The Flesher Trade is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most important of the
Crafts in any Town and Burgh. Sadly, only by gleaning information from the
records of Acts of the Privy Council, the Acts of the Convention of Royal
Burghs, Dundee Burgh Records, Warden’s Burgh Laws and early histories of the
town, can we piece together the early part of the Flesher Trade history.
The explanation for this comes from their new Lockit Book of 1870. The first
entry tells how Boxmaster James Hood Wilson’s shop in Union Street was broken
into on 22nd September 1869 and documents, books and a portable desk in which
they were stored, stolen. Despite the best efforts of the Police, Advertisements
in the Press and every effort possible it has never been found.
From the earliest times there must have been considerable rivalry between the
various Trades. The best record of this comes from one of the most obvious
pieces of satire to be publicly displayed in Dundee. Before the Reformation, in
the Old St. Mary's Church, each Trade had its own Altar and Stall. Above the
Baker's Stall was carved the words “bread is the staff of life”. Undaunted the
Flesher Trade had the immortal words “man shall not live by bread alone” carved
above theirs.
The Flesher Trade was not one of the large trades in terms of numbers, rarely
having more than between ten and twenty Masters. As with the other Trades the
Flesher Craft tended to be dominated by the same families. Even then, although
the name may change, for example, the Constables married into the Mastertons, we
find that it was because a son-in-law had taken over the business. Again, there
are four Barries recorded as freemen in the 1500s and as many as twelve with the
surname Constable shortly afterwards.
The List of the Seals of Cause of Dundee shows a Charter given to the Flesher
Trade on 3rd April 1495.
The Burgh Flesh Shambles (or slaughterhouse) was in what is now Commercial
Street, at its junction with High Street, and around the rear of the present
Clydesdale Bank Building. It was built by the town in 1560. The relevant Minute
states …“there should be ane flesh house biggit upon the calsay (street) be-west
the Castle burn, quhair the myddings and the scald (skin) market stand, and that
the stanes of the Gray Freris to tane to the reparation and biggin therof… and
Robert Watt Deacon being avysit with, declarit that the craft would have the
house biggit with ane grit parpale wall (partition or party wall) in the midst,
and their buiths to be in tofall ways on every side thereof, with the windows
and doors to the foregait on every side.” When the house was ready for its roof
Treasurer Lovell was instructed “to intromet and tak the readiest timmer in the
new tolbuith” for the purpose. There were twelve booths round three sides of the
outside of the building, eight of them with lofts, and all leased to the
Fleshers annually at three pounds each. By 1591 there was trouble when the
council tried to increase the rents. The Trade insisted that they had a vested
right in the building. This was patently not the case and under threat of
eviction they agreed to pay four pounds per booth. The Grey Friars Monastery,
which was demolished to supply material for this building, stood on the east
side of the Friar Wynd, within the garden, which afterwards became the Howff
burial-ground. It was this land (the old shambles) on which the Nine Trades
later built the Trades Hall (1776), a centrepiece of the Town for many years,
with shops on the ground floor, the main hall on the first floor and above that
separate rooms for each Trade.
Cattle rustling was also a common practice, the rustlers killing and skinning
the animals, cutting off the heads, and bringing only the carcase to market,
thus concealing their ownership. This was forbidden. All animals had to be
brought whole for inspection to ensure that they came from an honest source.
There were also dangers of animals being brought to the town and kept for some
time before being taken elsewhere. It was therefore enacted that no one “shall
buy ony sheep or cattle coming alive, but shall let the awner slay the samen”.
This was to ensure that the animals were slaughtered by the butchers and sold in
the town and not taken elsewhere, presumably for higher prices.
Animals were slaughtered in the Shambles and sold to the public from the
Fleshers Booths running outside the building. As the town grew this inevitably
caused problems with hygiene. Many years before, the Council had enacted that
the Fleshers could not slaughter their beasts outside their booths because of
the noise, smell and blood in the street. Bearing in mind that it was quite
common for the poorer people to drink warm milk mixed with blood as a nourishing
drink, or blood mixed with oats as a healthy nutritional meal, there could be no
waste.
Later, however the Fleshers themselves made money from this practice. They
auctioned the sale of blood and of dung from the pens where the cattle were kept
awaiting slaughter for the benefit of the Trades’ Poor. By 1846 the contract for
the dung made £135 and for blood £55. (£7456 and £3038 respectively in 2002).
From the very beginning charges were made for the killing of animals. In 1714
the record shows that the charge for slaughtering a cow, calf, pig or an ox was
12d. Scots, and 4d. for a sheep, lamb or goat. This money was used for the
relief of the Trades’ poor, its orphans and widows.
