliver Crescent, Hawick  1955-1962

Dunella, Cawdor Road, Nairn  1962-1970

29 Red Craigs, Kirkcaldy  1970-1976

61A Balfour Street, Kirkcaldy (upper flat with dormer window)  1976-1981

12 Hallcroft Crescent, Ratho  (middle house of the three at the end of the cul-de-sac)  1981-1992

4 Pantiles Close, Woking  1992-2005

16 Chesham Mews, Guildford  (upper flat)  2005

11 Grosvenor House (ground floor flat), St Lukes Square, Guildford  2005-2006

3 Meadow Bank, Guildford  2006-2010

15 South Parks, Peebles  2010-2016

Basement Flat, 33 Nightingale Road, Godalming, Surrey  2016-2017

44 Edderston Ridge, Peebles  2017-

13 houses in my 64 years to date. All very different, although from our house now in Peebles we can see the rear of 15 South Parks, which is only 100 yards away.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF FOUR GENERATIONS

All three photographs here are with my mother's side of the family.

The first photo with 4 generations is from circa 1957 and has my great grandmother, Agnes TURNBULL (nee McGLASSON), my grandmother Agnes ANDERSON (nee Turnbull), my mother Nellie McGlasson BYERS (nee Anderson) and myself.

This one is the next generation on and was taken in early 1981 at my grandfather's house in Denholm. With my grandfather Archie Anderson, my mother, myself and my son, Gordon.

The last photograph here is with my mother, my son, my grandson Logan and myself. It was taken in 2011 in our house in Peebles.

Hopefully, there will be at least one more photo to add to this collection!

AND SOME MORE OF MY NORTH EAST ANCESTORS

On the JOHNSON family, I have traced back as far as 1780, to John JOHNSON, born in Chester-Le-Street. His descendants were all coal miners, living in the mining villages of Shotton and Penshaw, in the Sunderland area.

The ancestors of my great great grandmother, Mary BAGE, can be traced back to circa 1700 with Charles BAGE marrying Mary WILSON in Tanfield, Co. Durham in 1723. Charles' descendants all remained in the Durham area, living in the villages of Shotley Bridge, Sunderland Bridge and Houghton-Le-Spring.

Mary Bage's mother was Barbara MADDISON. That line can be traced back to John MADDISON, who was born in 1677 in Whickham, County Durham. They remained in that town until the middle of the 18th century, when they appeared in nearby Gateshead, then Edmundbyers, Tanfield and Chester-Le-Street.

There are another couple of names worth mentioning here. John FENWICK is my 7xgreat grandfather, born in 1700 in Houghton-Le-Spring. The Fenwicks married into the Maddison side of the family in 1764. They resided in very much the same locality as my other ancestors from this area, namely, Pittington, Stanhope, Tanfield and Gateshead.

The other surname which I have traced quite far back is that of my 7xgreat grandfather, Ralph LEYBOURNE. He was born in Medomsley (near Consett), Co. Durham in 1695. The Leybournes appeared in my family tree in 1760, when Susannah LEYBOURNE married Edward FENWICK. The Leybournes had lived in both Lanchester and Edmundbyers.

From my research to date, all my ancestors from this part of the world never strayed very far away from the Durham and Sunderland area and certainly never left County Durham. This was though quite usual back in those days. 

MY COUNTY DURHAM CONNECTION

In the year 1920, or thereabouts, my grandfather, George BYERS, travelled south from Canonbie looking for work as a shepherd and found employment on a farm in the Hetton-Le-Hole area of County Durham. It was here that he met my grandmother, Florence May ANDERSON. She had been born at 12 Blossom Street in Hetton-Le-Hole in 1903. They married in Houghton-Le-Spring in 1923 and their first two children, James and Jenny were born on Great Eppleton Farm, near Hetton-Le-Hole, in 1924 and 1926 respectively.

My father, Robert, was born on Birtley Farm, near Chester-Le-Street, Co. Durham in 1929 but by the time sons, Richard, in 1936, and Norman, in 1943, had arrived, the family had moved to Gretna, just over the border in Dumfriesshire.

Florence's parents were Robert ANDERSON, born in Houghton-Le-Spring in 1873 and Dorothy Jane JOHNSON, born in Hetton-Le-Hole in 1879. They were married in 1898 in Houghton-Le-Spring and had 8 children, with Florence, being second oldest. Per the 1901 Census, Robert and Dorothy, with young son, Norman, were living at 36 May Street, St. Marks parish in Sunderland. Robert's occupation was Railway Guard.

Robert and Dorothy Anderson

By the time of the 1911 Census, Robert and Dorothy were living at 12 Blossom Street, Hetton Downs. With them were their 4 children, Norman, Florence May, Lillian and Mary. Additionally, living with them, there is a Robert Johnson (retired miner), James Johnson (colliery waggon rider) and Joseph Johnson (colliery fireman), presumably Dorothy's father and two brothers. Also, a servant, Sarah Hardy lived there. Robert's occupation by this time was a colliery crane driver. Dorothy died in 1946, whilst Robert died in hospital in 1962, after a fall at his home.

I have limited number of photographs relating to this line of my family, but I do have the following:-

My granny, Florence May Anderson, cousin Allan Brady and aunt Jenny Brady (Byers)

Mary Anderson (Florence's sister)

Edith Anderson (Florence's sister)

Bob Anderson (Florence's brother) and his wife, Mary Ganning

Looking back further on the Anderson family line, Robert’s parents (my great great grandparents) were Robert ANDERSON and Mary BAGE. Both were born in 1841 in Houghton-Le-Spring and Robert’s stated occupation was Tobacco-Pipe Manufacturer. They were married in 1869 in Houghton-Le-Spring and had 8 children with my great grandfather, Robert, being fifth born.

