| PS2CE | Ag5 | f | (Elizabeth, age 87, retired farmer and housewife, Born in Dalvaine, Angus.) unspecified |
| PS2CF | Ag2 | m | (No name, age 30+, researcher, Interviewing other 2 participants.) unspecified |
| PS2CG | Ag5 | m | (No name, age 80+) unspecified |
| G62PSUNK (respondent W0000) | X | u | (Unknown speaker, age unknown) other |
| G62PSUGP (respondent W000M) | X | u | (Group of unknown speakers, age unknown) other |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1] Hello ... well my own name's Elizabeth of Dalvaine Glen Ayloch is that what you mean? |
| (PS2CF) |
[2] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[3] And er I've been there all my life and that's and that'll be eighty seven years old come May and er I've just worked on the farm all my days and er then of course when my people died I just er stayed myself, and then lived with other people here and there, just to help them. [4] And then I came down to Kerry after my operations because I was er ... for my feet, I had to get them ... amputated because For the hardening of the arteries |
| (PS2CF) |
[5] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[6] but [...] they did very, they did marvellous things for me down in in Dundee |
| (PS2CF) |
[7] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[8] so that I can now walk fine [laughing] with my plastic legs [] . [9] And then I come down to Kerry all winter because it's not good for me to stay up there myself all winter ... and I have got good lodgings here. |
| (PS2CF) |
[10] So you're three years short of your ninetieth birthday. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[11] Yes ... I'm that. [12] Aha [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[13] Can you recall much about your young days, Elizabeth, up Glen Ayloch |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[14] Oh yes oh well just ordinary country [...] country days, just you worked on the farm. [15] You got up in the early morning and helped in the farm, milked the cows, [cough] fed my cows and calves and ... looked the pigs, and then you'd hens and chickens and the pet lambs and things like that. [16] And then of course at er the time of the lambing time you had to go out and help with the lambing time, ... you know, to help the shepherds with If he'd a weakling lamb you'd always to bring it in the house and then feed it in a bottle. |
| (PS2CF) |
[17] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[18] And keep it warm ... and then er if you had er Then you had the chickens to [...] you had to set the clucking hens and [...] and bring out as many chickens as you could. [19] ... And then after, in the winter, and then after that when it was near hay time, I had to go out and help with the hay. [20] That was gathering it in and if they were putting it into little into tramp coles I had to get up and tramp hay round and round the boss and er I did that [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[21] And what exactly were the tramp coles |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[22] Tramp [...] aha, it was tramp coles they called them, they were ricks you know ... and you got into [...] and you put up the hay and you tramped round and round you see? [23] And er helped all you could and then er |
| (PS2CF) |
[24] You used a a boss with the ricks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[25] Yes there was a boss in the middle and then they put that up. |
| (PS2CF) |
[26] What was the boss like? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[27] Oh it was a three poi [...] pointed thing. [28] I it was er, you know, three three points like this. |
| (PS2CF) |
[29] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[30] You see like that and |
| (PS2CF) |
[31] Like like the tripod? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[32] Yes just like that. [33] But it was er we call it the boss. [34] [laugh] And we called them tramp coles but a lot of them called them tramp ricks. [35] But it was er in er our country district it was er hay coles tramp coles then. [36] ... And then after the hay time it was er wearing on to harvest time. [37] And I had to help with the harvest too. [38] And when I was younger we hadn't a binder, we just had the ordinary mower. [39] And er you went round and his father did er what they called the sheaf. [40] He sat on this mower you see and and er as it cut the [...] sheafed it off you see and we'd to make bands,y you know with pieces of s er And then the lifters put that on the bands and bound them and through the the site. [41] So that was a whole days work often. |
| (PS2CF) |
[42] How many sheaves were in your rick? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[43] Oh I couldn't say for that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[44] Now can can you just |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[45] There'd be cart there would be two cart loads anyway to |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[46] making er [...] the hay To make er That was in the harvest time for the harvest it would be oh nearly three three cart loads of sheaves for a for a stack. |
| (PS2CF) |
[47] For a stack? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[48] Yes for a stack. |
| (PS2CF) |
[49] But how about the weer ricks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[51] Oh the the ha that was also You had that for er the harvest you had er to build the sheaves all round it, you see, too. |
| (PS2CF) |
[52] And how how did you make these weer ones? [53] The the you know th the hay ricks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[54] The hay ricks oh they were just er They were the same but ... they were no pointed like the h hay [...] the ... Like they have er time of the harvest time, the hay ricks was just round and round and =nd =d sloped up to a point. [55] ... And then er ... a and then after they had been in hay ricks for a long time they were brought up to the farm and built into a bigger stack, a bigger thing. |
| (PS2CF) |
[56] How were they they brought up? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[57] Brought up with a with a [...] cart. [58] Cart and er they put er what we called a big thing over the hays The hay Called that the hayrick over the [...] . [59] And then the when they were built Sometimes some folk used to build them into what they called a hay soo [laugh] It was a square kind of a thing but er ... and I don't know why they put it into a hays [...] hay soo as we say, ... but it seemed to er ... it seemed to be better to keep the h the wet out I suppose. [60] ... But in our days at home we just put it into a a a great big hay stack as we said, [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[61] Did everyone up Glen Ayloch use the boss? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[62] Yes everybody used the boss, everybody. [63] Mhm. [64] And in fact ... the bigger farms than ours, they used to have a circle of stones. [65] Round, you know, to keep it up off off the ground, and to keep it aired. |
| (PS2CF) |
[66] And what were they called? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[67] Er ... erm [...] what do you call them again? [68] It was the the found, F O U N D, the found, you know the foundation. [69] But just ordinary language it was called the found. |
| (PS2CF) |
[70] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[71] The found of the stack. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[72] You never used the the word staffel stanes |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[73] No we [...] that's was from No we didn't [...] different [...] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[74] Was brushwood ever used? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[75] No n Well yes a lot of it was brushwood or the or erm branches of the birch trees that was that was laid out for that Above the stones and then you put that above. |
| (PS2CF) |
[76] Now can you tell me in a wee bit more detail how you did that? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[77] Well it was just their own The the found of the thing was just built of big stones round about the size of the bottom of a stack. [78] And then they've got er branches of the From the wood or er or sometimes people did broom and put it on. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[79] Mhm. ... |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[80] So that's er all that I can say about that you see? [81] And then of course the hay st the hay stack was built in a different style by the harvest stack it was built different. [82] But the foun the foundation was the same. |
| (PS2CF) |
[83] Mm. [84] What was the difference? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[85] The It was different because the haystack was r rounded, you see? [86] And built er well well you was when you was building the hay the harvest You see the sheaves was different you see? [87] They were all built round and round and up until they came to what they called the ... the e the part of the stack where they begin to to make it up to the top, you see? [88] ... And it was er They used to great pride in their in their er stacks because they had to make them as neat as they could and er well built, so that if the So that w that was good for the To keep the the wind [...] keep them dry. [89] And er and then people took great interest in making as bonny as they could in the top, to make a fancy top ... what they called erm ... c corn dollies. [90] Er you've maybe heard of that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[91] Now tell me about this. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[92] Well er they did them They made them f f fancy kind of things on the top like a They would maybe [...] crisscrosses and things like that and m make a rounded thing like a Just like what some folk has a tassel on their bonnets, well we made that on the top of the stack. [93] And every farm used to Farmer lad used to see where Who could make the best looking one. [94] ... Then there was always the harvest home dance, and then the school, that was the only place we had to dance in that day and they had it decorated with various kinds of the the the c corn dollies and erm |
| (PS2CF) |
[95] What type of shapes of corn dollies were there? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[96] Oh they were they were er crisscrosses and er ... and r and some of them would be rounded. [97] But most of them were just a a crisscross kind of a thing and then some would be have a round bit and then this little corn dolly this little ... n knob on the top. [98] [laugh] That was that was [...] you see. |
| (PS2CF) |
[99] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[100] [...] like that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[101] That wasn't the same thing as the maiden? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[102] The maiden's the we what we called the maiden was the last sheaf, it was cut er the last sheaf in the on the er on the fields was called the maiden sheaf. [103] It was great thing to keep it and it was always kept and looked after until the following year. |
| (PS2CF) |
[104] Who who got the maiden? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[105] Oh the whoever the whoever the farmer At least the it used the What would I say? [106] The grieve on the farm. [107] ... We |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[108] didn't have a grieve it was just my brothers that was there at the time. [109] But the sheaf was always cut The last sheaf was cut then it was er put in the barn and kept there for the year [laugh] and |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[110] that was called the maiden sheaf. |
| (PS2CF) |
[111] Mm. [112] And what was the the purpose behind the custom? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[113] Oh it was just er just I suppose luck, just an idea to have the last sheaf it was called the maiden sheaf. [114] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[115] And every farmer up the glen would do this? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[116] Oh yes everybody had their last sheaf. [117] Th Looked after it, aha. [118] Oh great competition it was, in my day about who could build the best stack er you know both in the hay coles and the and the harvest time. [119] ... So ... And then of course we had our own thrashing mill and we did our own thrashing but it was great fun down the glen when they got the thrashing mill in. [120] It was er you know they came with a big traction engine and the thrashing mill and then they they got up early in the morning and there was the man that looked after the thrashing mill and [...] fork from the carts onto the ... onto the mill. [121] Then there was somebody cutting string, cutting the sheaves you see? [122] And then there was the man to look after the rest of the straw and another one for the what we called the calf And [...] the corn, oh it was a great day the day the thrashing mill came to the glen. |
| (PS2CF) |
[124] What was done with the calf |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[125] The calf was er the calf was the chaff you know from that. [126] Aha that was just went in [...] It was all blown to the side and that was it was kept just for the for the carol beasts for the sheds you see, for the [...] that was what the what we saw what they bedded them down with that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[127] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[128] The calf Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[129] And and and say your mother and grandmothers day was it used for tykes at all? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[130] Er yes they did that. [131] Yes the best if there was a dry time a dry stack, they kept that very best but for the calf beds, ... both for the bothy and the house. [132] You know there was no downs [...] fancy things in my day when they were I was little ... you see? ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[133] Mm. [134] ... Going back to the harvest time |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[135] Mhm. [136] Yeah. |
