School Days in Orkney, 1660

Just for casual readers -- an article I did for Family History Journal of Caithness. 20.09.2007

School Days in the Far North Long Time Ago.

Caithness Family History members look back to find their ancestors and with the varied success that such search brings. So many both from home and abroad wonder who their forebears were, where did they live, is the house or croft still standing, what did they do for a living, what kind of a living did they have, perhaps enjoy would be the wrong word. The material available is encyclopaedic, if you can find it. Today many think our forefathers were pretty uneducated and so they were in many cases, signing any documents they had to with a cross guaranteed by a witness who could write and sign and append his seal. But do not think schools are a modern invention
Some years ago I transcribed the hand written Town Council Minutes of Kirkwall, 1669 to 1700, ending up with 355 pages of history. There is a book there waiting to be written, I may not manage it. Still, lets take a look back at how people then lived. While this does not take a family line back it may give a glimpse to the past, and at the same time a name may now and again appear which just might be traceable. Might as well start with schools, still much with us. As I am asked so very many times did they speak Gaelic in Orkney in the 1600s ( of course not with such a Viking Heritage) or was their English understandable, I will just for fun quote some parts as written, not really difficult to read and in this article in italics. And the Vikings had a school in Kirkwall while still ruled by Denmark, confirmed by decree of James 3rd in 1486 and by James 1Vth in 1496 after Scotland took possession.
The Gram’er School of Kirkwall at the 31 year span that I looked at was within the grounds of St Magnus Kirk near the present Tourist Office at the N.E. corner of the Churchyard. There were other locations at other times. Kirk and Church was much involved with the school, though the Council were the main part of the process as shown below with the appointment of John Shilps. Teachers and Ministers were often interchangeable, one could lead to the other. We often come across a tutor in a home of a Laird who after the children grew up became a Minister of one of the Parishes. In the Minutes reference to schools began with the appointment of John Shilps as new schoolmaster, coming to Kirkwall from Wick School in neighbouring Caithness. The Grammer School of Kirkwall was the only school in Orkney at that time, references to it began well before 1669. ( See reprinted copy of Hossack’s “Kirkwall in the Orkneys”. } .

Kirkwall 8th of Nor 1680
The Quhilk Day anent Mr. John Dishingtown, schoolmaster of the gramer school of ye said burgh his dimission of his charge of ye sd school In favour of the sds Magistrats of ye sd burgh as Patrons yrof, anent the setling qrof & planting of ye sd school wth ane sufficient school master, the sds Magistrats & counsall have thought fitt to take the Bischop of Orkney his advyse and counsall therto; and for that effect seeing this week will be takin up wth the hand courts of ye countrey, Therfore It is thought that ye Magistrats, wth swa many of ye counsall as they shall think fitt, speak ye sd Bischop yranent wth qt uther Intrangencies may be betwixt ye sd burgh & the sd bischop upon Mononday nixt beeing the fyftenth day of this Instant & make report yrof to the nixt counsall meeting yraftr. DA: CRAGIE Provost.

Dischingtoun had served the school first as locum tenens in 1648 for Mr Cargill who was often absent for considerable peroiods, presumanbly ill health. John Dischingtoun was the son of Mr Andrew Dischingtoun, a previous schoolmaster of the Grammer School who went on to become Minister of Walls in Hoy and owner of lands near the Bu’ of Hoy called Benorth and Besouth the Burn. Andrew’s father was Mr John Dischingtoun who came to Orkney as Sheriff. Our John married Elinoer Leivingston and they were the parents of Thomas Dischingtoun who married Marjory Pottinger, who died Feb 1669.
John Dischingtoun, giving up as Headmaster in Nor.1680, died soon after :- “ Munday’s morning, betwixt thrie and fur, being the 28th Febry.1681, Mr John Dischingtoun, schoolmaister, depairted this lyff.” [Thomas Brown’s Diary - T.B. ]


At Kirkwall the first Day of June, iT viH four scoir ane yeers.