Robert’s parents (my 3xgreat grandparents) were John ANDERSON and Ann PLACK. John was born in 1819 in North Shields and Ann was born the same year in Houghton-Le-Spring. They married in 1840 in this latter town and had 3 children, of which Robert was the only boy and second born.

John’s parents (my 4xgreat grandparents) were James ANDERSON and Margaret GILMOUR. Only John of their children has been identified to date.

THE ANDERSON FAMILY IN THE SCOTTISH BORDERS - INCLUDING PEEBLES

I've investigated my mum's side of the family quite closely, as the Andersons mostly lived locally to where I live now - Peebles. They seem to come from Ettrick & Yarrow, with these parishes being located just 5 miles over the hills to the south of Peebles.

From what I have gathered, Walter ANDERSON (my 4xgreat grandfather) was born in 1765 to Walter ANDERSON and Bessie BLAKE.

Walter married Helen LAIDLAW in Ettrick in 1794. (Helen’s father, Robert, was the brother of Margaret Laidlaw, the mother of James HOGG, also known as The Ettrick Shepherd).

Their son, Walter (my 3xgreat grandfather), was born in Ettrick in 1799 and in 1822, he married Esther TURNBULL in Ettrick. 

Their son, James (my great great grandfather) was born at Summerhope, Ettrick in 1832. Per the 1841 Census, James, aged 8, lived with his parents at Summerhope. By 1851, he was a shepherd at Thickside, Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire.

James married Elizabeth LITTLE on 20th July 1858 in Johnston, Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire and on 9th August 1858, his son, James, was born in Johnston. However, his wife Elizabeth, died of "water on the brain" on 13th August, which meant that in the space of 24 days, James had married, become a father and had been widowed.

In 1861, James was back with his parents at Summerhope. However, his son, James, was then living with his grandparents (Elizabeth Little's parents) in Johnston. Grandfather James Little, was a farmer with 1,600 acres of pasture, and according to the 1861 Census, the Little family lived in a 9 room property.

James married Jane ELLIOT at Over Kirkhope, Ettrick in 1866 and after three children were born in Morven, Argyll, my great grandfather, Francis Turnbull, was born in Whitefield, Yarrow in 1876.

Whitefield Cottage, Yarrow

The 1901 Census has James still working as a shepherd, with wife Jane and grandson, James, aged 4, living at Bonnington Farm Cottage, Peebles.

Bonnington Farm, Peebles (2013)

James died on 7^th February, 1905 at The Howe, near Lauder, Berwickshire.

The Howe, near Lauder

By 1911, Jane is aged 70 and is living with her sons, John James Elliot and Cameron at The Yett, in Hownam Parish (a district of Kelso). She died in 1915 at Burngrains, Ewes, Dumfriesshire.

Burngrains, Ewes

Going back a few years to my great grandfather, Frank, in 1881, he was 5 and living with his parents and brothers, Walter, Thomas, John, Cameron and William, at Brandslea House, Upper Monynut, Innerwick, East Lothian (5 miles south of Dunbar). By 1891, Frank was still with his parents and brothers, Cameron and William, at Shepherds House, Yair, in the Parish of Caddonfoot, Selkirkshire.

Yair House, on the River Tweed, west of Selkirk

He'd moved south of the border by 1901 and was living with two of his brothers, Thomas and John at Upper Longhouse Farm, Falstone Parish, Northumberland. Frank and John were shepherds, whilst Thomas was a "Drainer on Farm" (being "a person who made drains"). Also living there is Helen HARDIE (Frank’s future wife and the second oldest of 16 children), who was the housekeeper.

In 1901, Frank’s twin brothers, Cameron and William lived at Muttonhall in Yarrow. Also there was Mary BELL, a domestic servant, who William subsequently married in Wamphray, Dumfriesshire in 1903. At that time, William lived in Bonnington, Peebles.

Muttonhall, Yarrow

Frank married Helen HARDIE at Yarrow Manse in 1903, at which time they both lived at Muttonhall.

Frank and Helen, with sons Archie and Jim

In 1905, their son (my grandfather), Archibald Hardie was born at Muttonhall, and by 1911, they had all relocated to a Shepherd's Cottage, at Southdean, Roxburghshire. In 1915, Frank and family were living at Hillhead House, Hawick and in 1920 were living at Whitehillshiel House, Burnmouth, Castleton Parish.

1936 sees Frank living at Redmoss Flatt, Castleton Parish, but in 1946 he died at Riggfoot, Ewes Parish, Dumfriesshire.

Helen, aged 84, died in 1959 in Langholm, Dumfriesshire. I do however have a photograph of her and me, circa 1954.

My grandfather, Archie, married Agnes TURNBULL in 1930 in Langholm, Dumfriesshire and at the end of October that year, my mother, Nellie McGlasson ANDERSON was born at Glenreif Cottage, Ewes, Dumfriesshire.

Glenrief Cottage, Ewes

Archie and Agnes (Nan).

Agnes, aged 70, died in 1980 in St Andrews Nursing Home, Hawick and Archie died in 1983 at Leahaugh Farm (owned by my aunt Jean and uncle David Mitchinson), near Newcastleton, Roxburghshire.