| (PS2CF) |
[137] Away back in time or maybe what your |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[138] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[139] mother told you, |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[140] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[141] did folk come from other parts to help with the ... harvest? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[142] Yes the tinkers used to come up from Blair Gowrie to to do that long ago. [143] I remember myself, one time we had we had [...] two grand fields and it were They were almost ripe when it came an awful time of rain, and they were just a sort of flattened. [144] So father had to get the men up from Blair Gowrie, there was six of them that came. [145] Er well there was [...] and their wives. [146] And they just had this the er er ... You know the ... what was I to say ... they had their their s scythes to cut the What was I to say? [147] ... They had their their scythes to cut them with, you see? [148] And then the the men cut the like that and then the women s they lifted the, and the next lad he stuck them so that it was a very busy time. [149] It was a busier time for us because we had to feed the [laugh] the the six of them w we put them into a big shed and they just slept there but we we gave them their dinner, they managed to make their own breakfast and their tea whatever They had bread and stuff like that but we had to make their dinner for them. [150] So it took them days but we were very glad to have them because they were It was such a good crop and they were lying flat. |
| (PS2CF) |
[151] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[152] So that was [...] did. |
| (PS2CF) |
[153] How did you get word to them at that day? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[154] Well they they just went out and ... and cut the [...] round about you see even though it was damp they cut it though it was wet, |
| (PS2CF) |
[155] I see. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[156] they they didn't wait till it was dry. |
| (PS2CF) |
[157] But I meant how did you get word down to Blair Gowrie? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[158] Oh they just ... There would always be somebody would be on the road at any time looking for harvest time and my father would say to someone, tell the McGregors We called them that time, so the McGregors came up went tell told the others. [159] So the whole camp lot came up and er they Oh but it wasn't only our farm, they did other farms [...] by. [160] And then of course we had the mower and then we got a binder ... and now I see they've [...] er a harvester. |
| (PS2CF) |
[161] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[162] It was a great thing the other day when I saw the combine harvester coming up the glen. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[163] But going back again to the |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[164] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[165] the tinkers, did they come up with their own scythes? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[166] Yes they come up with their own scythes oh yes they all had that er and oh [...] could fairly sharpen too. |
| (PS2CF) |
[167] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[168] And oh it was great to see them mm. [169] Th they sometimes brought their own two little boys with them and they would make the the bands to cut them [...] bands to do the sheaves, so. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[170] Did your grandmother I don't know if you had |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[171] Aye I've a grandmother and everything. [172] Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[173] time to listen much to her when you were younger? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[174] Oh yes [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[175] But did did she ever talk about the the thre the thrievers |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[176] No she never said that no. |
| (PS2CF) |
[177] The the men and women that used to go with their own sickles. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[178] Yes that oh oh That was a l that was in my great grannie's time that they went there. [179] That was the Mhm. [180] No there was none of that near in our time. [181] But in my great grannie's time I think they did that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[182] Where where did they they come from? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[183] From Blair Gowrie and district that's usually where all those working people came from. |
| (PS2CF) |
[184] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[185] Great l vans of them used to go round the glens doing that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[186] And did some go from the likes of Deeside or Braemar down to the the lowlands ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[187] [...] No I suppose they had but er I No that I knew of. [188] That was beyond me. [189] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[190] That's away back [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[191] That was further back that was in what I would say my great grannie's time. |
| (PS2CF) |
[192] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[193] Mhm, so that's a hundred year ago and more. [194] [laugh] Mm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[195] A hundred year before yourself? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[196] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[197] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[198] A hundred year before myself yes. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[199] Now again say before the the great war, the first war |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[200] Yes aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[201] what other types of folk would be coming up Glen Ayloch |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[202] Oh they were just all that kind all those working kind of folks going up the glen. [203] A right decent lot of folk they were from Blair Gowrie. [204] There was the Stewarts and there was the er the Townsleys and Higgins, you called them and Whites that was the four lot. [205] ... Ooh, hard working chaps they were too. [206] Honest fellows they were. [207] And just last Two year ago I met one of the older kind and oh she wasn't pleased where they used to do their put their camps. [208] She somebody has fenced it off, she says I could see them far enough, she said, we always had that bit for our camp and it was further down the glen [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[209] Whereabout in the glen did they camp? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[210] They'd camp just beyond the Between the hotel and erm the the What we call the round house Knockshannoch Do you know where it is ? |
| (PS2CF) |
[211] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[212] Well there was a bit there where they always used to camp. [213] But then when they went up when they passed it just two year ago it was fenced off. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[214] And did the |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[215] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[216] tinker folks er have any things to sell? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[217] Oh yes any amount any amount of pots and pans and laces for your boots and, what we call pirins that was cotton reels. [218] And [...] and thread and er then there was even great lots of things for your Even ordinary pins they had that, ... and anything you could near ask for they had it. [219] Tapes and yards of lace and and er sometimes some of them would have even pieces of cloth for an apron, if you know what an apron is. [220] [laugh] For a pinny. [221] Mhm. [222] They were the better kind that managed that because they didn't have much money to buy them, so. [223] ... And then the men folk used to give them a bit of tobacco and stuff like that, mhm. [224] ... And sometimes if there was just a few of the men maybe two men in the camp, they would come and help with even fencing or or erm build up a dyke or something like that Even drain they would stay for days if they wanted draining the fields, mm it was that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[225] Did they do any work in the woods? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[226] Er no no not no in my time, no. |
| (PS2CF) |
[227] Mm. [228] How about they old style pack man that used to come ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[229] Oh er he used to come round with that, aha. [230] He used to go He came up when he would go from Blair and he would come up our glen and he would maybe walk over the hill to Braemar, or over the hill to Clover I suppose. [231] He had a big pack on his back, I don't know where he stayed He he stayed in everybody's farmsteadings or some place like that. [232] ... There was a place he lived further down the glen and the old farmer said I've no objections to you going in there but give me your pipe. [233] He would never let [laughing] him smoke [] . [234] [laugh] You see, he would be afraid for him setting fire to the steading I suppose. |
| (PS2CF) |
[235] And did the pack man have a name or? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[236] I think the only body that I knew was er an old man McDonald, you called him, was a pack man at that time. [237] he was a right old chap him. [238] I think he was an Aberdonian really [...] the way he spoke anyway but he'd been brought up in Blair Gowrie. |
| (PS2CF) |
[239] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[240] So that was them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[241] And what was this pack like? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[242] Oh they had it [...] well would just be anything it was just a long roll th great big roll, just like It just sort of wrapped in a grey eh a big waterproof kind of co covering, and he would have er shirts and and er things like that for men to buy, or er and sometimes er [...] overall or a pinny, as we said, for mother and the like of that. [243] Oh it was a great thing when the old pack man came to undo his rolls of things, mhm ... so |
| (PS2CF) |
[244] And did he bring the news? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[245] Oh yes [...] anything that happened down the glen or way [...] was heard that from the pack man so it was bound to be true. [246] [laugh] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[247] So folk looked forward to the pack man? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[248] Oh I couldn't say for that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[249] You know they looked forward to him coming round ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[250] Aye aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[251] For a crack maybe? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[252] No oh he would no he had always his his idea coming for to sell something. |
| (PS2CF) |
[253] Ah I see . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[254] Aha. [255] And then that's another thing he always got something to eat which was a great help of those days, and especially if there was If mother was baking or anything like that he always got a scone or something, [laugh] mhm. [256] And er Oh and if he If the time of the the er tinkers that they came round, if they came round about the time of the the pig killing they would look for the piece of bacon. [257] They hoped to get a bit of that if you know, aha. [tape change] |
| (PS2CF) |
[258] Can you tell me about how the folks long ago used to do the the pig? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[259] How they killed the pig? [260] Oh it was a great day the day the pig was killed. [261] You had to get up in the morning and see that there was plenty of a great pot of of hot water, boiling water. [262] And then er the man that went round with all these knives and things he went down to the to the soo cray if you ken what that is. [263] [laugh] And he got the pi and then held the pig and I never was at the actual killing but I know they did er Then they cut its throat you see? [264] And then they put into what we called the ... the skeel great big round thing like a What we call it? [265] Er I suppose a tank, now, a round one, big thing. [266] And then they scraped and scraped and cleaned it and then they hung it up by the legs up, pulled it up to the steading, up to the ceiling. [267] And then er did the rest of the scraping and then they er ... opened it up and took out all the intestines and er the livers and the lights and tongue and things like that. [268] And it hu go And it was there and it was left all night, and next day erm the man came back again and he cut it down the back with a big saw, and divided it up and then it was taken to the house where it was er [...] up and then salted in a big barrel. [269] And then, before that, if you if you was to make the mealy puddings the it that always had to be cut into bits and emptied and washed well in cold water, and with salt and that, and that was They would done that for three days before they were then filled up to make the mealy puddings. [270] ... But then next day after the s pig was killed up it was The the head had to be cut into sections and well cleaned and left overnight in the salt water and To clean any bloody parts on it. [271] And then it was boiled and boiled that it was er tender and that and then it was taken out and cut into bits and this is what a potted head And then it was That was done and then er Where the water what was boiled there was often fat but that was all skimmed off, and er next day there was as much water in the And er meat from the head was put in and pepper and salt and that, and then it was boiled again and then put into little dishes and that was your potted head. [272] So that er it was good food for for weeks on end. [273] We had a fine dairy that we er er of stone shelves and and that kept cool when everything And it was good for weeks. [274] So that was our potted head, and then the the bacon itself was kept in er salt water |
