Ormidale Memorial

Below we bring you, bit by bit, a memorial that Ormidale wrote in 1798 laying out his grievances against his brother (“the late Otter”) in an attempt to have his will overturned. We have done our best to decipher Ormidale’s scrawl but please feel free to offer corrections of any word you think we have misread. We are quite sure that there will be a few.

Excerpt 13

Ormidale’s frustration with his brother becomes more evident as the Memorial progresses. While Otter did lead an unconventional lifestyle, he does seem to be trying to do the right thing by the children (who may or may not be his, judging by what Ormidale has written). Ormidale appears to be a more conventional character which presumably exacerbated his feelings towards Otter.

and letters were writ by her as Mrs Black

and returns directed to her as Mrs Black matters went on thus

way for years When Otter brought home a Boy and a Girll

to Otter thought to be Mrs Black’s children and ane Mr Brown

their preceptor after him one Mr Cooper and after him one

Mr Pate before the said Children were brought to Otter some

few years there after one Mr Neill McBain of Ardry wrote

to Otter that Mrs Black was cohabiting with one Mr Bain

as man and wife when Otter sent out Archibald McMeulling

his Milner in Linsaig with letter to said Mr McBain to

give information and to endeaverar to detect Mrs Black and

Mr Bruce which was done in right time when Mrs Black

and Mr Bruce confessed they were married persons

Excerpt 14

There are some unusual words and phrases in this extract:

The “Bowerr flower” is presumably the floor of a summer house or conservatory.
A “Tides Waiter” was a Customs Officer working at a port.
“Jainture” is “Jointure” – an estate settled on a wife for the period during which she survives her husband in cases where there was no dower (i.e. property given by a groom directly to his bride at or before their wedding)

Upon

Otters getting a letter informing him of the like he flew about like

a mad man he pulled of his Wige and kicked it over the Bowerr

flower but Otter afterwards with his Interest got a Tides Waiters place

to Mr Bruce at Port Glasgow where he and his wife resided for

Severall years and had severall chidren but Mr Bruce acted

Some wrong prank about the Customs House of Port Glasgow

When he made his Eloptment and never was heard of since

yet Otter ordered two of Bruces said children to be boarded at

Glasgow and helped there at his expenses Till the aforesaid

period of years the Memorialist was by Otter his

order employed in Otters business at Otter and neglecting his

own Affairs and not one penny allowed him or his familie

for his trouble may be seen in his Otters rentall books

his receipt books for his publick burthens and in paying yearly

his mother Jainture Vide his Receipt Books conform to the same

Page 6th same laying in his repositories at Otter

Excerpt 15

We have another unusual term here. “Setling marches” refers to resolving a dispute over the boundaries between two properties, which could be farms, estates or even a town. In the early minutes of Helensburgh Town Council you can find a description of the council members going around the marches of the burgh to check the boundary stones.

We also have another word that we’re not sure of, in the phrase “Mr William Dey less to the Memorialist”. “Less”, as we use the word today, does not make sense here. It can also mean “junior” or “younger”, or “lease”. However none of those make sense either. Once again we would be pleased if anyone could make any alternative suggestions.