Auld, Auld Men and Auld, Auld Wifies

Some time ago I wrote about a man named Auld Dubrach, a native of Aberdeenshire and supposed last living participant at the Battle of Culloden who was 'discovered', living in extreme age, living in Glen Lethnot in Angus.  He died, allegedly aged 110, back in his native land.  I expressed some reservations about the truth of this man's self-promoted story as there are certain inconsistencies about his related adventures, and I still think there is room to doubt him.

 

   What does this say about the subject of this piece - long lived people?  Possibly, when it comes to claims of venerable age, there should always be a modicum of doubt.  That said, let us look at a random scattering of very old Angus people from ages past. For some reason, this (admittedly random) selection of patriarchs focuses very much on the largest urban centre in the country, whose industrial lifestyle might seem to mitigate against long life, but hey-ho.

    So, starting in Dundee, there is David Watson, who died aged 102 in his house in Hawkhill, in the West End of Dundee, on Friday, 12th February, 1819.  Like many honourable ancients he was described as being in excellent health nearly up to the point of his demise.  According to David Norrie, in Dundee Celebrities of the Nineteenth Century (1870), 'He retained the use of his faculties to his latest hour. He was the father of no fewer than twenty-three children.'

  Another remarkable long-liver who, even more remarkably, also lived in the Hawkhill was Janet Findlay.  She died there on Thursday, April 19th, 1827, aged 104.  According to David Norrie:

She at one time earned her subsistence by hawking the country with small wares; but during the last twelve or fourteen years of her life she was supported by the hand of charity. At the ripe age of 88, she gave her hand in wedlock to a youth of 25, with whom she occasionally resided till the day of her death; but his productive industry was not sufficient to shield his aged partner from the gripe of poverty. Her faculties were little impaired, and her death was occasioned by a fall which she had on the previous Saturday.

   It is a pity that more information is not readily available about this extraordinary life.  As an aside, I wonder if there's any family connection as my mother's name was Findlay!  Moving to the north-west in the same burgh, we find Robert Bain, who died in Lochee in April 1867 (some sources say September), at the age of 108.  (Charles Craig, a Dundee weaver who died in 1817, attained the same honourable age).  In fact, Mr Bain was only resident locally for a mere 18 month, residing with his daughter, Mrs Butchart, in Gray Street.  Born in Alves, Moray, he had spent 55 years working in the Carse of Gowrie in the employment of Lord Kinnaird and retired at the age of 100.  The entire village of Baledgarno turned out to see his departure to Lochee and there was a crowd to watch his arrival at his daughter's house.  He was dressed like a figure from the past - and such he was, with his tartan breeks and hose.

   In his final months Robert regaled the local press with tales of bygone days.  Several of his tales featured an evil local in the north named Kenneth Leal, who was eventually sentenced to the gibbet and chains until the birds piked the flesh from his bones. He once brought Satan in disguise to a card school one Saturday night at a farm , which ruse was only discovered when the farmer's daughter saw the cloven foot of the Dark One poking out beneath the kitchen table!

The old Hawkhill ('The Hackie'), breeding ground of ancients.

   Moving down the age range slightly, there have of course been many people who have nearly reached that magical three figures over the centuries. One such was Alexander Don, who was the father of the famous Forfar botanist George Don.  Alexander was born in Blackhall in 1717 and died in 1813.  At random, we may mention Andrew Duncan of Montrose, who died on 30th June, 1667, aged 99 years 8 months. Close, but no cigar.