Caithness Fairs and Markets

[trinkie]

Here is part of an article I found, written some years ago by G.D.M.

" ......A look at the list of twelve yearly Fairs in Caithness in the late 17th century reveals that they seemed to be allied in some way to the Kirks.
Starting in May was "St Minnan's Fair" at the Chapple in Freswick, Canisby followed by the "Rood-Mass Fair" at the Chapple of Dyne Watten".
Summer saw the "Peter-Mass Fair at Thurso" and the "Mary-mass Fair at Dinnet" The end of the summer and the start of winter marked the "Hallow-mass Fair at Dunbeath" the "Meg-mass Fair at the Kirk of Bower" the "Trodmass Fair at the Kirk of Olrick" and the "Fergus-mass Fair in the town of Wike" all in November.
Other Fairs mentioned were "Luke-mass in Dinnet" "Kela-mass in Reay" and "Magnus-mass in Watten."

An extract from the Acts of Parliament for Scotland in 1707 indicates the growing commercial value of Fairs when James Sinclair of Lyth was enabled to constitute five fairs on his estates to be called " St James Fairs " These were at Spittle in Halkirk; Brabsterdoran, Lyth and Standstill in Bower. Wester Watten and Scouthall in Watten.

...................One feature of Caithness Fairs was that no bargain could be struck without adjournment to the tents to seal the contract in mountain dew. An extract from the John O'Groat Journal of 1867 is as follows -

" St Trothan's Fair was held at Castletown on Tuesday.
More than 200 people attended for whose accommodation there were three whisky tents."

E&OE. trinkie

[gleeber]

I'm not surprised that celebrations in the 17th century centred on the doctrine of the established church. Most of our modern day public holidays are the same.
I read somewhere though that these events were used by landowners, farmers and farm servants to strike contracts whereby the farm servant and his family would move on a certain day to his appointed farm and serve for a period of 6 months until the next round of fairs when they would all meet again and strike another deal.
Hard life I imagine. Anyone got any more info?

[Angela]

I thought the "hiring fairs" were all connected with the Scottish quarter days (which are at different times from those in other parts of the UK)....Candlemas in February, Whitsun in May, Lammas in August, Martinmas in November.

Not sure though...maybe this wasn't the case throughout Scotland? :confused

[trinkie]

John Horne writes on Fergusmass ( 1800s ) -

"Fergusmass Day is no longer with us in it's glory. We can recall the tail-end of it... there were 'Stands' with gingerbread, tops, drums and whistles were plentiful, and shows and play-actors conspired to add adornment to the scene.
Drugist George Auld kept shop open- with bulged window in front - opposite the Market Place, and supplied the youth of the town with whistles, penny rungs, locust beans and an interminable assortment of articles dear to the juvenile heart..." further on he writes "What a mass of guadily-dressed lasses with be-mudded cotton stockings, swaggering country blades holding them in soft parlance. Obstreperous cows were not to be controlled, contumacious horses that would not be ruled !
This with the accompanying noise, dirt, confusion and jumble constituted Fergusmass Market."