Hello everyone, Peter's mention of the lack of opportunity for door-to-door con merchants in Bute made me think of one measure taken to thwart them - badges issued to worthy beggars. Even these badges, it seems, sometimes passed into "unauthorised hands". An article in the Buteshire Natural History Society Transactions for 1945 explains how Kirk Sessions were in the habit of giving badges or tokens to deserving poor persons to entitle them to eke out their living by begging. "The law was very severe in its punishment of able-bodied beggars and vagabonds, but when badges or licences were granted to poor people by competent authorities these badge-bearers or licence-holders were allowed to beg with impunity." The article deals with beggars' badges issued by the Kirk Session of Rothesay. The first reference is found in a minute of 1827 (although badges or tokens of some sort must have been issued long before that date). "The Session taking into consideration the extent to which begging is carried, and imposition on the respectable inhabitants by strangers from other quarters, did and hereby do unanimously resolve that each of the begging poor of the parish shall be furnished at the expense of the Parish Session with a badge regularly numbered and the words "Rothesay Parish" to be inscribed on the same. Such badges to be produced when required and to be returned to the session on the death of the wearer." In 1827, 100 badges were struck, of which 60 were issued. They were round discs of a base metal alloy, 21/2ins in diameter and 1/2 ins thick. "The badge was a valuable privilege: it represented a considerable yearly income. We are not surprised to learn that although they were 'not transferable' they sometime passed by various means into unauthorised hands." The article includes a tribute to the badge wearers. "...these licensed beggars were, many of them, great worthies. They did exceedingly well for themselves, and often lived much better that some of those from whom they extracted sympathetic contributions. As might be imagined, their trade gave them a ready tongue; they were masters of repartee, talkative and facetious. When they toured the landward part of the parish, they were expected to give something more than an exposition of their distress. They had to bring news and entertain by their conversation, and indeed had many of the attributes and privileges of the jester of ancient days ...... "Of course, there were sad stories too - stories of dire distress and need, of poverty bitterly and reluctantly submitted to, and the unwilling donning of this last symbol of Christian charity. Many a weary and heavy heart would beat beneath the beggar's badge." No names given for beggars - just the mention of Widow A "originally belonging to the county of Ross"; Grace M "widow of a deceased seaman", Widow C etc. However, the names of parish worthies involved in issuing the badges, mentioned in passing, include James MUIR, Robert STEWART, senior, Robert FISHER, John GILLIES, Bailie McINDOE, William McKIRDY, Archibald McKIRDY and Dugald MUNN. All info from The Rothesay Beggars Badges by the Rev James Hay Hamilton, Buteshire Natural History Society Transactions 1945, Madeleine Wales In a message dated 01/02/2004 04:28:34 GMT Standard Time, cookfmly@bigpond.com writes: > I doubt if our Bute ancestors were much > troubled in their time by the equivalent - door to door Con merchants, > as being comprised of islands Bute provided some security against > quick departure from the area ! > Or can someone show this is an incorrect assumption on my part ? To > half answer myself - possibly in Rothesay town?