THE QUHILK DAY In pnce of the Right reverand father in God, Murdoch, Lord Bishop of Orkney and Yetland, Mr George Grahame, Minister at Stronsay and Eday; Mr Alexr Pitcairn, Minister at Southronaldsha and Burray; Mr John Henry, Minister at Orpher; Mr James Shankis, Minister at Hoy and Gramesay; Mr James Grahame, Minister at Erie and Rendall; Mr John Grahame, Minister at Rowsay and Egilshay; Nr Tho’as McKenzie, Minister at Shapinsha; Mr George Toad, Minister at Firth and Stanehous, Mr Jon Hoggins, Minister at Deirnes and St Androis, Mr Jaes Wallace and Mr James Key, Ministers of the said Burgh, with the ballyies and counsall of the same pnt, in absence of the Provest and some of the bailyies yrof for the pnt At Edr about yr laughfull affairs, wth the underdesignit Mr John Shilps, and therafter the sd Mr John hade given In ane sufficient tryall of his qualifications, literature & good education as ane Mr of Gram'er School, qch was approven of by all the above disignit brethern, The presentation underwrn was delyverit to him In pnce of the said haill reverend, and acceptit of by him with all reverence, quha promised in pnce forsd to dewlie, trewlie & sufficientlie discharge the dewtie & paines belonging to ye sd office. Of the qch pntation the tennor follows:-
“ Be It Kend till all men be thir pnt Lres, WE the Provest, Bailyies and Counsall of the burgh of Kirkwall, for our selves and In name of the haill com'unitie therof, AS Patrons of the gram'er school of the samen, FOR Sameikle as the said place through the deceas of Mr John Dischingtown, late schoolmaster, ther hath vaicked & fallen in our hands to be provydit AND wee, beeing most willing to supplie the vacancie therof qrby youths of all ranks and degreeis may be taught and Instructed in the knowledge of the gram'er and uthers belonging therto, ther beeing no uther publick place within the countrey of Orkney for semeanarie and education except the samen. AND WEE beeing certainelie Informed by the approbation of the right reverend father in God, Murdoch, Lord Bischop of Orkney and Yetland, and Mr James Wallace, pnt Minister of St Magnus Kirk within the said burgh, of the abilitie, qualification, literatur, experience and good behaviour of Mr John Shilps, late schoolmaister in Week In Caithness, in exerceing the office of ane Maister of the Gram'er School
THAIRFORE these are presenting, Lykeas wee be thir pntis doe present the said Mr John Shilps as Mester of the gram'er school of this burgh dureing all the space yeers and trmes of three yeers or longer dureing or pleasr, and the said Mr John his good behaviour.
WITH full power to him to enter to the exerceing of the said office at the feast and trme of witesunday nixtocome in this Instant yeir of God IT viii for scoir ane yeers, And fra thence furth with full power to him be himselfe, his factor, srvitor, or uyrs in his name to intromitt with, briuck, joyne and possess the maills, ferms, rents & dewties pertaineing and belonging to the said gram'er school or qlk hes bein in use to belong therto, as his predicessor hath bein in use and wont to Intromitt with and receave, and that yeerlie dureing his function of the sd office, and that by and attor the uther casualities and dews usuallie to be payit by the parents of the children and youthis to be taught by him dureing the said space, discharging heirby all uther teachers of the gram'er within this burgh ( except the Master of the said publick gram'er school )
AND if it shall happin at the lshe of the abovewrin space to remove the said Mr John, then and in that case WEE or our successors in vice are to give him advertisement sex moneths before qtsomever feast or trme of witesunday or mertimes the samen shall happin to bee, and if it shall happin the said Mr John to be transplanted elsqr, to give us or our successors the lyke advertisement. Requesting heirby the Lords of Counsall and Session to Interpon their authoritie heirto, and grant Lres of horneing heirupon against all persones lyable in payment of the said mailIs ferms rents and dewties pertaining and belonging to the said gram'er school, or qlk hes bein in use to belong therto in manner forsaid upon ane simple charge of ten dayis, with all uther execution needfull at the Instance of the sd Mr John Shilps for causing him to be readilie ansrit, obeyit and payit therfor dureing the space forsaid, In dew and competent forme as effeirs after the form and tennor of thir our pnt bres of pntation in all poynts. :( Sgnd **** Counsellors.)

