Archie Brown was a market gardener and florist at Boathouse (Boat Jocks) from 1874 until 1912. Thanks to his great, granddaughter, Jenny Day, we’ve been looking at his remarkable diary from 1874 and 1875. In this last extract from April 1875, after which Archie or Arch got married to Christina Braid on June 11th 1875 at Carnwath.
A few of the references from this dairy are as follows:
Orchard was the home of Arch’s parents, Thomas Brown and Catherine McLean, and that it was in the vicinity of Braidwood near Carluke. Thomas Brown was the gardener there. The ‘big house’ is now a home for the elderly and the gardener’s cottage has been built onto and made into a very upmarket home.
Blantyre Farm, (often known by the old Scots, Blantyre Ferme) the farm on which Boathouse was sited, the main house being further away from the river, was owned by Coats, brother in law of Arch. Sister Nan married John Coats. They lived at Blantyre Ferme Cottage, this was further up stream on the same side of the river.
Coatery = bakery, pie making place.
Dun = lodging house, of the ‘lower type’.
Dulible rod = a long cane rod, no joins in it.
Mashlam = A mixture of grains which were grown then cut green as feed for animals. Could be corn and barley or oats and beans.
Scob = twig or cane of Willow or Hazel bent over to fasten down thatch, or perhaps in this case the top of a basket.
Skep = wickerwork or straw basket, esp. one for carrying grain meal or potatoes. Slipe = sledge
Stinkie = common ragwort or perhaps tansy, used as a mulch.
Pictured around 1900 is a great view of Arch and Christina’s home on the left. Boathouse is no longer there anymore, but how fine a home this must have been by comparison to all the miner’s raws in Blantyre at the time.
APRIL 1875
Thur 1. Good morning, lifted and planted a few strawberry’s in the morning, lifted the new potatoes in the forenoon, potted the Chrysanthemums and pricked the cauliflower in the afternoon, fine day, W.West.
Fri 2. Good morning, cut flowers in the morning, digging the rest of the day. Showery and rather cold, wind sou’west.
Sat 3. Very wet morning, was cleaning the greenhouse, wet all day, stormy night. W.West.
Sab 4. Dry morning, was up at the sheep in the morning, went to church, McLuckie in the forenoon a stranger in the afternoon, good day, wind west.
Mon 5. Snow this morning, wet all day. Took the wee cow to the bull. Grafted a few Apples on Paradise and Quince, pears. W.W.
Tues 6. Fair morning, was digging all day, showery day, W.S.
Wed 7. Wet morning, went in for stinkie in the forenoon, digging in the afternoon for straws, fine afternoon. W.East.
Thur 8. Good morning, was planting Elton’s all day. Fine day, wind N.east.
Fri 9. Good morning, was planting strawberry’s all day. Went in to Glasgow at night, fine night Wind east.
Sat 10. Good morning, was planting straws, finished the planting in the Cottage Park. Fine breezy day. The jam gooseberry’s with a few open flowers.
Sun 11. Good morning, went to church, had an old man for both fore and afternoon. Fine day, wind N.east.
Mon 12. Fine morning, started and dug the ground below the Browns Wonders, finished it at night. Very mild day, a great many gooses in flower. Fine night, wind west.
Tues 13. Inclining frost this morning, was planting Wizards today, very fine day, good growth, mild night. Wind west.
Wed 14. Good morning, was digging in the forenoon and planting in the afternoon. Dick went in for stinkie. Fine day very warm, wind west.