Penalties were of course exacted for bad practice. In 1714 a heavy fine was
exacted for “Blowing” meat, 40/- for the first fault, £3 for the second and £3
plus confiscation of the animal for the third fault. Blowing or Blawing Meat was
the practice of swelling or bulking up meat up before sale to make it appear
bigger and better to the prospective purchaser. It is interesting to note that
despite the best efforts of the writer, none of the older living members of the
Craft admit to any knowledge of this practice. Knowing the honesty of present
day butchers perhaps modern farming and food preparation methods are what make
this practice redundant Curiously enough meat was not as expensive as one has
been lead to believe. In 1520-23 animal food, because growing grass needed
little labour, was cheap compared to the price of grain. John Cowte sold George
Gardyn an ox for thirty-six shillings, and received payment, but for some reason
he did not deliver it and became bound to give him “as gude an ox to be esteemit
as the old ox that George bocht, and gif he be waur that he gives, to give again
as meikle money as he is waur”. During this period the average price of cows and
oxen was some thirty-five shillings.
Care of the animals was also important. For example “that ony of them be fundin
hoching nowt (hamstringing beasts) on the Hie Gait, he sall pay eight shillings
unlaw; and gif it be provit that the nowt stand bleeding on the gait to be
punishit sicklyke”. The cutting of the hamstring of a beast to prevent it
wandering off must have been a particularly cruel practice. Again the Bailies
“had given licence to the fleshers to tak an officer with them, and apprehend
and bring to the law any that present nocht all their mutton to the mercat –
that are outmen and hald part of houses – or any that bring their flesh blawn,
or infekkit with pokks or lung evil, to be convictit therefor, and their gudes
escheatit” (confiscated). The practice of swelling meat is by no means the
result of modern factory farming. The difference is that the law was much
stricter in bygone days.
The power of the Church ordained that flesh should not be eaten “during lentrene
and uther days forbidden by the Kirk”. Lentrene was a soup made exclusively from
vegetables and containing no meat products. A lentrene day meant that no meat
should be eaten that day.
The only exception to the selling of meat through the market came on the various
'Fair Days' when the “dustifuttit men”, travelling merchants who were allowed to
sell their goods free from any inhibitions, came to town for the period of the
Fair. In Dundee the fair was held on Assumption Day of Marymas, 15th August.
Cattle were freely sold at this time and the damage to local business must have
been quite severe.
A carnival atmosphere took over and much strong ale and spirits was consumed.
Stobs Fair in particular was literally a riotous affair, traditionally ending in
bloodshed. 1809 was the year in which the 25th Regiment of Foot were involved in
a pitched battle with some artillery soldiers over the breaking of a drum head.
Swords and bayonets were used by the soldiers and the populace used stones. The
laconic comment report mentioning that “one or two were killed and others
wounded” made the event appear nothing out of the ordinary.
Fleshers were also brought before the Magistrates for misbehaviour. The Burgh
Records of 15th April 1609 state that: “Quhilk day ye Baillies Counsulle &
Dekynes of Craftis of ye burt of Dundie being c’venit hes convicted Thomas
Paterson tallzer (cutter of meat) in speaking Irreverentlie aganes ye
Magistrates viz yt he was as honest ane man as any of yame & gif yae wer out of
offices he suld quarrel & find fault we yame for wrangis done to him. And yrfoir
Ordanis ye said Thomas hais incurrit ye panes c’tainit in ye Actis maid Anent
p'sones Irreverentlie speaking aganes ye Magistrates viz to haif tint his
freedome wtin yis burt & to be wardit ay & qll he Make Ane suffict Amends to ye
Baillies effendet.” Thomas Paterson had no doubt been upset by some action of
the Magistrates and was suggesting that they were corrupt in some way. If they
were not in office, when it was unlawful to insult a Magistrate, he would, in
modern parlance, ‘sort them out’. However this was a direct challenge to their
authority and the Magistrates duly jailed him until they considered he had made
sufficient amends for his behaviour.
The Howff, Dundee's Old Burial Ground, shows evidence of important Fleshers. One
of their earliest stones is dated 1613. The engraving reads “tomb of Margaret
Gourlie wife of David Satire. Flesher 1613”, and has the arms of the Gourleys
marshalled with the emblems of the Flesher Trade.
Another such grave, dated 1673, is to Catherine Constable, wife of John
Masterton Flesher. The fact that Catherine had been a Constable suggests that
John, her husband, had been an apprentice and journeyman of one of the Constable
family. He had married his Master's daughter, thus acquiring the qualifications
for becoming a burgess and therefore a Master in his own name.
Streets were invariably named after the principal person living there. However
the story behind Couties Wynd is particularly interesting. At one time Couties
Wynd lead from the Shore to where St. Mary's Church still stands and would have
been travelled by David Earl of Huntingdon after the storm in which he was
almost lost. His house was on the east side of the Wynd and was known as “Earl
David Huntingdon's Haw”. It was first mentioned when King Robert was in Dundee
in 1380.
In 1510, in the reign of James 5th, many robberies and frauds were committed. In
order to detect such things the King, reputedly, travelled through various parts
of the country in disguise and with his Court and guard a good way behind. It is
recorded “the King in his journey over the Munth, met with one Coutie a Drover
(Flesher) belonging to Dundee who was going for cattle. And they both walked
together talking most comfortably when they were espied by a band of Robbers who
came and attacked them. But though the King and Coutie fought long and defended
themselves most manfully, they both being very able men, especially the King,
who it was reported was a match for any two men if not more, and Coutie having a
Dog with him which did more than both, and all growing feint by reason of the
Many Villains they had to encounter were almost overcome, when the King said
‘Feight on Cowtie, the face of a King is terrible’ (Coutie never knew before who
his royal traveller was). The villains hearing this, understood the meaning of
these words, fled off with the greatest precipitation fearing they would all be
taken, and so left the King and Coutie together for which it is said the King so
rewarded Coutie's Noble Action with a Complement of the place he lived in giving
him the Wynd which was known for centuries as Cowties Wynd from him.” This story
was recorded in 1775 and has romantic overtones. The King’s prowess, not to
mention the fact that the dog was a better fighter than both he and Coutie,
hardly bears closer inspection.
