Jane Swadel (above) features heavily in the book. Picture: Alan Richardson

Police mugshots of Dundee’s heaviest 20th century drinkers are set to go under the hammer next week. Published in 1905, the book depicts dozens of citizens who were banned from the city’s bars after flouting the era’s strict public drinking laws.

Anyone convicted under the Inebriates Act of 1898 three times in the space of 12 months faced being added to the book and having their picture and description circulated around the city’s bars.

Those pictured could then be fined up to 40 shillings if they tried to buy alcohol again – and landlords could be fined up to £20 for serving those depicted.

Each page describes one offender – with names, addresses, places of employment, a description and space for “peculiarities and marks” to be noted. It was signed by the constable in charge.

Jane Swaddel, aka Jane Williamson, a factory worker, was the oldest person listed, aged 63. It was noted that she “wants teeth in the upper jaw”. She was included after being convicted under the Licensing (Scotland) Act on 15 March 1905.

John Boyd, 46, of Commercial Street, Dundee, found himself listed after being “found in a state of intoxication and incapable of taking care of himself, and not under the care of a suitable person”. He was convicted at the Police Court in Dundee.

He was described as of “proportionate” build with “fresh” complexion. But officers noted under “peculiarities” that his left eye was “awanting”.

Dundee auction firm Curr and Dewar, which is selling the book next Tuesday, said it was being put under the hammer by a former landlord who ran a pub on the site of the current Bissell’s Bar on Dundee’s Polepark Road.

Steven Dewar, of Curr and Dewar, said: “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s quite fascinating really – a real snapshot of the time it comes from. It was very much a recognised thing at the time, but I suppose it’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t be allowed to do now in case it contravened someone’s privacy.

“It covers a big age range – from 16 to 63 – and surprisingly is mostly females. These are all hard-working people living at a hard time – jute mill workers and factory workers.

“We’ve only valued it at £50 to £100 but that’s just because we’ve no idea what it will be worth to someone.”

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The book, which is numbered 37 of 500 copies, is set to fetch between £500-800 in the sale. It also provides a historical observation on the literature, art, manufactures, and commerce of the Highlands and Western Isles during the middle ages, and on the influence of the sixteenth century, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries upon their present condition.

The books authors have been the subject of much controversy in recent years, and were recently the subject of the BBC documentary Spinning a Yarn: The Dubious History of Scottish Tartan.

Costume of the Clans was published by John and Charles Allen, the sons of a naval officer, who moved to Scotland from England and changed their name to Sobieski Stuart, claiming to be descended from Bonnie Prince Charlie.

When it was first published, the book was celebrated by the gentry, but experts now insist the brothers were fantasists or early marketing geniuses, who invented many of the tartans and traditions themselves.

They also claimed to have discovered a manuscript, Vestiarium Scoticum, or wardrobe of the Scots, which could be traced back to the 1580s.

Vestiarium Scoticum was published in 1842, followed in 1845 by The Costume of the Clans.

Brian Wilton, director of the Scottish Tartans Authority, said: “The Costume of the Clans is amazing, filled with fantastic illustrations. The problem is, one does not know what is fantasy and what might be based on fact.“The Sobieskis produced beautiful tartan designs, and even allocated tartans to families, who had never had a tartan before, particularly in the Lowlands.“Of course, they were only too happy to accept everything the Sobieskis said, because it made them the equal of those in society who were connected to the Highlands.“Much of it was pure fantasy, but they were hugely influential. Following the visit to Scotland of George IV in 1822, the Sobieskis helped establish the importance of tartan.“Most of these are the tartans we have today for the clans.”Henry Baggott of Bonhams said: “This particularly impressive book had an enormous impact when it was originally published in 1845, and lavishly reproduced nearly 50 years later in 1892. It is beautifully bound and the artwork is striking.

“There could be a large market for this book, including perhaps among clan chiefs. There is also a strong market in America for this kind of thing.”

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The persecution of the Clan Gregor manuscript commission (above) was estimated to sell for between £2-3000. It sold at auction yesterday in Edinburgh for £2,750 (premium inclusive).

The manuscript licence (above) was expected to sell for a lot less, but was also sold to an as yet unknown bidder for £1,500 (premium inclusive). We’ll keep you updated on any updates we receive on this story. You can read the original story here.

The post Sold! Clan Feud Auction Update appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.

The 1611 manuscript detailing the extent of the feud.

Two manuscripts dealing with one of the most infamous feuds in clan history are set to go under the hammer this week in Edinburgh. The Persecution of the Clan Gregor manuscripts, dated between 1611 and 1619, highlight the extent to which the MacGregors were punished by the Campbells after loosing a bitter and long power struggle over land in Argyll.

Set to fetch up to £3000 at auction, the first document was issued in 1611 by the Privy Council of Scotland under the auspices of one of the most notorious members of the Campbell clan, Sir Duncan Campbell of Glen Orchy, who went by the sinister nickname of “Black Duncan of the Cowl.” The manuscript instructs the holding of regional courts to try those suspected of ‘resetting’, or protecting the interests of, members of the Clan MacGregor. The second manuscript from 1619 was granted to Duncan Campbell, giving him permission to ‘intercommune’ with certain members of Clan MacGregor. At this time the persecution of Clan MacGregor was so severe that it was even forbidden to communicate with members of the clan.

The history of Clan MacGregor’s persecution began in April 1603, when King James VI issued an edict proclaiming the name MacGregor to be ‘abolished’. This came in the wake of years of the Clan Gregor having been restricted in their lands to Glenstrae by the Campbells, and subsequent inter-clan battles and killings. As of 1603, Clan MacGregor would be persecuted by law, and anyone bearing this name and refusing to renounce it would be put to death. Until the edict against the clan was repealed in 1774, it was illegal to be a MacGregor, or to protect or support the cause of those who held onto the name. The persecution continued for over 200 years.

The first manuscript makes it clear that some people in the Highlands had indeed been resetting (protecting or supporting the interests of) members of the clan, and the Privy Council were not happy with this. The commission resolves to make examples of those resetting the clan members and lists regional noblemen and dignitaries who are given the power to call courts to try the resetters and ensure that the sentences are carried out. The commission not only underlines how vilified Clan MacGregor was by the state, but also shows that by 1611 the suppression had not been as effective as hoped.

Auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull have described the sale as a rare chance to snap up a piece of Scottish history. The manuscripts form part of the Breadalbane Collection, a gathering of documents relating to the Campbells of Glen Orchy, which is largely held by Edinburgh University.

Cathy Marsden, book specialist at Lyon & Turnbull said translations of the document from “Old Scots” highlighted the frustration of the Privy Council that some people had been protecting and supporting the interests of the clan.

She said: “As of 1603, the clan would be persecuted by law, and anyone bearing this name and refusing to renounce it would be put to death.

“Until the edict against the clan was repealed in 1774, it was illegal to be a MacGregor, or to protect or support the cause of those who held onto the name.

“It is very rare for something of this nature to come up for auction. We often get old title deeds and things like that, which are not particularly valuable, but documents like this, which relate to a really important part of Scottish history, don’t come up for auction that often.

“We’re expecting a lot of interest in it, perhaps from private buyers who are very interested in Scottish history and documents, or institutions like museums and archives who are interested in buying it on behalf of the nation.”

The auction will be held at 11 am on Wednesday 15th January 2014. You can view Lot 181 here, and Lot 182 here.

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