So Orkney was recruiting the schoolmaster from Wick. In 1683 Wick Toon Cooncil built a new School at the Shoar of Weik, the inhabitants having to work on the building or pay a fine of 6/8d Scots ( half a merk ) for non attendance. As John Shilps left in 1681 for Kirkwall it is obvious there was a school in Weik before 1683 and John Shilps was its schoolmaster. Shilps later became Minister of St Andrews and Deerness Kirk. Teachers and Ministry were very closely linked and often a tutor of a Laird’s children later became a Minister. This system of control by the Lairds of the “Living” eventually led to the Disruption of 1843 and emergence of the Free Church of Scotland. Thomas Dischingtoune, eldest son of John D. and precentor of St Magnus Kirk, was appointed doctor to the school with Shilps, i.e. assistant schoolmaster specialising in Enghlsh and Grammer.
With his appointment as headmaster Shilps also got certain emoluments i.e. “the haill maills, ferms, rents and dewties pertaining and belonging to the said gram'er school and uthers contained in the said pntation”. John Shilps reward for his services came from land set aside and belonging to the gram’er school for the maintainance of the Schoolmaster and his doctor and assistant.
Thomas Dischingtoun was “heirby licentiat and permitted to intromitt with, uplift and receave out of the first and readiest of the said school rents the number and quantitie of Twelve meills of malt yeerlie, and together with the quarter payments of the Inglish schollars and of these that shall happin to learn arithmetick and musick”.
John Shilps obliged himself not to use the chalmers above the school as a dwelling for his family but only for accomodation of himself and John Dischingtoune his doctor and assistant for their schollars. The word Doctor was used in educational terms and our Universities to this day use it in a sense other than Medicine. Navigation was also taught, and that for a sea faring race going to Danzig, Amsterdam, Bergen and Alesund in Norway, Ipswich in England, and an entry for James Dunbar of Caithness going for the Barbados Island from Cairsten now Stromness, having some of his Sundrie Stuffs stolen by three of his servitors, navigation would have been a requirement.
Lest one thinks education pertained only to boys I found Isobel Stewart, widow of Edward Pottinger of Hobbister who died 1643, later signing her own testament and other documents in a very good hand. How she was taught I do not know, she was of the Stewarts of Brough so could have been of one of the better off families. Most of the Landowners of Orkney lived in the social whirl of Kirkwall anyway, at least they had their Town House, and Isobel Stewart though of Brough would most likely have lived not in Westray but in “The Toon.”

Musick was important too, and Kirkwall had in the 1600s a music master to teach music, a dancing master to teach the social graces. Kirkwall must have been a lively place even then, and it has not much changed in that regard either

On 19th of Sepr. 1682
Item as to the reference of the Session till this day anent their giving their voyce in furnishing alsmuch upon Alexr Bischop, appeirand [ heir in waiting ] precentor in the Church and to be ane teacher of Musick School to any qa will pnt yr children to him for that effect, and to the end hee may have ane house consisting of twa chalmers. They consent to give him fourtein pound Scotts for ane yeirs tyme & no longer and farder dureing pleasr, and no more. DA: CRAGIE Provost.

Perhaps Thomas Dischingtoun was demitting his office as precentor in favour of Alexr Bishop and his income from Musick, tho as precentor of St Magnus Kirk his musical qualifications would be impeccable. Or perhaps Kirkwall had room for two music teachers even then.




An improper use of the school or it’s environs was:-
“The Magistrats and Counsell present ordaines the haill Inhabitants and residenters upon the Broad Streit that caries ther Muck and maks ane Midding yrof att the school gaitt to caus remove the samen Betwixt and Twesday nixt under the pain of tein pounds Scoats, And discharges all and everie one residing yr or within the street In tyme comeing under the Lyke penaltie, and ordaines Intimation heirof to be made that non pretend ignorance.”
and
“ Requesting heirby the Lords of Counsall and Session to Interpon their authoritie heirto, and grant Lres of horneing heirupon against all persones lyable in payment of the said mailIs, ferms, rents and dewties pertaining and belonging to the said gram'er school, or qlk hes bein in use to belong therto in manner forsaid upon ane simple charge of ten dayis, with all uther execution needfull at the Instance of the sd Mr Joan Shilps for causing him to be readilie ansrit, obeyit and payit therfor dureing the space forsaid, In dew and competent forme as effeirs after the form and tennor of thir our pnt Lres of pntation in all poynts”.

Kirkwall 26th July, 1688
A change of teacher apparently on the cards, John Shilps going to be Minister of St Andrews and Deirness Unitit Parishes. “This twentie sext day of July 1688 ther wes produceit ane missive sent from Oversanday, provest, anent the receaveing of Mr Jon Wat to be schoolmaister of the grammer school of this brugh, as he wes recomendit to him be Mr Andro Massie, Regent at Edr colledge, and also that he the sd Provest wes advysed be the Bischop of Orknay, Egilshay and Mr James Wallace, wth Mr Tho: foullertonn, who declared that they are weill satisfied wth Mr Wat to be schoolmaister. Thairfor the Provest recommends him to the caire of the Magistrats now pnt, desyreing to Intimat so much to the countray gentlemen concerned as the sd Missive daittit and subt at Leith 20: July Instant bears. GEO: TRAILL

22nd August 1688 Jon Watt coming from Edr. to be schoolmaister was examined in the said school in pnce of James Wallace, Minister of St Magnus, Jon Wilsone, Jon Shilps, Jon Hendrie, Thomas Fullertoun of Gairsay and severall others. On the 28th he began teaching and educating the scollers. [ T.B. ] Watt held the post but briefly, and was really a physician. He was subsequently retained as Session Clerk and praecentor for a short time.

[ en passant ] Kirkwall the twentie sext day of mairch 1689
“The drums is appoynttit to pass thorrow the toun at ten in the foir noon of the sd day, and in the meantyme the officers is ordained to pass at twa in the afternoon of this day and adverteise the mairiners and uthers the burgesses, to draw and have doun the great guns befoir the school yeat to the shoar, and any of them that sall be thought fitt to be drawen in cariadge to the Mount, and the Magistrats and counsellers to be present and attend the same”.
The Great Guns were to be drawn down to the Shoar from their keeping place at the gates, or yeats, of the School, just after William of Orange came to London with the abdication of James 2nd. in 1688. Obviously a major operation requiring many hands on the ropes. It would have been good practice to keep the Guns away from the Shoar where a party of enemy, whoever they might be, might have landed and captured them if left too handy. The carriages of some of the Guns were obviously in dire need of repair, mentioned elsewhere, and only those with good carriages suitable for the long haul to be taken to and placed at the Mount, still there in today’s Kirkwall, and the better vantage point to cover the approaches to Kirkwall Bay and the Shoar. As they did on at least one occasion with good effect, discomforting a Hollander warship attempting to bombard the Toun.

“ Att Kirkwall within the Tolbuith the Threttieth day of October 1T viH. and nyntie ane yeires.
Yet another Gram’er School maister in John Cunningham. Mr John Wilson, successor to James Wallace in St Magnus, who died 18 Sept. 1688, appears in this matter, again illustrating the connection beween Kirk and School. The Schoolmaister John Cunningham was getting his notice to remove himself not later than Whitsunday next, [ 1692 ] the Council obviously unhappy with him. He had arrived in Kirkwall with his wyfe and thrie bairnes on 18th July, 1689 to be Maister.

