Thurso History

[highlander]

With it being such a cauld day i thought i would catch up on some reading, and found some interesting facts about thurso.
As the new town developed during the 19th century many new names came into currency. In the last thirty years of the century Sir Tollemache Sinclair made a series of gifts to the town, the first of them four acres of ground at cairdstoft to be made into a recreation park for the townspeople. He wished it to be called Sir george park in memory of his father. That is still its offical name although it is perhaps to be better known as the dammies operation. It was originally low-lying ground liable to be flooded by high tides and spates but the river bank was built up with deposits of chips from the neighbouring flagstone yards and it became possible to convert the ground into playing fields with a popular name to remind us of th damming operation. For many years after it was opened the net profit from its grazing and its let to football and cricket teams was given to the Thurso Benevolent Society for distributon among the poor of the town. This field was presented in 1871 and twenty years later, on the occasion of the centenary of his fathers birth, Sir Tollemache extended the gift to its present size.

[highlander]

The shop of Andersons, ironmongers, in Traill street, was built as the Masons Hall, for years the center of the towns social life. In its south wall, visible from the adjoining office, is a mile-stone, inscribed, "wick, 21 miles, Inverness 126 miles, Edinburgh 297 miles".
Before the Town Hall was bulit in 1871 the square in which it stands served as a market place. Farm produce was sold at the Cocky Stane, a flat stone set in the street on the east side of the square and probably the place referred to in old records as the poultry stand. At a similar stone on the west side, The Fish Stane now lies on the opposite side of the square.(you can still see this stone, above more store). Here also stood the pillory or cuckstool, erected in the 1698 by the Kirk Session "In the most publick place in the town for the disgracing and affronting of swearers and takers of the name of the Lord in vain". It stood there until well into the second half of the 18th century and did not confine its attentions to swearers and blasphemers. The old Mercat Cross stood in the same area and beside it, on occasion, criminals were hanged on a temporary gibblet.

[Gleber2]

The shop of Andersons, ironmongers, in Traill street, was built as the Masons Hall, for years the center of the towns social life. In its south wall, visible from the adjoining office, is a mile-stone, inscribed, "wick, 21 miles, Inverness 126 miles, Edinburgh 297 miles".
Before the Town Hall was bulit in 1871 the square in which it stands served as a market place. Farm produce was sold at the Cocky Stane, a flat stone set in the street on the east side of the square and probably the place referred to in old records as the poultry stand. At a similar stone on the west side, The Fish Stane now lies on the opposite side of the square.(you can still see this stone, above more store). Here also stood the pillory or cuckstool, erected in the 1698 by the Kirk Session "In the most publick place in the town for the disgracing and affronting of swearers and takers of the name of the Lord in vain". It stood there until well into the second half of the 18th century and did not confine its attentions to swearers and blasphemers. The old Mercat Cross stood in the same area and beside it, on occasion, criminals were hanged on a temporary gibblet.

Anderson's, I believe, was the town hall for a time as was the building now containing Regency Jewellers and the fish shop. Not sure op when. Anyone know?

[trinkie]

1889

THURSO streets were bustling with activity as crowds visited the town to take part in the ''Muckle Marymas'' celebrations. Stalls laden with goods lined the pavements and various entertainments also put on shows, including a fire-eater and a magician.

from John O Groat Journal.

[trinkie]

The Royal Hand Bell Ringers gave one of their most enjoyable entertainments in the Twon Hall Thurso. They played a number of pieces which captivated the audience.


from John O Groat Journal 1889

[highlander]

there is a link to old maps of thurso and wick i posted earlier, i put it on a thread called scottish maps

[Lavenderblue2]

The building which is Williamson's Chemist was once a chapel.

LB

[Bobinovich]

The TTIA website (www.thurso.org) has been updated to show the gala queens from 1950 to 1998. We're also looking for more information to put in their History section so if anyone has any information or anecdotes regarding the TTIA then feel free to mail it to townimprovements@thurso.org

[Sporran]

The gallows hill of Thurso was in the rough ground to the west of Naver House. This is a typical site in a prominent position near the junction of the old roads to the south and west and within sight of the old road to Halkirk. There is a small grass covered mound which probably marks the spot; although there is also a tradition that hanging took place in the field opposite Scrabster Service Station. Who the Thurso executioner was and how often he was asked to perform his gruesome task is now lost. The only execution on record took place on the 25th May 1711 at the Mercat cross of Thurso. Where Robert Munro, who had been convicted at the Circuit Court in Inverness of complicity in the murder of Baillie Laurence Calder, met his end.

[trinkie]

from Caithness Notebook No4 by Donald Grant:-

In 1837 the council decided to appoint an assistant to the Town Officer, who was feeling his years.
The officer was John Henderson, alias Ringie Mousie or Glossey or Buckteeth or Starney or Rotten Legs, who had been Town Officer and Crier for many years and about whom many good stories have been handed down.

