A large audience, including a record number of visitors at a Society meeting in recent years, attended a talk on “Billy Marshall – Galloway Gypsy and Leveller” at the January meeting.
Presented by historian Ivor Waddell, and well known locally in the community, the facts, myths and legends surrounding Gypsy Billy Marshall, were subjected to rigorous professional scrutiny and analysis. Ivor also dealt with the Levellers Revolt of 1723 to 1725 in which Billy Marshall is thought to have participated.
The colourful story of Billy Marshall makes a fascinating, entertaining tale. Thought to have been born of Romany stock in Ayrshire in 1672 he apparently died 120 years later in 1792. His much visited, restored grave is in Kirkcudbright Kirkyard above the town.
In between his birth and death he is thought to have fought for William of Orange and with the Duke of Marlborough, been a boxer, deserted from the Army and the Navy a number of times, been married 17 times, fathered many children 4 of them illegitimate when he was over 100 years old, been accused of smuggling, robbery, murder and to have lead a band of brigands and much else.
Ivor Waddell made the point that in so many tales about Billy Marshall the words “allegedly”; ” it is reported that”; he is “thought to have” preface so many so called facts about him. In researching his subject a prime source of information was a 1906 book on “The Tinkler Gypsies”.
On various aspects of his life Ivor Waddell referred to a range of evidence in attempting to separate “fact” from “fiction”. On the age of Billy Marshall, for example, he cited evidence from obituary notices; what Sir Walter Scott had written about his age; views of Ministers of Religion from Kirkcudbright and Minigaff; evidence reported from branches of local families like the McCullochs whom Billy was reported to have visited over the years. In the absence of definite proof in the form of birth and death certificates he concluded Billy had certainly lived to a considerable old age.
Billy Marshall was thought to be a regular participant at the annual Keltonhill Fair a magnet for horse dealers, cattle dealers, market traders, gypsies, smugglers and pickpockets. He is thought to have always tried to get to the Fair even when serving as a soldier.
In spite of apparent involvement in the illegal whisky trade, highway robbery, smuggling of tea and liquor and organised pickpocketing Billy Marshall seems to have enjoyed immunity from prosecution. Part of the charm of this “loveable rogue” was how positively he interacted with all sorts of people he met. He seems to have successfully cultivated powerful local families and he is even reported to have been given, in his later years, a pension provided by the Earl of Selkirk.
An interesting part of the talk was a section on the Levellers Revolt between about 1723 and 1725 in which Billy Marshall was involved. Now no more than a footnote in Scottish history this was a significant local protest by well organised tenants and cottars against the development of cattle grazing which involved building dykes to enclose the cattle land. Local protesters objected and pulled down the dykes in protest against the loss of their livelihood.
However there was more to the revolt than pulling down dykes. Educated men and women were involved including clergy; pamphlets were produced to argue the case for protest; although Dragoons were called in to help deal with the revolt there was a relative lack of violence. Even the King supported the Levellers and raised questions about their rights. The Dragoon officers often dealt sympathetically with the protesters. So although individuals were arrested there were no criminal prosecutions and only three civil trials. What the revolt did demonstrate was the need for alternative sources of trade and employment when such land use reforms were introduced.
Even in death Billy Marshall was controversial. There are conflicting sources on who had the right to lay him to rest and conflicting reports on who did so.
Ivor Waddell concluded his talk by saying that although he may not have succeeded in proving one way or the other what is fact about Billy Marshall and what is myth and legend that he hoped his analysis and interpretation was of interest.
The general view is that our local Galloway history is much enriched by Billy Marshall – whether truth or fiction! And we quite like it that way!