| (PS2CF) |
[275] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[276] And er it was salted and then For a few days, and then it was put in what we called brine,s more salt, and covered and it would be there for six weeks. [277] And then it was taken out and er dripped and cleaned, and then it was hung up in the kitchen to dry, and that was how the hams were done. |
| (PS2CF) |
[278] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[279] And ... did you ever hear of saltpetre being used? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[280] Yes sometimes, we didn't use saltpetre, but a lot of people used saltpetre in it too. [281] I don't know why they did it. [282] Whether it was give it a better flavour or no, I don't know but we never used the saltpetre [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[283] Where did most folk hang the the pig? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[284] They ha the er When it was cut up like that, in the house there was er |
| Unknown speaker (G62PSUNK) |
[285] Cleaks |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[286] There was cleaks there was er cleaks in er in Most of the kitchens had rafters, a lot of them, and there was cleaks just specially for the hanging the pigs and the er the hams of the ... And then you left them until they were fairly dry, and then you had to cover them well and truly with a [...] for all summer, because the fly would go for them, if the weren't properly salted and dry. [287] And that would have been an awful loss if you had lost a ... a a a ham. [288] Cos if the the blue fly went there and and maggots got into it, it would just be a job. [289] Mhm. [yawn] ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[290] Can you tell me about the the older type of houses up the glen, what they were like inside? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[291] Oh I don't know. [292] They were just o ordinary little places, all the places that ever I was in, ... they were Yes the the kitchen and that had we'd rafters and then there was er the fireplace a just er ... generally just like, were two stone and there's ribs across. [293] They were like that. [294] And er any bigger kitchen, there was nearly always er what we called a box bed in it, and er it was er That was where the mother and the father lived. [laugh] [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[295] Now Elizabeth, up Glen Ayloch what types of area where most of the houses built on? [296] Was on the heights or was it in the hollows? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[297] No they was on Well just the side of the hills, the Most of the houses were that. [298] There was very few there was very few houses built high up. [299] In fact [...] Well there was Craighead was [...] it was built up high on the hill side. [300] And another one was Bollyeld it was high up, it was far above the road. |
| (PS2CF) |
[301] And what were the the parts of the glen called? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[302] Well the place where I was lived up we were called er er the we were Upper Islay, over passed the fence, aha. [303] I think my granny used to speak about the Clachan at Dalvaine, when there was er about five or six houses there and the that was the That was Upper Islay. [304] And the next lot was Foulder and then the next part of the glen was Claypots And then there was the Broulands and then there was the Curtain of Glen Ayloch Er that was where the the market used to be held at the Curtain of Glen Ayloch where the hotel is now. [305] There's very few who'll speak about the Curtain I think now cos they speak about the hotel, but we say the Curtain of Glen Ayloch And then and then further down was Dyke Ends and that was our lower end of the glen, so that was there. [306] Mm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[307] In your granny's day were there quite a few folk? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[308] Oh a great lot of folk, even round about m our place there was forty people. [309] At our wee place, er you see my grandfather had the meal mill, |
| (PS2CF) |
[310] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[311] er and er so he employed somebody there and then was the little farm at the time. [312] And across the way there was another farm, a little one, it was called Auchenree Was Auchenree and there was Dalvaine, and then there was er er Dalvaine cottage, and then there was another house called The Hillock. [313] And another one at the watersi at the burnside was called the Burnside Dalvaine. |
| (PS2CF) |
[314] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[315] And the people that lived there there was [...] were there for the season, but they would help with the harvest, so they go dyking and fencing and er r r and at the time of the shooting season they would be employed with poling man [...] and dog man or something like that of long ago. |
| (PS2CF) |
[316] And and who were these people? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[317] Er the who came to the be the shooting tenants? [318] Oh we had it was the Airleys we had at that time. |
| (PS2CF) |
[319] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[320] And then they let their big house er at Auchen to [...] Sir Anthony Edens was even there and erm [...] a lot of those kind of people were there. [321] And who else was there? [322] Er ... well a lot of the people was there. [323] And then there was er Lambert and Gwyn and Butler [...] the tobacco people. [324] They were another set of people that had it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[325] Mm ... but who were the the people that used to help out with the dyking and? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[326] No the men that was work oh the men that was just there was oh Those names was the one who came for the shooting season . |
| (PS2CF) |
[327] Mhm. [328] But you know you mentioned that people used to help out with the dogs . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[329] Oh they were helping there. [330] Oh there was a lot of them, there was MacGregors and Ramseys and and er McNichols and MacKintoshes and goodness knows any amount of them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[331] They were glen folks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[332] They were glen folk yes. [333] And Thompson he was a grand lad he could do everything near. |
| (PS2CF) |
[334] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[335] He he was he could plant trees, he could er ... er you know, he did that and he could see to planting and er er and looking after woods and things of that kind. |
| (PS2CF) |
[336] You mentioned there the Clachan of Dalvaine. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[337] Yes that was where Islay is, aha. [338] That was what my granny used to speak about that place |
| (PS2CF) |
[339] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[340] we all the little folks round about it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[341] And are many of these houses now in ruins? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[342] They're all in ruins, yes. [343] And there's a bit a very ... a very Aye, one that my father used to tell us about it. [344] Long ago the the abbots of Cupar Angus, they came up to spend the summer m summer months at Dalvaine. [345] And down by the water side it [...] there's a ... a sort of a ruin [...] just you can see it and he said that was where they stayed, a little monastery there. [346] And the abbots used to come up and then they would ... stay and have their meal in Kilray down at what they called the aiden or the tavern, and then they would walk over the hill of Kilray right up until they came to Dalvaine. [347] And I suppose it was some of my great grandfathers or some of them, had the looking after of them. [348] They had to see that they were provided with milk and butter and eggs and er venison and the rabbits and things for their food. [349] This old this old lad he was called James Graham of long ago. |
| (PS2CF) |
[350] Well well. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[351] Mhm. [352] So that's many hundred years ago now but it is er er it's not long ago since I read that in w in [...] museum in Ayloch |
| (PS2CF) |
[353] Ah. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[354] But er But I've known that story about the er about them coming up that way and they stayed at the the burnside at Dalvaine. |
| (PS2CF) |
[355] And h you heard it from your father? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[356] Yes, aha, my granny too, spoke about that this lad he'd to look after them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[357] So so not only did you read it you heard about it. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[358] Mhm. [359] I heard about it and then I read about it mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[360] I see. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[361] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[362] And you mentioned the ruin where they used to live, did that have a a name? [363] Where the abbots lived? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[364] The abbot's li the abbots lived at the burnside at Dalvaine, that's what they call this little place. [365] In fact you could see it near yet the where it is round about Dalvaine. [366] ... It's just I I It's just opposite the house, the farm house at Dalvaine, on the right hand side there's the there's the old lime kiln, it's there. [367] And then there's traces of er you know you could see where the old foundations and things were. [368] That's so that's there the abbots used to stay. |
| (PS2CF) |
[369] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[370] [laughing] Lots of long ago. [] [371] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[372] Did your ... grandparents mention any other parts of the glen that used to used away back in time that are just ruins now? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[373] No I don't know anything no. [374] The only thing is another old place that [...] in was Auchentipple There used to be a chapel there and it was called the Hunt Chapel, but it's just a hunt [...] now. [375] And there used to be a a little croft croft there of long ago, and ... it's er it's all planted now with trees all round about it but I suppose they could still see where they used to be A black smith had stayed there. [376] ... I don't know why they'd ever had a little place yonder but there was crofts near everywhere, |
| (PS2CF) |
[377] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[378] long ago. [379] Mhm. [380] ... And then there Further up the glen from me, from our, house there's a place called Dalnasnecht It's a little place in the beside the water and beyond it there's a great piece of ground on the hill and it was called er Argyll's Reed where Argy Where all Where Argyll's men stayed when they came to burn down the bonny house early, Forter Castle. |
| (PS2CF) |
[381] And where about was that now? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[382] That's er you know h have you be Did you ever notice the old building at Forter? |
| (PS2CF) |
[383] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[384] Well that was where the the Where Argyll and them came and they burnt it down. [385] And his people were er billeted roundabout, where they were ... lifting everything they could I suppose to eat and kill or something. [386] But this piece of ground was always called er Argyll's Reed. |
| (PS2CF) |
[387] And that's where? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[388] Argyll's men stayed the the |
| (PS2CF) |
[389] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[390] the soldiers. |
| (PS2CF) |
[391] Whereabout is the actual? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[392] That was opposite er further up the glen from me from |
| (PS2CF) |
[393] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[394] Dalvaine. [395] It's up and it's past It's it's Presnareburn in the Skrandert I it was to be a fort of long ago too, Fort |
| (PS2CF) |
[396] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[397] [...] , and then across from that is er there's Dalnasnecht |
| (PS2CF) |
[398] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[399] And the and it's up there. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[400] Very good. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[401] That's ancient history anyway. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[402] And were there many er local parts named ... by the people of the glen? [403] ... Hills and rocks and all sorts of things ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[404] [...] There's a place just just across the water from us and it's called Dalinnoch That's a nice little flat bit and er And Dalnasnecht was another one, ... and er ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[405] They seem to have a Gaelic sound to some of these names . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[406] Mhm, there's there all Gaelic, There with Gaelic was spoken in the Glen Ayloch many years, er even though the lower end of the glen didn't. [407] Our folk up at Dalvaine and that, they spoke the Gaelic long after it was spoken down the glen. |
| (PS2CF) |
