From Wishaw he was remanded to Ayr Jail and tried in November at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court. The court heard he had set fire to the door of miner Edward Rice's house in Overton Row and also a sawmill shed belonging to the colliery company. Despite compelling evidence he was found not proven - ThreadSky

threadinburgh.scot • 4 days ago

From Wishaw he was remanded to Ayr Jail and tried in November at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court. The court heard he had set fire to the door of miner Edward Rice's house in Overton Row and also a sawmill shed belonging to the colliery company. Despite compelling evidence he was found not proven

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threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

By now Elizabeth is into trouble with the law too - she is fined 5s at Kilsyth in Aug. 1900 for Breach of the Peace at her lodging house. They are estranged in the 1901 census; Simon is again living with his mother and stepfather in Stevenston, his wife and children are in the Kilsyth lodging house

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

But there must be occasional reconciliations; a daughter - Mary - is born in Kilsyth in October 1901 and after mother was fined again for Breach of the Peace at the lodging house in January 1902, another daughter - Sarah (my Great Grandmother) - was born in Dalserf in December 1902.

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

The story doesn't get happier though. In April 1903, Elizabeth McCann presented herself and 4 children aged 11 to 3 months as homeless and "wholly destitute" at the Dalziel Poorhouse in North Lanarkshire. She had been totally deserted by her husband. This wasn't even her first time at the Poorhouse

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Simon, meanwhile, was in trouble again. He was in jail again for being drunk and disorderly in Ardrossan and got 7 days in Ayr Prison, again he couldn't or wouldn't pay his 10s fine.

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Simon's crimes took an altogether more sinister turn in 1906. By this time his wife and children were living with relatives in Musselburgh when his unwelcome presence joined them. On July 2nd he assaulted Elizabeth threw her to the floor, stabbed her in the left arm and pushed her down the stairs.

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

I cannot find that he was punished on this charge, but in November that year the law caught up with him for neglecting his family. Not to improve their lot - but to punish him for making them "chargeable" to Lochwinnoch Parish. He was sent to Paisley, tried and got 60 days hard labour

papagembo.bsky.social•4 days ago

I lived in Ayr from 14-18 - before escaping to Glasgow. Did not know it had a Prison.

alanf.bsky.social•4 days ago

I grew up in Ayr and didn't know that either. I must have a look on the old maps. That photo suggests to me it was between the harbour and the County Buildings.

lauravivanco.bsky.social•4 days ago

Were there reconciliations or could it be that the biological father(s) of these children were not her husband?

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Well, who is to tell! They are all registered under his name certainly and he doesn't seem like the sort of man who would have allowed himself to be registered as the father of a child he knew not to he his. I don't want to dwell on how consensual any "reconciliation" was...

lauravivanco.bsky.social•4 days ago

I'm not at all sure what the law is or was on this, but I thought if a woman was married, legally all her children would be assumed to be her husband's, whether they actually were or not? Point taken on the consensuality 😓

oldscotbooks.bsky.social•4 days ago

Here's the court minute for this trial (NRS SC7/33/9).
Note that the wife of Edward Rice (witness 2) was Mary McCann - was Edward Simon's brother-in-law?

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Mary McCann was his sister, yes, so that's his brother in law. Thanks so much for sharing, can't wait to look at this on the big screen later

oldscotbooks.bsky.social•4 days ago

Could have been worse - my 3g grandfather was killed by his brother-in-law - hit him over the head with a potato hoe. Tried for culpable homicide but assoilzied.

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Yikes! Simon also had a good go at his wife but haven't yet found an entry of a Sheriff Court case

oldscotbooks.bsky.social•4 days ago

Well if you find any reference to it let me know and I'll see if I have anything to hand.

threadinburgh.scot•4 days ago

Only a newspaper cutting

oldscotbooks.bsky.social•4 days ago

And this is his entry in the Ayr prison register when he was being held for trial. (HH21/17/18)

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