“ The qlk day the Magistrats and Councill, being conveened, And it being yn holden forth be Mr John Willsone, mintr yn pntt with ym, the none proficiency of the Scollars under the chairge of the pntt Schoolmaster, Mr John Cunningham, And yt se’alls of ym wes brakeing of(f) the School for want of cairefull educatione, as it is knowen to many of the parents of the sds children, It wes thought expedient yt the Magistrats as ane of the Patrons of the School should intimate and make knowen to the said schoolmaster yt he might prepare and make himself readie for his removall from yt statione betwixt this and Whitsunday next, But in respect yt the remanent patrons of the school wes not in town, it wes continewed till the Magistrats and they has a meeting yt joyntly they might go about the said affair yt ane new schoolmaster may be provyded and forseen, Because the pntt schoolmaster in this presentatione bears yt if he should premonish the Patrones ane half year befoir the tyme, and Lykewayes the saids Patrones to Advertise him if they were not satisfied and plased with his educatione of the Children within yt tyme.

ATT KIRKWALL the twentieth nynth day of July 1T viH. and nyntie two yeires.
Maister John Cunningham still in office apparently. John Davidson, a rival, was teaching in opposition to Cunningham and taking pupils away from him, a shocking breach of regulations. Cunningham apparently still in his post of Maister of the Gram’er School. First mention of his dismissal in Oct 1691. Cunningham to give up not later than 1st day of May 1694. So his dismissal took some time to complete.
“ The said day compeired Mr John Cunningham, master of the grammer school of Kirkwall for the tyme, who produced ane supplicatione shewing that Mr John Davidsoun, residenter in the sd burgh, wes receaving teaching and Learning se’all boys Latine contrair to the desyre of his supplicatione qch he produced the Twentieth one day of August 1T. viH. and nyntie one yeires, Qrby he humbly craved that he might be permitted to teach and Learn boys to read and wreat English allenarly, The which desyre wes granted and delyverance upon the back yrof dureing pleasure, And notwithstanding Qrby Mr Cunninghams supplicatione, it appears that Davidsone is teaching and Learning se’all boys Latine to his prejudice, swa that Cunningham craves that Davidsone may sist and give over teaching any further Latine efter Intimatione to be made yrof to him, Qch the Magistrats and Counsill ordaines John Ogilvie, theasaurer, to doe, and report his ansr the next counsill day.

ATT KIRKWALL the sixth day of Octor 1T viH. and nyntie thrie yeirs.
“ The abovespeitt day in Presence of the Magistrats & counsill, Togidder with Mr John Willson, minister at Kirkwall, also present annent the advertiseing and premonishing of Mr John Cunningham, master of the grammer School for the tyme at this place And he, being called for yt effect, did signifie & intimate to him for themselves and in name & behalf of the remanent patrons of the sd School, that he wes to provide for himself & to cease from exerceing as Schoolmaster in this place betwixt the date heirof and the first day of may nixt to come peremptorly, In respect they the Patrons wes to provyd and have ane new school master to officiat in his place yrupon. Baillie Young for himself and in name & behalf forsaid took Instruments in the hands of the Clerk deputt of court that he Mr Cunningham should observe nothing contrair to his tymeous premonitions for removeing himself, his wyfe and family from the sd School and pertinents therof.

ATT KIRKWALL within the Tolbuith yrof the thrid day of October 1T viH. and nyntie four yeires.
After the several tedious and time consuming debates on removing John Cunningham, with a wife and family to take care of, a more mundane matter appears. The Broad Street residentars were dumping their rubbish and making a midden outside the School gate. Action to be taken, rubbish to be removed forthwith, and future transgressions to be dealt with, public intimation of so doing being made.

Enough for now on the Gram’er School of Kirkwall. Even in the short 31 years of the Minutes that I looked at there is just so much more, I have only touched on some of the entries. For researchers the Kirkwall Records are a very rich field to plow.