It is strange that the town was very aware of the habit of unfreemen trading
within its boundaries.
In practice the town had encouraged unfreemen, and had even given them space in
the slaughterhouse. It is possible that this was because the Flesher Trade was
much smaller in numbers than the population required. We know that the other
trade apprentices were required to serve from five to seven years before
becoming a Master. In addition no master could employ another apprentice until
the first one had completed his full time. Then the young man would perform a
“Master Piece” to prove that he was competent and that he could work to a high
enough standard to be accepted into the Trade.
Due to expansion, the town had decided that the shambles were becoming a danger
to health and should be demolished and replaced by one near the Greenmarket.
Despite the protestations and legal actions of the Trade the decision was made.
In 1770 the town required them to move, and after going to the Court of Session
the Fleshers lost an expensive case.
The first History of Old Dundee in 1775, records that on April 4th. “The plea
betwixt the Town Council & the Flesher Trade, which was for Some time before the
Lords of Session, was by them decided in favours of the Town Council they
therefore, in Consequence of their Sentence, were obliged to remove, & being
Wednesday, they went to the New Flesh Market, which is Situate near the Shore,
at the back of the Large Warehouse, being in Whole a large Oblong, divided in
Midst, which makes two Equal Squares, the one Called the Town Market, being that
which the members of the Flesher Trades Possess, and the other the Country
Market, being that which the Country Fleshers (unfreemen) and others, who are
not members of that Corporation in this place, Occupie. It is neat and handsome
has walls on the outside nine feet high, & the roof on the inside is supported
by round Stone Pillars, and is divided into different Stalls each being
separated from another by a Wall Builded of Brick, and has a well at the Eastend
which runs out at one of the pillars of that called the Town Market, and water
whereof runs through both in order to keep them clean & sweet. In short it is
one of the Neatest of its kind in this nation.
This Year also the Slaughter Houses for the Free Butchers of this Town were
builded. There are Nine of these, & form two sides of a square, & the rest is
inclosed by a high wall & great gate. They stand at a very small distance from
the common passage or Ferry over the Tay here.”
The Fleshers, however, were totally obsessed with owning their own property,
which overcame any financial know-how they possessed and caused them to become
bankrupt and several times be insolvent. They were only saved by the particular
loyalty of their masters who, time and time again, came to the rescue and gave
personal guarantees for debts. These guarantees were regularly lost when the
debts were called in. More than once the Trade bought totally unsuitable
property
In 1826 they bought premises between the Overgate and the Ward burn. These were
sold at a loss when they realised that they were totally unsuitable. In 1828
they bought and sold another site in Long Wynd. In 1835 they bought the old
Dundee Soap Works in Chapelshade and converted it for their own use. Once again
they had not considered the large number of possible objectors and the Sheriff
declared against them. The cost of this fiasco was over £2100, which was not
cleared for some forty years.
In 1839 the Trade was bankrupt, paying out only 8/- in the pound. The soapworks
was paid to clear its debts, making little over half the asking price, but no
lesson was learned.
A few months later they borrowed more money, bought the Dudhope Nursery in
Douglas Street, and built a slaughterhouse. All their efforts were spent trying
to keep their heads above water, and this left little energy or time for any
other involvement in the community. The Trade moved banks regularly in an effort
to borrow more money and to control their debts, to very little avail.
Again personal guarantees were lost and eventually, in 1877, the Dundee Police
Commission recommended that the Shambles be taken over.
It may well be that because of their small numbers, or perhaps because they were
always struggling to keep themselves solvent, they were less able to give to
devote time to the important work of the Nine Trades. No Master was elected from
the Trade as Convener, until 1794, when William Watson was appointed. Thereafter
no more were elected until recent years, by which time the purpose of the Trades
was predominately charitable and not directly connected with the work of the
butcher. William Clark was elected Convener in 1931 and David Craig in 1986.
Indeed even today, despite the advent of Superstores, there are a number of
thriving family businesses with connections to the Flesher Trade going back
several generations.
Many families with long ties to the Flesher Craft still have businesses in the
City. The names Robertson, 1884 (now Craig), Scott Jarron, 1935 (now Scott
Bros.), Fitzgerald, Black, Grossett, McKay, 1960 (now Irvine), Gray, Piggot and
Matthew spring to mind.
Today the Craft numbers are in the eighties and it is a thriving, solvent and
forward-looking Trade. A proud and important group of men, its future is assured
and it takes a prominent place in the development of the Nine Trades.
by Innes A. Duffus
Archivist to the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee.