Major
Gilchrist of Ospisdale was what one would nowadays be described as a
single-parent family, bringing up his family of three boys (one died
as a baby) and four girls more or less alone. The children were born
between 1801 and 1811 and at that time there were no suitable
schools within easy reach of his somewhat remote country house, so
he made a sensible decision to purchase a house in Tain, which could
be reached comparatively easily via Meikle Ferry, and in which his
children might stay whilst attending school in the town. One Mary
Ross was installed in the house to look after the young people – she
was probably some relation of the Gilchrists as she signed the only
letter which still exists "your affectionate aunt, Mary Ross",
though no one of that name appears on the family tree. The boys
started their education at home in the care of a tutor, Mr.
Drummond, but beyond that fact we know little though they doubtless
continued their education at Tain Academy. The girls may well all
have started their education in Tain also – Georgina the youngest
certainly did – but in 1815 Margaret, the eldest daughter was sent
to school at Killingworth near Newcastle where she remained for some
18 months. This establishment was run by three spinster sisters, the
Misses Tate, who obviously took good care of their pupils and taught
them to the best of their ability. We have detailed bills for
Margaret’s expenses during the time she was there, and they give
some insight into the curriculum and day to day lives of the
girls.
Boarding fees for the half-year were £15.15.0d, the
subjects taught including English, Writing, French, Geography,
Drawing and of course Music and Dancing. Strangely enough no mention
is made of History at this stage, and although Italian was also
taught, Margaret did not appear to learn it. The fees for all these
subjects were charged separately, averaging £3.15.6d for the half
year, and extras such as "Tea in the evening for a year" amounted to
£1.11.6d, with laundry costing £1.12.0d A charge of £4.4.0d was made
for the "Midsummer Holidays" which indicates that there was no
question of a child who lived so far away returning home during her
time at the school. Major Gilchrist was never a wealthy man and
found the school expenses hard to meet, but he was pleased with his
daughter’s progress. Even so, in the spring of 1816, he wrote to
Miss Hannah Tate (who seems to have dealt with all the
correspondence) suggesting that Margaret should leave school, though
she could only have been about 15 years old at the time. Miss Tate
replies in May of that year that "it is not against our regulations
to quit school at the time you mention for Miss. Gilchrist’s doing
so..... but I hope you perhaps may be induced to prolong her stay as
she is yet so young, and the studies she is engaged with require a
good deal of time to make the proficiency you wish". But leave
school Margaret had to do that autumn, breaking her journey back to
Sutherland with a long visit to Glasgow to stay with a great-aunt
and uncle, Mary and William Penman. About the same time it seems
that Major Gilchrist wrote to the Misses Tate to say that if he were
going to be able to send his younger daughters to their school, they
would have to make a reduction in their fees. This they did somewhat
reluctantly, particularly asking that the Major would not mention
the matter to his friends! Consequently, Alexa, who was a year
younger than Margaret, followed her sister to Killingworth. She
didn’t seem to settle down as quickly as Margaret had done, "being
grave for some time, but is now beginning to laugh and look more
cheerful" as Miss Tate wrote in October – she also said that the
child was well, though alas no fatter than when she arrived, and
that she found difficulty in applying herself to her studies, though
subsequent letters showed she was making progress. History had now
found it’s way into the curriculum and Alexa discovers "a good
comprehension of it.
The half-yearly accounts were always accompanied by
a private letter, a sort of progress report, the earlier ones ending
with the words "Your Obliged and Obedient, Servant, Hannah Tate"
while later on they grew less formal and finish "I remain, dear Sir,
your Obliged and sincere Friend".
Since the girls were at school more or less
permanetly, Miss Tate had to provide both cloths and pocket money.
There is a char e of £l.14.6 for a satin spencer and a net frock
cost £2.2.0. Trarslate these sums into to-day’s money and it will be
seen that clothes were not cheap. Stays cost 14.Od and a peliss
£1.16.0.
By 17th December Miss Tate is much more satisfied
with her pupil except that she is "deficient in arithmetic" and
"though she is an exceedingly fine girl, she has sometimes shown an
impatience of temper which it will be necessary to watch over and
correct when she returns home". In October 1817 Alexa left
Killingworth, and like her elder sister returned home via Glasgow.
It would be fascinating to know how the girls travelled. No mention
of this is made except that in a later letter a coach fare of 12.0d
is referred to, but the route of the coach is not given. It is more
than likely that the girls, like other people, travelled by sea from
Leith to Invergordon or Golspie.
Catherine was the last of the sisters to go to the
school, taking Alexa’s place there and remaining until 1824. A
letter from Catherine to her father still exists in which she thanks
him for a letter which took three weeks to reach her from Ospisdale,
and she then goes on to say that she is suffering from chicken pox
but is now better. Miss Jane Tate adds a postscript to say that "she
was nearly recovered before, owing to the state of the roads, we
could procure any assistance". How disastrous for anyone needing a
doctor in a hurry!. Catherine also wrote to Alexa to say how
disappointed she is that she is not being allowed to return home
during the summer of 1823. At the same time an account is sent to
the Major which includes an item of one guinea "for drawing teeth",
and 11/10d for the doctor’s attention and some medicine when she had
chicken pox. Catherine remained in the care of the Misses Tate for
longer than her sisters, that is until November 1824. A year later
Major Gilchrist received a letter from the Tates saying that they
were closing the school at Killingworth and going to live in
Cumberland, so that there was no question of Georgina following the
older girls. Since Catherine remained at the school for so long a
period, her clothes had to be purchased locally, and the bills for
them remain. A parasol 14/-d, a small trunk 7/-d, walking shoes
6/6d,. a Leghorn bonnet £1.15.0d and enough black silk to make an
apron cost 7/-d. There are several mentions of gloves, both long and
short, items without which no lady could have been seen
out-of-doors, and a "wreath for my hair" which was 13/-d though it
cost but 3d to have their hair cut.
Catherine evidently made some of her own clothes as
several lengths of material are charged for as well as payment "to
the woman who assisted me, and for trimmings". Dresses at this time,
especially for the young, were comparatively simple, falling
straight from a high waist to the hem – half a century later, in the
days of bustles and boning, home dressmaking would have been a very
different matter. Major Gilchrist must indeed have found his family
expensive, and he was on occasion somewhat slow in paying his bills.
Indeed, even after the school closed, Miss Tate had cause to mention
(in a postscript to a letter to Margaret) that £18.13.0d was still
outstanding from the previous year, but early in 1826 she wrote to
thank their father for his remittance, so all was well eventually.
Georgina remained in Tain in the care of Aunt Mary Ross. Her school
accounts are sparse, but one account, for only two months, survives.
Music (½ an hour each day) French, needlework and English-total
£1.17.0d She also had dancing lessons from one Joseph Lowe for one
guinea. Aunt Mary purchased a hat for her for 5/6d, evidently
untrimmed as an extra 2/6d was expended on ribbon and lining for it,
and she also paid 1/6d for tartan for a Highland Bonnet with a
further half-crown for a feather for same! Georgina must have been
fond of dancing, as there are items for Ball tickets (1/6d) dancing
shoes and the mending of these. Aunt Mary writes to Margaret on 19th
May 1823, after the Major had paid a visit to Tain and left some
money for Georgina’s expenses " "I have paid the things that was got
for Georgina – I will enclose the accounts. The only pair of
(dancing shoes) that would fit, and was to be had here, cost 5/-d
which is too large a cost... I hear the last Ball is to be on Friday
week when I hope you and dear Alexa and your father will come over
to see her dance. Mr. Lowe says she is very much improved in her
Dancing – indeed I think she is – she is a good little girl. I
assure you that I let nothing pass with her that I think is not
right and proper....I hope you will bring a Ball Frock for her I
think white is the best colour, but you are the best judge. I ever
am with best good wishes to you and all friends, Your ever affec.
Aunt Mary Ross. P.S. I have not paid Mr. Murray’s account. I will do
so if you please. He is indeed a Dear Man to deal with. G. begs her
love to you, her Father and Sister...your new maid will be with you
on the 27th." So Aunt Mary was useful in ways other than caring for
the younger generation – she was able to find servants as well!
Whilst compiling these notes on the childrens’
education and trying to verify the facts, it occurred to me that it
might be an idea to telephone Tain Academy...this I did and was
eventually put through to Mr Napier, one of the teachers who seemed
to have particular interest in the history of the school. He was
most helpful and within half an hour or so had found the school
records of more than 160 years ago, reading out the names of all the
Gilchrist children, and the dates between which they had attended
1815 onwards. I thought this was quite remarkable and wondered how
many other schools could have done the same.
And so schooldays ended, the children all returned home, and the
Major could have congratulated himself on his successful
single-handed efforts to bring up and educate his family. I think
the girls were particularly fortunate in receiving a good general
education, as well as acquiring the usual ladylike skills, at a time
when much less attention was paid to female education than it is
today, and judging from what letters and accounts remain, they made
better use of it in later years than did their
brothers.