Local Firms – Page 2 – Kirkcudbright History Society

The January meeting of Kirkcudbright History Society welcomed a record number of over 100 people to hear Donald Cowell talk on Kirkcudbright Poorhouse

Completed in 1851 at a cost of £5400 (including fixtures and fittings) the Poorhouse was initially the responsibility of a local group of parishes who worked together comprising Kirkcudbright, Borgue, Tongland , Twynholm and Rerrick. Later, by 1854, seventeen further parishes in the Stewartry had joined the Union and the name was changed to “Kirkcudbright Combination Poorhouse”.

As part of Poor Law Reforms, made in Scotland in 1845, parishes had been able to combine to build Poorhouses to care for the “disabled” and “destitute”.

Also, as part of Poor Law Reforms each of the 880 Parishes in Scotland appointed an Inspector of the Poor; and a Central Board of Supervision was set up in Edinburgh to oversee the system.

Locally the 6th Earl of Selkirk played a leading role in encouraging local
Parishes to build a Poorhouse. He chaired the local development committee and came to the first meeting with a sketch of a possible building and a formula for raising money.

The Haill Six Incorporated Trades of Kirkcudbright were established in the town in 1425. In this year it was enacted that ‘every craft in the town should choose a wise man’, a Deacon to ‘govern and assay’ all its handiwork. The Trades were set up in direct opposition to the Merchant Guilds which held disproportionate influence in the community and who had amassed enormous wealth.

Membership of the Trades was much sought after as it allowed in many cases, the right to be a sole trader in the town. The Government of the 15^th century quickly realised that the powers enacted on the Trades conferred too much influence on the Deacons. Their duties were soon restricted to a fortnightly enquiry into the skill of its members and quality of work produced. The position of Deacon was summarily abolished. The Trades men refused to accept this and continued to elect Deacons, an act which was seditious.