He is remembered in verse :

There was a ball in Murray's Hall
Got up by Snuffy Diddle
Ringie Moozie kept the door
An Sookie Almon' played thefiddle.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

The gallows hill of Thurso was in the rough ground to the west of Naver House. This is a typical site in a prominent position near the junction of the old roads to the south and west and within sight of the old road to Halkirk. There is a small grass covered mound which probably marks the spot; although there is also a tradition that hanging took place in the field opposite Scrabster Service Station. Who the Thurso executioner was and how often he was asked to perform his gruesome task is now lost. The only execution on record took place on the 25th May 1711 at the Mercat cross of Thurso. Where Robert Munro, who had been convicted at the Circuit Court in Inverness of complicity in the murder of Baillie Laurence Calder, met his end.

You might want to check Brownhill Road, too. Every person in every house there will tell you something eerie about their back gardens.

I also thought that Viewfirth green was a place used for hanging folk, no?

Bill Arif's former house used to belong to the clergy. It was also once Castlegreen Castle. I've been in the loft and there's still lots of evidence trailing back to when it was first built. A magnificent structure. Apparently the big mound of earth outback was used as a private cemetary back in days of yore.

Did you know the Sinclairs have a tunnel that runs the length of Thurso Castle up to Harald's Tower? You do know.

There's also gates to another long tunnel at the foot of Castlegreen Road, on the wall of Ormlie Lodge. Can't remember where it stretches to, but one rumour has it, it reaches all the way to Thurso Beach. If you go down the steps at the Police Station side, you should see a grate nearby.

[golach]

1 What was the name of Sir John's Square before it became Sir John's Square?

2 Who was called "the most idefatigable man" by Abbe Gregoire?

3. Which famous Scot called Wick "one of the meanest of man's towns...on the baldest of bays"?

[The Pepsi Challenge]

The building which is Williamson's Chemist was once a chapel.

LB

This is true.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

1 What was the name of Sir John's Square before it became Sir John's Square?

2 Who was called "the most idefatigable man" by Abbe Gregoire?

3. Which famous Scot called Wick "one of the meanest of man's towns...on the baldest of bays"?

1. The Green, or something along those lines.

2. Robert Dick?

3. Robert Louis Stevenson; he meant every word.

[Sporran]

And did you know that Robert Louis Stevenson's grandfather, Robert Stevenson, built Dunnet Head Lighthouse in 1831?

Hmmm.....I wonder what he thought of Wick?

[golach]

1. The Green, or something along those lines.

2. Robert Dick?

3. Robert Louis Stevenson; he meant every word.

One out of three is not good Pepsi, you will have to try harder

[Sporran]

You might want to check Brownhill Road, too. Every person in every house there will tell you something eerie about their back gardens.

I also thought that Viewfirth green was a place used for hanging folk, no?

Bill Arif's former house used to belong to the clergy. It was also once Castlegreen Castle. I've been in the loft and there's still lots of evidence trailing back to when it was first built. A magnificent structure. Apparently the big mound of earth outback was used as a private cemetary back in days of yore.

Did you know the Sinclairs have a tunnel that runs the length of Thurso Castle up to Harald's Tower? You do now.

There's also gates to another long tunnel at the foot of Castlegreen Road, on the wall of Ormlie Lodge. Can't remember where it stretches to, but one rumour has it, it reaches all the way to Thurso Beach. If you go down the steps at the Police Station side, you should see a grate nearby.

Oooh, that's all very intruiging stuff, Pepsi!

I used to live in the Brownhill Road flats when I was a wee girl. I was scared to sleep in the dark, as many young bairns are. But after having read your post, pehaps I had good reason to sleep with the lights on, back then!

[Sporran]

1 What was the name of Sir John's Square before it became Sir John's Square?

It was Macdonald Square, and prior to that it was known as the Bleaching Green. The name was changed to Sir John's Square in 1893. When it was known as Macdonald Square, it was just an open space with no embellishment. Sir Tollemache gifted it in 1879, with the condition that the Town Council lay it out as a terraced garden, surrounded by a wall surmounted by an ornamental railing.

[Sporran]

The gallows hill of Thurso was in the rough ground to the west of Naver House. This is a typical site in a prominent position near the junction of the old roads to the south and west and within sight of the old road to Halkirk. There is a small grass covered mound which probably marks the spot; although there is also a tradition that hanging took place in the field opposite Scrabster Service Station. Who the Thurso executioner was and how often he was asked to perform his gruesome task is now lost. The only execution on record took place on the 25th May 1711 at the Mercat cross of Thurso. Where Robert Munro, who had been convicted at the Circuit Court in Inverness of complicity in the murder of Baillie Laurence Calder, met his end.

Here's some more information on the Thurso gallows, this time gleaned from my "Old Thurso - Caithness Notebook No.4", authored by Donald Grant in the mid 1960s:

During the period of the Norse occupation, the gallows were usually erected within easy reach of the meeting place of the "ting" or "thing", the local law-court, so that justice could be done without delay and seen to be done. In this area the court met on Scrabster Hill where the remains of a broch retain the name Thing's Wa or "law-court field". Less than a mile away, on the slope to the south-west of Pennyland Farm, the gallows stood on the Gallahill. The story goes that many of the Halkirk men implicated in the murder and burning of Bishop Adam in 1222 were hanged here by King Alexander II.

[marion]

Thank you all for posting interesting history.