[408] Is that so? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[409] Mhm. [410] My granny could speak it well and my great granny she could speak it and read it. [411] I don't remember her of course but I've heard my father and them speaking about it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[412] And could your mother? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[413] Oh she never spoke it, er she was a lower glen but she didn't speak it. [414] And didn't like it either. [415] [laugh] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[416] So roughly when do you think the Gaelic faded from the upper part |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[417] Yes oh |
| (PS2CF) |
[418] of the glen? |
| (PS2CF) |
[419] yes. [420] It er Oh it faded ... er none of us Oh no ... Just a word here and there, some of them spoke it. [421] ... Wait till I see now. [422] When I was at school which'll be eighty year, ago the people there er spoke it. [423] The the He was the old teacher and he and his sister never spoke anything else but the Gaelic. [424] You called them MacGregor and er he was good. [425] This MacGregor he was to be a minister, and he was a well educated man but unfortunately he'd made a mistake when he preached his sermon so he gave it up. [426] [laugh] Why I don't know, but his sister and him never spoke anything else but the Gaelic. |
| (PS2CF) |
[427] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[428] I mind of them when I was little, fine we used to go in and see them. [429] So that was them, so that's eighty years ago. [430] [laugh] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[431] And the upper part of the glen had Gaelic far longer than down the bottom ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[432] Oh yes an Yes. [433] From our lot, yes up that way. [434] But then it just all died out and died out and there was nobody then. [435] My father had quite a lot of Gaelic words, quite a lot. [436] So that was that. [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[437] But going back to some of these places you mentioned, were there any rocks that were given a name or stones? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[438] Up w oh I suppose there would be, further up the glen aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[439] You never heard any stories about certain stones having a |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[440] No a name no [...] no. [441] Oh there was the stone I ken, the big stones in the road up the glen er what we called the Gled stane Er it's a great huge stone and it has a right story about it. [442] It |
| (PS2CF) |
[443] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[444] it was the ... th the old man that lived in er u up in Mount Blair, he didn't like the folk going to the kirk and he lifted this big stone and fell down. [445] [laugh] So that's one of the stones is called the Glen Ayloch the Gl the Gled Stane mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[446] Again going back into your grandmother |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[447] Time, aha . |
| (PS2CF) |
[448] and grandfather's time, ... did they ever mention to you whether folk use to cross from Glen Ayloch into other glens? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[449] Oh yes there was a there was an er a er a right of way between Glen Ayloch and Glen Shee, and especially out of what we called our hill. [450] I've walked it myself. [451] You walked out Glen Bainey into Loch Sheichernich and then down into Glen Shee, and er go out that way. [452] That was called Glen Bainey And there is a stone out there a great huge stone oh that was called Clachnagowan [laugh] I've seen that many And if you went there you If you got the length of Clachnagowan you looked right out the hill ... right out to Glen Bainey |
| (PS2CF) |
[453] And who would be using these tracks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[454] Oh there was tracks There's is that and the fact er they can go out that way with their Land Rovers and things |
| (PS2CF) |
[455] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[456] now. |
| (PS2CF) |
[457] But you know in in those days [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[458] Oh no, they'd just a pony. |
| (PS2CF) |
[459] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[460] A pony or their feet, [...] I walked it myself, but er [...] right out that way. |
| (PS2CF) |
[461] What a pony to carry stuff? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[462] Er yes a lot of folk went out that way with their ponies [...] er in fact that's how they used to take the men when any Glen Shee person died in Glen Ayloch they took them out that way to the kirk here in Glen Shee kirk. |
| (PS2CF) |
[463] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[464] Oh the dead er out that way. [465] ... I think about the last ones that was taken there was an old ... man Ramsey that died at er Dalvaine, and they carried him out that way. [466] And when my father spoke about He got a holi they got a holiday from the school, that day, because the teacher came to see this old body going out the glen that's body and they walked out, so it'd be two miles out and then maybe another three miles up the er Glen Shee kirk here, so they had a good bit to carry him. |
| (PS2CF) |
[467] That was a Glen Shee man? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[468] Yes and it was Ramsey you called him. [469] He was |
| (PS2CF) |
[470] Mhm. [471] And [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[472] he was an old tailor. |
| (PS2CF) |
[473] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[474] And that was that was how he wanted back to Glen Ayloch back to Glen Shee. [475] There was other Ramseys too, that lived further up the glen but they were taken round on the road [laughing] way [] . [476] They [...] weren't cald cra carried over the hill. [477] ... So that was them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[478] Was there ever a custom mentioned to you whereby they ... used to put a cairn down? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[479] Oh there's a er er There is that there's a cairn there was A man lost on the hill of Kilray and there was a cairn put there. [480] I don't know whee it is now but it was there. [481] Yes the and there's a place out Glen Bainey er at the march between Glen Shee and Glen Ayloch and there's a a fence er a gate or a steps at just the Glen Shee folk waited at that side to meet the Glen Ayloch folk to take the coffin over the dyke. |
| (PS2CF) |
[482] Is that so? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[483] They would they would never allow our men to go over but they would be there to take it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[484] That's most interesting. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[485] And yes it was just an idea that they had, they were there waiting to take the coffin over the dyke. |
| (PS2CF) |
[486] They just wouldn't cross over? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[487] No, our men wouldn't cross over with it but the Glen Shee folk would be there to receive it |
| (PS2CF) |
[488] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[489] And they would follow on behind but they wouldn't carry it. [490] Oh just funny old stories. [tape change] |
| (PS2CF) |
[491] Now Elizabeth, who was this mannie you were mentioning ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[492] Oh the the the blind fiddler. [493] Oh he was a great lad what a great big strong looking fine looking man he was when we knew him. [494] And er he go [...] was p partly blind, wasn't just quite but he And he'd two dogs with him. [495] And er he went round and I don't know I never heard him playing the fiddle, but they said he was very good at fiddling, but he was a grand one for old stories, [...] , and er he was just doing farms here and there so Then eventually he turned so old he'd only one dog and then er he died down at the D At a place called the Doonie And this man D Duncan, he had just an er one of the er I think one of the tramps from Blair Gowrie was working to him and he came up and told my father and my father went down to see about him, you see him being in the parish council. [496] And that was the poor old man he was just just about away so they sent for the ambulance and took him down to Forfar to ... They used to call that the poor house, I don't know what they call it now but it was the poor house in those |
| (PS2CF) |
[497] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[498] days and er but And so the father saw that he was safely there and the other [...] ... Then when he came back he went into the house and said to Duncan er Was you speaking to the old John old John MacGregor and f He said I was that and he said I'll let you see ... what my man got, and this was the little bag of gold. [499] You know he was that tramp must have been an honest man because father said there was quite a little of sovereigns in that, and so I suppose it had been given to the parish and had seen that the man was properly buried, and then they discovered that he was an Aberdonian. [500] But I don't know He was educated and all. [501] Cos he he When he liked he could speak very well but how he'd taken to the road I don't know, but he was well known er er as the blind fiddler. |
| (PS2CF) |
[502] When did er the blind fiddler pass away? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[503] Oh that would have been ... I think it was between the wars, I think between the time of the world wars. [504] Was after world war one anyway I mind of that, so say it might have been in the twenties he might have done I wouldn't say proper |
| (PS2CF) |
[505] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[506] but the might been that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[507] And he used to come for years? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[508] Oh he came r he came round er e everybody and everybody was kind to him, just the sake of hearing him speaking. [509] Mhm. [510] But his dogs didn't like men folk, ... I don't know why if they d the men folk went near [...] the dogs would growl. [511] But if any of the women folks which I've gone out with a a bowl of soup to him many a time. [512] And er you could even stroke his dogs but er the er [...] I don't know how it is, he said, but they never say no to you. [513] [laugh] Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[514] Where did he used to stay when he was up the glen? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[515] Where'd he used to stay? [516] Oh anybody would take him in. [517] He used to stay a lot with the Broughs at Balnamenoch that was further down the glen. [518] And he he stowed with er stayed with the Ogilveys at Fortar He stayed er at night, so that was Oh and he used to walk all over the countryside. [519] Everybody knew the blind fiddler and he had always his kilt on and But after a while, I don't know, the next time he came round I mind he had trousers on and we didn't think he was the same man at all, [laugh] no. |
| (PS2CF) |
[520] Was it just in the summer he came around ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[521] Yes in summer times, aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[522] So where do you think he went for the winter? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[523] Oh it'll likely have been about Blair Gowrie or Pitlochry or some place, just anybody who would have taken him in. [524] [...] but he he would never stay except, you know, it always had to be in respectable kind of a barn or something he would live in, least [...] And in fact instead of that he would ra if it was good days he would rather lie at the dyke side. |
| (PS2CF) |
[525] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[526] You know he was an outdoor man. [527] [laugh] ... so, |
| (PS2CF) |
[528] How about the old mole catcher? [529] Did you have one of these men? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[530] Oh we did that, a great old lad [laughing] he was [] . [531] Mhm. [532] And I mean a great thrill he was to us, he cried come here and see this and here was among all his little moles, he had a white one a pure white mole. [533] I mind fine we all crowded round to see the old mole catcher with the white mole, mhm. [534] And I don't know it was truth he said I'm just collecting all the mole skins for somebody's mo For a coat, but that was just a story I think. [535] [laugh] I don't know, but anyway he got the white mole, so he was delighted to see it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[536] He didn't live in the glen? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[537] Oh no no he came from ... Where did he come from now? [538] Aylot h I think he did |
| (PS2CF) |
[539] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[540] We did have a mole catcher in the glen, but he wasn't the regular, he just occasionally. [541] It was a man ... Robertson, I think was his name, but he was the mole catcher. [542] Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[543] And he But he wasn't so regular? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[544] No and we had another man I and I cried to him, What do you call him again? [545] ... I cried Will, I said there's a mole in this kitchen m mole this ... there's a mole of this garden Will. [546] And he said do you think sh she would need a worm, meaning me. [547] [laugh] And he cried do you think she would need a worm and he held up a worm, but he came and put this poisoned worm in the mole, you know that's what they did, they had er mole er worms that had doped with poison, you see and then they dropped them in the hole and that was the end of the mole. [laugh] ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[548] Was there a custom in the glen for folk to go ceilidhing to one another 's houses? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[549] Oh that was that was always done at new year time, or at least It wasn't so much new year day as we called Yule Day. [550] That was the fifth of January, that was old Yule was ... the fifth of January was January was y Old Christmas, ... er Chris er Yule Day was old Christmas day. [551] ... And oh Yeah, we went round from one house to the other and you A whole week of it it was more or less. [552] You know, you went there and there was fiddling and singing and dancing and eating and drinking and this to Party time all the way. |
