The Scottish Poor law of 1579 ordained that all able bodied people with no
mean sof support could be whipped and branded but the sentence could be
commuted to employment in the mines for a year.
re convicts in mines - in 1701 Alexander Stewart was sentenced to death for
theft but his sentence was commuted and he was gifted to Sir John Erskine
of Alloa (coal owner) as a 'perpetual and unrestricted slave'. This was
inscribed on a metal collar which was fixed round his neck. Found a few
years ago, the collar is now in the National Museum of Scotland.
lillian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gill Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 7:19 AM
Subject: Re: Convicts in UK mines
> Bernard do you have the full reference for the Scottish one?
>
> Thanks
> Gill
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bernard Moore" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 6:45 PM
> Subject: Convicts in UK mines
>
>
> >I have found two refs. to this now: one in Scotland (1850's), and
W.J.Lewis
> > in his book Lead Mining in Wales, details an instance where their labour
> > was
> > used in Mid-Wales. It was felt that working in the mines was better than
> > their
> > languishing in prison - maybe something the authorities should try
> > again!!!
> >
> >
>
>
|