Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

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Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Maggie H » Thu Sep 24, 2015 7:55 am

I was given this transcript of an entry from the Rent Book of the Duke of Argyll:

The South Division of the farm of Upper Ranachan + 10\S stg for each goat kept to perform 3 days service of 1 man and 1 horse yearly. If required seed time and harvest excepted.
Memorial stated 21/8/1810 for Andrew Wylie son of the deceased John Wylie late tenant of Ranachan. In this Memorial he requests that his son Andrew’s name be inserted as a partner with him in the tack from 1811 which he wishes.

Petition dated 7 October 1812 b Andrew Wyllie for an abatement of rent, he says he offered £80 Rather than be deprived of the possession he had held for 25 years as heir to his father.

I would be grateful for any enlightenment regarding the above:

What does + 10\S stg mean?

Does the + 10\S stg relate to each goat kept, or does each goat kept require 3 days service of 1 man etc? There seems to be a lack of punctuation in this sentence.

Andrew wants his son to be a partner with him in the tack – does this mean he would have been a tacksman? Or does it mean that he is renting from the tacksman?

In the last paragraph he offers £80 Rather than be deprived of the possession he had held for 25 years (as heir to his father). This seems like a huge amount of money for 1812.

Any comments or suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks,
Maggie
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Iain » Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:05 am

Hi Maggie... Welcome to the Kintyre Forum.

I think it's Shona who is the expert with the Duke. I'm sure she will be able to help you out ! :wink:

Regards..., Iain.

PS How about posting the same question here ? viewforum.php?f=22
Many there do not visit the Genealogy page !
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby CaliGal » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:44 pm

Shona hasn't posted since April. I've been trying to contact her.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Iain » Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:05 pm

I'm extremely busy elsewhere, as such I haven't noticed !

Prehaps Admin can help you out !

..., Iain.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:53 pm

Have been seriously ill - hence my lack of activity. Hope to be up to speed again soon.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:15 pm

Hello Maggie - welcome to the Kintyre Forum.

A tacksman was a tenant who paid money (or labour and goods in kind) on an annual basis to rent land from the land owner (the freeholder). They would also have to take part in military/militia service. In the 17th and 18th century, the land owner was likely to be the clan chief and the tacksman was often related in some way, although not closely. A premium was paid when the tack was taken on (known as a grassum).

The land let to the tacksman was referred to as the 'tack'. The tacksman could sub-let the land to others and claim his own rent. The tacksmen regarded their rental as hereditary and would expect to pass the rental on to descendants.
Post 1745, military service declined and rents were increased as a result.

However, by the early 18th century, the system was breaking down. Landowners realised they could earn more money by rearing sheep. Many were evicted from their land. This was achieved in a variety of ways - forcibly, increasing rents to levels which could not be paid or financing emigration schemes. The Duke of Argyll funded emigration schemes to encourage people to leave the land.

If John regarded himself as a tacksman, then his son, Andrew, would also refer to himself as a tacksman if he took on or went in with his father.

As to the transcription - the punctuation makes it a little ambiguous.

I believe Andrew was required to pay 10 shillings sterling to the land owner (Duke or Argyll)) for each goat kept. Then one man and a horse were required to give three days military/militia service to the Duke if required. Seed and harvest time were exempted.

Given Andrew is appealing the amount of rent, it may be that it had been put up to encourage the family to leave the land.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:22 pm

Here are the residents of High Ranachan on the Duke of Argyll's land in 1792.

Robert Colvill, 45
Isobell ferguson, 25
Ann Colville, 11
Peggy Colville, 6
Isobel Colville, 3
James Colvill, 1

Margaret Andrew, 60

Duncan McLean, 22
Flory McPhail, 24
Christian McPhail, 22
Mary McMillan, 21
Janet Mclean, 24

Robert Maxwell, 74
Ann Wylie, 72

John Wylie, 57
Helen Wilson, 55

Andrew Wylie, 24
Nelly Wylie, 22

Alexander Wylie, 16
Cathrin Muir, 23
Mary McCallum, 22
Mary McEachran, 24
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 3:36 pm

John Wylie married Helen Wilson in Campbeltown on 27 January 1759. They had the following children:

Alexander, born 16 November 1761 and baptised on 17 November
Andrew, born 1 December 1762 and baptised on 2 December
Anne, born 5 January 1765 and baptised on 10 January
Andrew, born 10 July 1767 and baptised on 12 July
Helen, born 25 July 1769 and baptised on 27 July
David, born 9 February 1792 and baptised on 11 February

Andrew Wylie married Mary Langline on 6 May 1793 in Campbeltown. The marriage is also recorded in Killean and Kilchenzie parish (suggesting this was Mary's home parish) on 6 June 1793. Mary's surname is recorded as Langlands.

Therefore the Nelly who is listed under the name Andrew Wylie in the 1792 census is likely to be Andew's sister Helen.

I was also curious about 74-year-old Ann Wylie who seems to be married to Robert Maxwell on the 1792 list of people at High Ranachan. Could this be John's mother who had remarried?
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Iain » Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:48 pm

Shona wrote:Have been seriously ill - hence my lack of activity. Hope to be up to speed again soon.


Sorry to hear about this Shona ! Wish you well ! xxx

..., Iain.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:14 pm

There is a Wylie headstone in Kilkerran old cemetery in Campbeltown. You can order a copy of the image from Ralston Genealogy - Image 94; Field 10.

http://www.ralstongenealogy.com/personform4.php

These names and info appear on the headstone.

Alexander Wylie
Andrew Wylie
John Wylie, died 1797, aged 69 years
Helen Wilson, died 1817, aged 84 years
Richard Wylie, died 1894, aged 2 years
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Shona » Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:15 pm

Iain wrote:
Shona wrote:Have been seriously ill - hence my lack of activity. Hope to be up to speed again soon.


Sorry to hear about this Shona ! Wish you well ! xxx

..., Iain.


Thanks, Iain. It's been a scary time. Wasn't expected to live - three times.
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby gray_marian » Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:14 am

Hello Shona, Shocking news to hear you have been so poorly. My very best wishes to you for a complete recovery. Take Care,
Marian
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Maggie H » Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:47 am

Hi Iain,

Thanks for your suggestion, I have posted an amended copy of my post to the History board,

Thanks,
Maggie
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Maggie H » Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:54 am

Hi Shona,

Thank you so much for all the information you have provided.
I now have a better understanding regarding tacksmen.

Ten shillings seems a very high amount to pay for each goat in the early 1800s.

Andrew did leave the land as a result of the high rent and moved into Campbeltown. One of his sons moved to Glasgow and then emigrated to Australia about 1860 with his family. There are several other sons which are proving elusive so probably emigrated as well.

I think the Ann Wylie listed as a tenant at High Ranachan might have been a sister of John as she was 10-15 years older than him. I haven't been able to find any record of his birth so I don't know who his parents were or how many siblings he had.

The Alexander listed is the right age to be a son of John and Helen (Their first son Alexander died in childhood)

Thank you also for the cemetery transcription.

Thank you again,
Maggie
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Re: Duke of Argyll's Rent Book

Postby Iain » Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:30 pm

gray_marian wrote:Hello Shona, Shocking news to hear you have been so poorly. My very best wishes to you for a complete recovery. Take Care,
Marian


:wink:
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