| (PS2CF) |
[553] Throughout the rest of the year did folk visit one another? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[554] Oh yes quite a lot. [555] Quite a lot of coming and going. [556] Yes and then we've fiddles or melodions they all m met at each others houses and had great nights. |
| (PS2CF) |
[557] And were there certain men or women that were known for their stories? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[558] Oh yes and they were great extravagant stories some of them too . |
| (PS2CF) |
[559] Aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[560] Th What types of stories might be told? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[561] Oh they would just tell you some extraordinary story they'd seen They'd heard Seen a ghost or heard a ghost or a something. [562] Mm [...] when he This man told a [...] great load of stories and in fact it began it was really thought true. [563] He always swore that when he was going over the Baloch that's the the road between Glen Ayloch and Kil and Glen Shee, he said i if you were at certain hour of the night he said as sure as anything there was a man on horseback pass you with this horse. [564] He thought he heard the clatter of it in the roads, ... oh it it had awful stuff of that kind. [565] But we liked to hear his stories. [566] Mhm. [567] [laugh] ... I'm sure |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[568] you could add a lot of your Glen Uig stories to mine . |
| (PS2CG) |
[569] No I didn't know much about the glen at all But no nothing exciting enough to speak about. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CG) |
[570] You've more stories than I do. [571] [...] About |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[572] Well I was brought up on the story. |
| (PS2CG) |
[573] the the two brothers that went away and they were driving a car and one said to the other, watch what you're doing and the other said to him, but I'm not driving [laugh] so. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[574] That was too ... too that, [...] |
| (PS2CG) |
[575] That's the kind of stories there is about her neighbours. |
| (PS2CF) |
[576] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[577] Aha. [578] That was er Yes, two [...] and they were called Ogilvey, and one was ... A e Alec and the other one was Will. [579] ... And it was Alec that was driving and Will [laugh] Will, he said mind where your about Alec, you'll er you'll soon be in a ditch but good's sake he said it's not me [laughing] [...] [] [laugh] So they were both [...] |
| (PS2CG) |
[580] [...] about the other on be the pony, that took him to the wrong house. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[581] Oh aye that's another lad he was on his road home the pony used to After a a drink in Kilray In Kerry the the ponies nearly [...] took the men home. [582] But this lad make a mistake and he come down to the my sisters house, ... and my sister and her husband took him in and he'd fallen and cut his brow, ... and after he was kind of sobered up he turned down and he said ... Not a story about this now James. [laugh] |
| (PS2CG) |
[583] And that was to the horse? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[584] No it was to my brother in law . |
| (PS2CG) |
[585] What did he s What did he say to the to the pony? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[586] Ay No no. [587] He [...] that for he said he was that thankful |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[588] that they had looked after him and that's how she leaned down and said not a story about this now James. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[589] [laugh] Very good. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[590] So. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[591] Were there any stories about misers? [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[592] No I don't think so. [593] ... er I [...] think there was something like that. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[594] You know in older times about folk having stored up lots and lots lots of money? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[595] Aye well this man that I ke know he had quite a lot of money and he just gave a six pence to the kirk, and he had always plenty of money when he died. [596] But to make up for what he didn't pay he left a hundred pound to the kirk. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[597] Is that so? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[598] Aye that's so, that's a s a long ago story. [599] Mhm. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[600] Aye. ... |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [cough] ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[601] You you mentioned there about the old market. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[602] We'd a curtain market. [603] Yes. [604] Aha. [605] That was long afore my day but th they used to always come to curtain market, aha. [606] It was a great day that day they came from Lintrethen and Kilray and the Blackwater and all met there with their [...] and their [...] or whatever they were to sell, [...] a horse the day of the curtain market. [607] Mhm. [608] First heard father speak about that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[609] There were a lot of horses? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[610] Yes er they days oh yes everybody had that. [611] ... And I've I've known I've heard of the Glen Islan m men would walk out the hill to the market of Braemar, the Castletown market they used to say, likely going there for sheep or something, I don't know that was beyond my stories. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[612] And what way would they take? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[613] They would go out Glen Baily and past loch and then right over into Glen Shee and that up over the Devils Elbow then. |
| (PS2CF) |
[614] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[615] It was a goodly walk. [616] ... That walk that I've one That I've walked it twice, gone right out Glen Baily and right into Glen Shee and down Blackwater, down to the [...] and come along and round in, thirteen mile Maybe twelve or thirteen miles. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[617] And did any of the the Glen Shee folk come to Glen Ayloch |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[618] Oh yes, oh there was there was no dance unless the Glen Shee folk come [laughing] along to it [] . [619] Oh yes there was great coming and goings between Glen Shee and Glen Ayloch yes. [620] A lot of them. [621] They came to help each other especially at the clipping time, the time of the clipping the sheep. [622] ... Whether they came to claim their own or not I'm not very [laughing] sure sometimes [] . [623] [laugh] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[624] Tell me about some of the old dances. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[625] The dances, oh they were just great fun the dances. [626] All met in the [cough] we met [...] the school. [627] It was the nearest to us and the next one was the Glen Ayloch school. [628] But oh we we'd we'd a lot of good fiddlers in those days and a girl at the piano. [629] ... And then when things got a wee bitty better we used to have the Camerons up from Kilray from Kerry to dance to the Play at the dances. [630] And of course the night of the Gathering Ball it was just packed tight with people, hardly the school would hardly hold them all. [631] And then they put up a big tent in the ... Beside the school where you went out for your supper ... er it was that. [632] S s |
| (PS2CF) |
[633] And how many folk might be at the the dances? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[634] Oh there was more than a hundred near two hundred folks would turn up. |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[635] A lot of them that came to the g to the gathering To the sports they would stay over just for the sake of getting the dance. |
| (PS2CF) |
[636] And where was that? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[637] That was the tw always the first The second Friday of August. [638] It was the Friday after the twelfth was always the gatheri Glen Ayloch gathering and is yet, and is going on for a hundred and s something year a hundred and What did I we say a hundred and twenty years since it was started I think. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[639] And what about for recreation what did the people do er You know away back before before the great war? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[640] Oh [...] For recreation, oh they made just er as I said, They did er throwing the pudding stone and they di the And the caber and if the p hammer, and er a lot of them used to play quoits. [641] They played that and then in the in the and in the evening there was a great lot of er dambor playing if you ken what that is? [642] Draughts you know, but always father spoke about his [...] [laugh] And er they did that and then there was oh great ones for meeting in their own houses to to fiddle. [643] They were great fiddlers of long ago it's not so long ago that I mind there was five fiddlers in our kitchen in Dalvaine, just each coming with a just to have a night at the fiddle. |
| (PS2CF) |
[644] Who who were the the great fiddlers? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[645] Oh there was the Stewarts especially. [646] The Stewarts were always and Charlie Stewarts the last of the f Stewarts but they were all great fiddlers there was the Stewarts and er my brother was a fiddler my father, and then Duncans and their pipes. [647] There was a ma two boys played the pipes and er and the Thompsons were pipers, the |
| (PS2CF) |
[648] Did |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[649] father and the son were pipers too. |
| (PS2CF) |
[650] Did the fiddlers have any local tunes? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[651] Oh I couldn't say for that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[652] You cannae mind some of the names ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[653] No no no no. [654] ... There's only one tune that I know and that was made in honour of my brother. [655] He was about thirty years as as erm secretary of the Glen Ayloch gathering and somebody made up a pipe tune and called it Graham's Tune. [656] So that's the [laughing] only one I know [] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[657] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[658] That's just recently, mhm. [659] ... Oh there was Duncans and there was Robbies and there was Stewarts and MacKintoshes and Thompsons, all musical people, of long ago. [660] ... Unfortunately I wasn't blessed with that. [661] The only thing I was blessed with was the music in my feet. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[662] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[663] [laughing] For I was very keen on dancing. [] [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[664] And what were the the dances? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[665] Oh we danced all the dances you can think of long ago like Browns Reel, the Lancers and the Quadrilles and Jackie Tar, Rory More, Pluars Edinburgh and er Oh I think we've near named them all up and down. |
| (PS2CF) |
[666] Did you ever dance the Patronella? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[667] Patronella was one of the favourite ones, aha. [668] You had to do that. [669] ... And Patronella and Rory More and er Pluars Edinburgh and Jackie Tar and er Quadrilles, Lancers and Browns Reel especially. [670] Eightsome Reel, ... and all the And then a waltz and one of those kind of things. |
| (PS2CF) |
[671] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[672] And a One Step, was another one. [673] [laugh] ... Before I got my feet off I mean the doctor once said to me, What did you do when you were young? [674] I said, I worked hard all day and I danced all night. [675] [laugh] You [...] Well he said, Well it's done you a lot of good now then because your knees are still good. [676] They're still right enough. [677] I I saw Mrs granddad that she's got a new bike and I said I wish I could go that. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[678] [laugh] Now going back to the maybe |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[679] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[680] what your grandparents mentioned to you , |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[681] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[682] did you ever hear anything about this business of them distilling whisky? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[683] Oh yes they we were great Our folk were great distillers of whisky. [684] My people, which is not a nice thing to say but it's true. [685] It was an extra for them to do. [686] And my grandfather and my great grandfather, they were millers you see? [687] So they had every ch opportunity of d distilling the whisky. [688] ... I don't know how it was done but they ha they apparently they did plenty of it, [...] . [689] My father, unfortunately, he came on one of their little barrels out the glen but it was empty. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[690] Aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[691] Mhm. [692] It had been they had put it out to the what they call peat moss. [693] And put it in er er in the moss, you see it would mistur it would mature. [694] I think it would make about two gallons of whisky, I think he said, the little barrel. [695] And he thought he'd landed but it was empty, it had likely somebody had got it before him. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[696] That wasn't what you called the a pig? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[697] No. |
| (PS2CF) |
[698] No. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[699] No. |
| (PS2CF) |
[700] Was there a name for these whisky barrels? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[701] N don't know that I know just the whisky barrels they were, a little I believe there was maybe a name for them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[702] There used to be a great line of business up the folder part. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[703] Yes, up that [...] yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[704] Did you ever hear them talk about them smuggling the whisky through the glen? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[705] Yes, they did that so my That old great grandfathers of mine they went fr from here to Arbroath with theirs over the hill. |
| (PS2CF) |
[706] Is that so? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[707] Three or four of them, aha, with their ponies they would leave in the night and go over the hill. [708] I've a bigger story about the end of our stories. [709] A er and er it was kept secret for many a year, but er the just when they were, there the excise men came upon them, ... and this old ancestor of mine he was a big lad, over six foot, and he was quite sure that the man wasn't going to take his whisky. [710] So he fought with him and and took his stick from him and gave him a whack on the head and he dropped, and the story goes he says we'll go home now lads. [711] So they made home but whether he killed the man or not we never knew. [712] [laugh] Mhm. [713] So that was the last And I don't think if he went back after that I think it had kind of frightened him, least so my father used to tell the story. |
| (PS2CF) |
[714] He took the gaugers stick? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[715] Aye, and we have it yet, it's in the family. |
| (PS2CF) |
[716] What's it like? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[717] Oh it's just a beautiful thing, really. [718] It's er it's like made of blackthorn and the upper part of it's all little knobbly [...] and a head like a a head turned in like a h ... like the head of an a of a bird. [719] And the door pit is about eighteen inches of steel and that was for them to puncture the thing, to puncture their whisky, little barrels you see. [720] But old Sandy we was sure he wouldn't puncture his. |
| (PS2CF) |
[721] Aye, well that's fascinating. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[722] Aye. [723] And oh it was fascinating, yes. [724] And that was hid for many many years it had generations. [725] And I came across it in my young day when I had no business, but I begged it out them. [726] That was why it was ever brought to light so it's gone down to the next generation. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[727] Did you ever hear the way they took the whisky to Arbroath? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[728] They took it on their on their [...] They went with their ponies in their little barrels you see, and they went on horseback over it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[729] Wh what way did they go? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[730] Oh they we I do Just Well I don't know they w just idea over the hills by the map, I don't know how they went. |
| (PS2CF) |
[731] But did they have their routes? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[732] Oh they had their routes yes. [733] And they had to have their secret routes, you see the excise men would be looking for them. [734] It'd be some like times [tape change] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[735] Oh I think I've told you about all that I can about the glen. |
| (PS2CF) |
[736] Oh no I'm not going to ask you so much about |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[737] the glen, more |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[738] No. |
| (PS2CF) |
[739] about the the house this time. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[740] the the fireplace, can you |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[741] Oh th the fireplace . |
| (PS2CF) |
[742] ah can you mind some of the old names for some of the things? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[743] Oh what all things [...] well yes there is the You know there was the the the poker, there's the poker and the and this and the |
| (PS2CG) |
[744] Tongs. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[745] and the tongs and the and the shovel |
| (PS2CG) |
[746] And the [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[747] Aha, yes. |
| (PS2CG) |
[748] And the [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[749] And then there was the the sway And the and the the and the chain and and the and the cleak for |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[750] the kettle. |
| (PS2CF) |
[751] Were were there nooks on either side of the fireside? [752] Wee nooks that you could put things in? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[753] Oh aye th Yes the older kind has, yes. [754] In fact th the older kind I that I mind of there was places you could even sit in the nook. |
| (PS2CF) |
[755] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[756] There was a se er a little seat situated in the great long ribs there was across, and then there was the side that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[757] Mhm, now what was that called? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[758] That was the n the nook. |
| (PS2CF) |
[759] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[760] You sat in er the s the side. [761] And you could easy sit in there and in this big place that I speak about there was two sways |
| (PS2CF) |
[762] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[763] in each side like that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[764] Did you hear the word jam stones ever? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[765] That was well that was the jam stones we sat on. |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[766] Was it? |
| (PS2CF) |
[767] Aha. [768] Some people call it the nook but you just sat on the jam stones. [769] Yes on the front. |
| (PS2CF) |
[770] And what was an inglenook? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[771] An inglenook, Oh I think it had been a place a sort of built off the fireplace. [772] I think. [773] I ne I don't know I never was in a place where there was one like that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[774] You you mentioned the er sow's cray |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[775] Aye [...] the sow's cray aye the pigsty . |
| (PS2CF) |
[776] That's Or the pig's hutch [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[777] Aye , that's right, the pigsty. [778] Aye. [779] Sow cray we called it C R A Y [laugh] a cray . |
| (PS2CF) |
[780] Wh what did you call an outside toilet? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[781] Oh that was just always called the little house. [782] [laugh] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[783] You never heard offie? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[784] Oh I think we did, yes. [785] I think we did speak about that, the offie but mostly it was just the little house, outside Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[786] How about carseckies ? |
| (PS2CG) |
[787] Oh aye I've heard |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [...] |
| (PS2CG) |
[788] that |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[789] Er |
| (PS2CG) |
[790] and |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[791] yes. |
| (PS2CG) |
[792] the grazer jacket. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[793] That's right, aha. |
| (PS2CG) |
[794] The old men wore that. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[795] That's right . |
| (PS2CG) |
[796] Just like a blazer. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[797] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[798] But a carseckie it was made like [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[799] Aha. |
| (PS2CG) |
[800] you know like you get jeans nowadays. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[801] Er the very same aye . |
| (PS2CG) |
[802] That was a carseckie |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[803] A carseckie |
| (PS2CG) |
[804] My grandfather wore that. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[805] That's right [...] . |
| (PS2CG) |
[806] That's where I heard the word. |
| (PS2CF) |
[807] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[808] Carseckie ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[809] Any of these old words now that you can think of? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[810] Oh I could think about an awful lot of them I think . |
| (PS2CF) |
[811] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[812] [laugh] Mhm. [813] I may use them on Mrs occasionally. [814] [laugh] a lot of them. |
| (PS2CF) |
[815] Say for the you know the the implements on the farm that they have |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[816] Aha. [817] Oh yes there was Oh yeah, there was all the implements for that there was the the grubber and there was the plough and there was the harress and there was the Scarefair and er ... wh wh whatever you call the the ... the driller, there there was the driller for the for this turnips or the neeps. |
| (PS2CF) |
[818] What did you call the the knife for shortening the neeps? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[819] [...] neeps was the ... . |
| (PS2CG) |
[820] Tabner |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[821] The tabner |
| (PS2CG) |
[822] And that went in very quick on the end for you shoved it into the neep |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[823] Aha. |
| (PS2CG) |
[824] picked |
| (PS2CF) |
[825] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[826] it up. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[827] The tabner you put in that [...] the tabner the thing went in the neeps and then you cut that |
| (PS2CG) |
[828] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[829] way you see, the tabner and the yeuk |
| (PS2CG) |
[830] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[831] What was the yeuk |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[832] The yeuk was the Well just as you would say er Just a hook but we called it the yeuk Y E U K. |
| (PS2CF) |
[833] And that was used for? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[834] The yeuk aha, the tabner was thing like this and you dig that into the neep, like this and then the [...] you did that to take the shyes off |
| (PS2CF) |
[835] I see. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[836] Ah er the yeuk [...] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[837] So your tabner was used for? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[838] Yes, for lifting the neep up. [839] It was thing with two prongs and you tap it in like that and it lifted the neeps, then you did that with the yeuk |
| (PS2CF) |
[840] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[841] It was a hard days work when you went up and down a drill like that, lift the neep and yeuk lift the neep and yeuk and hope you get |
| (PS2CG) |
[842] I never ever did it myself like. |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[843] Aye you did that,ye d That was why you did And you did your neeps. [844] They had to be done like that and yeuk and then throw the neep in there and then the next day so that when the |
| (PS2CG) |
[845] Laying the neeps is that what they called it? [846] Laying the neeps ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[847] Er no when you laid the neeps that was yeuking the neeps. |
| (PS2CG) |
[848] I see. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[849] H yeuking the neeps. |
| (PS2CG) |
[850] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[851] They did that with the neeps so that when the man came along with a cart they could throw them, you see. [852] You had to lay them this way and that way [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[853] What did you call thinning the neeps? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[854] Thinning the neeps was clatting the neeps, you see? |
| (PS2CG) |
[855] [...] Jim do that ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[856] Yes aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[857] Clatting the neeps? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[858] Clatting the neeps and in Aberdeen they called them yowing [laugh] And y We had your clatt as the yow they called it the hoe, the yow They cleared the Did that to the drill. [859] Cleared down like that, you know, this side and that, and then you shoved a And you did a f did a d Leave one. [860] It was an art er if you look [...] Aye, all the time you cleared it down with this, you see? [861] On either side, and then you just looked and shoved that out and then on you went. |
| (PS2CF) |
[862] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[863] Was that thinning? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[864] That was thinning the neeps . |
| (PS2CG) |
[865] Thinning the neeps. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[866] Aye. [867] Yowing them. |
| (PS2CG) |
[868] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[869] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[870] How about the hay [...] , was it called anything? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[871] The hay rick well it was That was what I speak about a a a cole Tramp cole where the hay r Hay was the tramp cole. [872] We had the little coles that when you just When the hay wasn't just Was just as dry as you'd want it, they put it into hay coles Little coles just little things about four feet that And then you'd put them into the tramp coles and that was where you tramped it. [873] That's where they were well named tramp coles I've |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[874] tramped them for my er [...] , round and round on them. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[875] Were the were the coles er would you talk about them being theekit |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[876] Aye that was theekit aha. [877] Had to cut the rashes or the sprots and theekit them that way. |
| (PS2CG) |
[878] Is that what you did up at the top of the |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[879] Yes. [880] Aha. [881] You theekit them that way. |
| (PS2CG) |
[882] Theekit? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [...] |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[883] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[884] And that's then when you put on the [...] dollies on the top [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[885] That was the time when you did the fancy things on the top, aye . |
| (PS2CG) |
[886] Aye. |
| (PS2CF) |
[887] Now did everyone in the glen theek the |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[888] Oh [...] everybody Theekit their [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[889] the coles the same way though? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[890] Oh I think so. [891] Mostly all the same after the same style, mhm. [892] They didn't theek the hay stacks though, well ... Yes when er There was the tramp coles and then they broke them into what they called the big hay stacks but they were great big round great big |
| (PS2CF) |
[893] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[894] big round things and [...] |
| (PS2CG) |
[895] And then what was a stray soo |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[896] A stray soo was a kind of er like a house. |
| (PS2CG) |
[897] Aye and it had a roof on it like a house shaped like a house [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[898] Er just like aye yes, that was a hay soo aha. |
| (PS2CG) |
[899] Stray soo. |
| (PS2CF) |
[900] What type of roof was that then? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[901] Well it was er |
| (PS2CG) |
[902] Well just like a hut. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[903] it was f just like a house, with like a roof. |
| (PS2CF) |
[904] What what was it made with? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[905] It was made with the s with er bales of hay. |
| (PS2CF) |
[906] Is that so? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[907] Mhm. [908] You could make a hay soo now with a with square bales of hay. [909] They cannae do it now with the rolled bays Great rolled bales of hay they have now. [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[910] And going on to the corn, the er ... time when it was ripe, was there a test that the farmer would use to see that his corn was ripe for cutting ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[911] Oh he he knew that fine. [912] Went round and put his hand in to see if it was dry. [913] In fact if it was dry down to the band they would near take it in by that time, you with the bands round the middle? [914] Aha. [915] But oh they could rustle it and they'd they just knew by the just did this with it you know they would know . |
| (PS2CF) |
[916] Didn't they taste it? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[917] Oh near about it aha. [918] Didn't you They just knew, |
| (PS2CF) |
[919] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[920] mhm. ... |
| (PS2CF) |
[921] Now wasn't it supposed to be unlucky to be the last in cutting your corn? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[922] Oh there were never no word about that, no. |
| (PS2CF) |
[923] Now can you t tell me about how it was bound into sheaves? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[924] Oh fine, it was just all You got this It was an art in making the band. [925] You got the band and you put them like that, and you twisted it round, did that and then it was a long band you see . |
| (PS2CF) |
[926] Now what was the band made of ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[927] It was the corn, you see? [928] You just took [...] two big handfuls of corn. [929] And they were awful thick. [930] And you did that with them and then laid it down, you see, and then you gathered your sheaf and put it on that and turned it round and gave it a twist like that and then And that was how it was done. [931] Tossed |
| (PS2CF) |
[932] Now |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[933] the sheaf to the side. |
| (PS2CF) |
[934] Was that done on the the same day as the corn was cut? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[935] Oh just as soon as it was cut. |
| (PS2CF) |
[936] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[937] Just as soon as it was cut you In fact you'd to go er ev everybody, in that day, you'd maybe have maybe thirty yards and you'd all those l sheaves y that was your bit. [938] And you did that and then you had to wait until the the machine came round again and that was you again, you'd a whole day at that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[939] Who usually did the the band? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[940] Well you could do your own bands, but you were awful lucky if there was only the bairns about, and they did your band for you. [941] If you made it and laid down them the the man that was doing it, he'd only to lift that and give it a twine and on to the next. |
| Unknown speaker (G62PSUNK) |
[942] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[943] And what size was your sheaf? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[944] Oh just a good arm full, a good arm full of a sheaf you would have to put down. [945] The man that was on the mower, they had an eye to that they would just wait until it was off the the Where it was cut you see? [946] He sat on the cutting machine and and then as it come on to the ... Ah but what do you call the long thing? [947] E he just pushed it off with a long thing like that and and on they went and did it. |
| (PS2CF) |
[948] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[949] See? |
| (PS2CG) |
[950] Well what does a binder do then? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[951] Oh the binder did that itself. |
| (PS2CG) |
[952] Aye wa the binder twines string ? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[953] The binder Yes the binder could do that itself |
| (PS2CG) |
[954] And then through off the sheaves [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[955] Yes. |
| (PS2CG) |
[956] tied up with this string aye. [957] You see |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[958] Mhm. [959] Now |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[960] the binder was a great help you see it was on a a a Had the cutting and then it went on to the platform and the it went up |
| (PS2CG) |
[961] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[962] and then it came down and then er |
| (PS2CG) |
[963] All tied up. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[964] the Well the the cutter [...] slid down the cutter came out and did that with it . |
| (PS2CG) |
[965] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[966] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[967] The binder twine was in this thing you see and it went |
| (PS2CF) |
[968] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[969] over and then it tied it and then it was cu, then it fell down. [...] |
| (PS2CG) |
[970] And then you wouldn't have to go round the fields doing the sheaves? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[971] Oh no no. [972] Aye if it Well sometimes if the binder wasn't cutting it |
| (PS2CG) |
[973] Aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[974] properly you've to go [laughing] down [] round and see about it. |
| (PS2CG) |
[975] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[976] Now you know at the top of the rick? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[977] Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[978] Were the sheaves bent over? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[979] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[980] Can you tell me about that? ... |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[981] Oh but er they were they were built round and round and as you come up what they called the eaves of the sheaf the [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[982] This is just the wee ones? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[983] So. [984] and yes |
| (PS2CF) |
[985] The wee wee stooks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[986] Er the stooks was Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[987] Aye that was it. [988] It's more the stooks I'm meaning, you know with the |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[989] Oh yes you had er the the stooks you had I think ten in a stook You had five five sheaves at each side you put them like that, five you |
| (PS2CF) |
[990] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[991] see and that was your stook. [992] That was like ten sheaves. |
| (PS2CF) |
[993] And was there one came over from the top? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[994] No, no no , |
| (PS2CF) |
[995] No no. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[996] no no. [997] Just just a And you'd to set them right We had to set them that they've stayed like that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[998] Now how did you do that? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[999] Well you just got into the way you lifted them and you just look [...] my elbows are. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1000] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1001] You just lifted them you and you just set them like that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1002] Mm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1003] Was that to let the wind blow through to |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1004] Yes. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1005] dry them or something? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1006] And then you just got another pair and you put another pair like that until you had five. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1007] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1008] That was like tying stooks. [1009] Ten sheaves in a stook. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1010] How long would you leave your stooks in the field? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1011] Oh just until they were dry maybe if it was a grand time of wind, maybe say three days. [1012] And if it wasn't, My goodness it was a job when it come wet weather and it maybe be lying flat and it all had to be set up, and we had stooks for days. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1013] You didn't weight them in any way? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1014] No. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1015] No no |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1016] No. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1017] that's more the bigger stacks. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1018] Aye aha . |
| (PS2CF) |
[1019] But What I was going to ask was, before they were made into a stack, were your stooks made into larger stooks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1020] No, no no, the stooks were just stooks all the time? |
| (PS2CF) |
[1021] And then made into a stack? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1022] Yes and then they've were [...] forked up in the carts, what the bogeys are nowadays, and then they would have made stacks and stack yet. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1023] But with they the hay coles that was? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1024] Oh the hay coles were different, they were different altogether ... altogether. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1025] Tell me about that again cos that was interesting. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1026] Well when the hay was dry,th it was raked up it was all er When it was cut it was lying in what we called swathes, you see? [1027] And then maybe after it'd been cut for two days, you were sent out to turn the swathes, up all you went along and you turned them and turned them. [1028] And maybe next day you would have to turn them again t to dry. [1029] And then they were raked into Well we just er If they were dry they were raked into big swathes, to be near where you could build the tramp coles [cough] But if they weren't you would put them into little coles and the and then they were the little coles was put up t t together to make a bigger one. [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1030] And how did they they do that? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1031] Well they just er they just forked them they they brought up the side what I said the boss, you see. [1032] I don't know what you call the boss to be right drag point for [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1033] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1034] Any way that was it and you st and you f forked them all round and you after it was er [...] up you was put up to do the tramping round and round and you Every forkful you took it and saw that it was laid down and tramped it round like this, round and round and round and then the next one, till it was up. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1035] Now, why did you tramp them? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1036] Well to keep it firm. [1037] Because |
| (PS2CF) |
[1038] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1039] if you didn't the wind would soon blow them down. [1040] Sometimes it [laughing] blew them down anyway [] . [1041] But if they was good hay and that and you tramped them down they stayed for ages. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1042] Did they not Did you not tie [...] rope over them or something? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1043] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1044] And a brick on the end of it. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1045] Sometimes a bit stone, aye . |
| (PS2CG) |
[1046] [...] seen you do that. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1047] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1048] And did you theek our tramp cole? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1049] Yes. [1050] And then they would er they would The tramp coles then you would er put this rope up over that side, and then you'd put one over that side, you see, and that was that would be safe for a long time. [1051] And after the harvester they would take in those big tramp coles and bring them into the big hay stack. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1052] Mm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1053] This great big round thing, the head of the er You've seen pictures of them. [1054] Great round things like that, and up and up. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1055] And how was it built? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1056] Just the same. [1057] It was built er It has to be It had to be very well built and firm, because then, when it was used for the cow for the er sheep, usually, that best hay was left for the sheep. [1058] You got what they called a h hay knife. [1059] A a great big thing about that length maybe and you cut the hay ... in great swa After that and then you see you carried it out to the sheep. [1060] It was a great art i in having a good hay stack, for the time of the winter time for the sheep. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1061] Now under the lowest layer of the sheaves were there any stones or branches or briars ever laid underneath? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1062] Yes they were, yes, under that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1063] Now what was that for? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1064] That was to keep it aired. [1065] That was to keep it aired you see? [1066] Grand place for rats too. [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1067] Oh aye. [1068] To keep them off the ground? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1069] Aye. [1070] But that didn't keep the rats off the the The rats went in supposing but er that was to keep the stacks aired. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1071] And the stacks weren't built around a central pole? |
| (PS2CG) |
[1072] That's the boss she's speaking about. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1073] No the bo |
| (PS2CF) |
[1074] No. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1075] no no, not a central pole, no it was just always a boss. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1076] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1077] A big boss, aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1078] And |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1079] Well in our district, why I suppose other folk had different ways but I just speak about our lot, aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1080] There wasn't any s customs about the stack, that if you went round it er sunwise it would cure your teethache? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1081] [laugh] No I never heard that stories no. ... [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1082] Mm. [1083] Well that's very good. [1084] Did you ever hear the word stip Being used for a pole that was placed against a corn stack to keep it from ... |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1085] Of course er |
| (PS2CF) |
[1086] couping? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1087] Er Oh that was er ... We called the things that supported the We called them lairgs. [1088] Lairgs long bits you know,t We had them We had maybe four at a stack, to keep steady for all winter. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1089] Mhm. [1090] How how er long were the lairgs |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1091] Oh they would be ten feet long anyway |
| (PS2CF) |
[1092] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1093] [...] long poles they were, they would be about that. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1094] Was this local wood? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1095] Er yes, we just Oh they were well looked after the the er lairgs Some of them called them staits |
| (PS2CF) |
[1096] Staits? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1097] staits instead of lairgs [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1098] Aha. [1099] Very good. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1100] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1101] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1102] That was was something to stay them you see? |
| (PS2CF) |
[1103] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1104] stay them s firm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1105] Aye, well there's a lot of old words there. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1106] [laugh] I told you that. [1107] Aha. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1108] Aye. [1109] And did you ever use the expression, on a different subject, er a burn [...] sticks? [1110] A bundle of sticks? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1111] Aye, no. [1112] Aha. [1113] Oh I [...] my mother called that now ... [laugh] what would you call a bundle of sticks? |
| (PS2CG) |
[1114] Just a bundle of sticks. |
| (PS2CF) | [laugh] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1115] Aye but there was a way for carrying that. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1116] Oh no [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1117] Mm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1118] Was that done on the back? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1119] Mhm. [1120] What would you call that again? [1121] Mother had Granny had it anyway. [1122] Then it was [...] burden, but that wasn't the right word either. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1123] That might come back. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1124] Aye come back. [1125] ... [...] I'll mind it sometime, mind when your away maybe. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1126] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1127] Were there any words to do with eggs? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1128] My m ... my memories not nearly so good as it was. [1129] [laugh] Mrs |
| (PS2CF) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1130] Mrs says it not bad for my age but there's lots of things I forget. [1131] If I mean to mind a thing I never mind it |
| (PS2CG) |
[1132] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1133] and then it'll come back just like that. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1134] On the tip of her tongue quite often. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1135] [laugh] Aha. [1136] So. [laugh] . |
| (PS2CF) |
[1137] But your your mother had a lot of the old words? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1138] Er she had but not so much as father. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1139] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1140] But father had a lot of Gaelic words. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1141] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1142] Mother had a lot of good words too, I must say, but er it was him we learnt a lot of wor And granny especially you learned a lot of words of hers. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1143] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1144] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1145] What did you Did you have a word for grease? [1146] Creesh |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1147] Creesh? [1148] No it was just grease, no. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1149] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1150] We didn't use it often but I know what you mean. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1151] Or cheese? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1152] Mhm. [1153] Cheese was a kebick |
| (PS2CF) |
[1154] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1155] What was a sneck? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1156] A sneck was a snib in the door. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1157] A snib |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1158] A snib aha . |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1159] A sneck was a It was a lo Just a line of er a a piece |
| (PS2CG) |
[1160] You've got one on your gate at Dalvaine. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1161] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1162] Sneck. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1163] Was it You lifted? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1164] Yes. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1165] Yes. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1166] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1167] You lift it with Had a a thing like that and a knob like this. [1168] And it lifted up, and then fell down, you see. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1169] Now a pinafore what was the word? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1170] A pinafore, an apron, a pinny. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1171] You never used Daidle |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1172] A daidle My grannie used a |
| (PS2CG) |
[1173] Aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1174] daidle that was an apron, was a daidle |
| (PS2CG) |
[1175] Watch your daidle [...] . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1176] That's right. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1177] Daidley. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1178] Mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1179] How about an ashet |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1180] An ashet was just an a flat plate. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1181] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1182] Oval shaped |
| (PS2CF) |
[1183] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1184] was an ashet . |
| (PS2CG) |
[1185] What you get a a navvies steak on, you |
| (PS2CF) |
[1186] Mhm. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1187] know [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CG) |
[1188] navvies steak. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1189] Aye, mhm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1190] A chuchet |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1191] A chuchet Oh that was er a peesy Chuchet storm was a peesy |
| (PS2CG) |
[1192] Aye. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1193] What was that name? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1194] A chuchet storm was the time we were just in from April when the peesies were laying and there'd just a come a flurry of snow. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1195] Just like what we had the day. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1196] Aha. [1197] Like that, maybe a bitty worse, but anyway that was the chuchet storm |
| (PS2CG) |
[1198] Chuchet storm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1199] And that was always about the fourteenth of April. [1200] [laugh] Er today about the sa So if you see one you'll be saying this is the chuchet storm. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1201] How about if it was smirring |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1202] A smir |
| (PS2CF) |
[1203] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1204] Oh just a smir of rain was just a kind of hardly a drizzle. [1205] Just a drizzle . |
| (PS2CF) |
[1206] Mhm. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1207] If you was biking home, you would just get a smir of rain on your faces |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1208] that's just a smir of rain. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1209] Like a harr |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1210] If somebody was bowsey for bandy legs? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1211] Aye he was bowsey |
| (PS2CF) |
[1212] Bowsey? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1213] Aye bowsey. |
| (PS2CG) |
[1214] Bowsey. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1215] He was a bowsey aha . |
| (PS2CG) | [...] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1216] Or crooked? |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1217] Crooked? |
| (PS2CF) |
[1218] Aha. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1219] Oh well, a crooked things always a crook A crooked thing er |
| (PS2CG) |
[1220] [...] aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1221] Harry had a crooked stick. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1222] Aye. |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1223] Just like that other guy . |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) |
[1224] I hope [...] get on better with your Glen Ess women than me. |
| (PS2CF) |
[1225] Oh no no y your you |
| Elizabeth (PS2CE) | [laugh] |
| (PS2CF) |
[1226] your dam dam boards [tape change] |