Robert de Bruce Trotter’s Kirkcudbrightshire volume of Galloway Gossip (1901), the successor to the Wigtownshire volume published in 1877, is remarkable for being written entirely in Scots. As there’s no copy available online yet, I’ve typed up a selection of entries here to give a sample of the work. Most have something to do with place-names or language. I’ve added a partial glossary to each entry and the odd note here and there.
INTRODUCTION TO “GALLOWAY GOSSIP” by S. R. CROCKETT
- THE FERRY [pp. 5-6]
- A PATTERN PROVOST [p. 16]
- ALTER’T DAYS [p. 62]
- GENTEEL NAMES [1] [pp. 70-1]
- GENTEEL NAMES [2] [p. 74]
- NO A STREAM [p. 81]
- A CHOICE O’ HELLS [p. 86]
- THE THUROTS [pp. 88-90]
- ST. JOHN’S CHAIR [pp. 114-118]
- JOHN THE BAPTIST [pp. 118-119]
- CONSOLATION [pp. 119-121]
- TAMMIE TAIT [pp. 122-123]
- SPAE-WIFES [pp. 123-124]
- TAE CURE WARTS [pp. 125-126]
- TAE CURE THE JAUNDICE [p. 126]
- TAE CURE STYES [p. 127]
- TAE STOP BLUIDIN [pp. 127-128]
- TAE MEN’ BROKEN BANES [p. 128]
- TAE FIN’ A THIEF [pp. 129-130]
- WULL HE TAK US? [p. 130]
- DISAPPOINTIN THE FAIRIES [p. 131]
- THE GOOLD MILLS [pp. 132-133]
- THE LAIRD’S HEID [pp. 133-135]
- GALLAWA FOLK [p. 164]
- FOLK’S NAMES [pp. 209-210]
- THE LANGUAGE [p. 220]
- SCOTCH-EERISH GRAMMAR [p. 222-223]
- SCOTCH GRAMMAR [p. 223]
- ENGLISH GRAMMAR [p. 224]
- MOATS [pp. 225-228]
- THE WHITE SNAKE [pp. 228-231]
- THE SECKYBAN [pp. 231-232]
- PISTIE AN THE PUDDIN’S GHOST [pp. 232-234]
- A MODEL LAIRD [pp. 234-237]
- THE LAIRD’S REVENGE [p. 237]
- EMIGRATION [p. 238]
- DALARRAN [pp. 238-239]
- A POT O’ GOOLD [pp. 239-240]
- THE BLACK HORSEMAN [pp. 240-242]
- THE FAIRY BAN’ [pp. 242-243]
- GORDIESTON [p. 244]
- THE ROYAL BURGHS [pp. 245-246]
- THE WUTCH O’ DROOTH [pp. 246-247]
- THE WHITE HARE [pp. 247-248]
- BURNS AN THE WHUSKEY-WIFE [pp. 248-250]
- BURNS [p. 250]
- FORRESTER’S CIRCLE [pp. 251-253]
- COMMEMORATION [pp. 254-255]
- THE HISTORY O’ THE CAIRDONESS [pp. 255-257]
- AUTHENTIC TRADITIONS [p. 258]
- MAYBOLE [pp. 258-259]
- DALMELLINGTON [pp. 259-260]
- KILWINNING [pp. 260-261]
- CASTRAMONT [pp. 261-262]
- CARSTRAMMEN [pp. 262-263]
- ST. JOHNSTOUN [pp. 263-264]
- KIRKANDREWS [pp. 264-266]
- LAG [pp. 266-267]
- DEATH O’ DR. CORBY [pp. 267-268]
- THE MINISTER’S BURIAL [pp. 269-270]
- THE RECOVERY [pp. 271-272]
- WHUT DID IT [p. 272]
- CASTLE DOUGLAS [pp. 272-273]
- GORDONS [pp. 281-283]
- HISTORY [pp. 283-284]
- LOCHINVAR [pp. 284-285]
- KILLIECRANKIE [pp. 285-286]
- QUEEN MARY’S LUTE [p. 286]
- FANCY TRIMMINS [pp. 287-289]
- A SENSIBLE PATIENT [pp. 289-293]
- SURE SIGNS O’ WEALTH [pp. 293-295]
- RICHTS O’ PROPERTY [pp. 295-296]
- A CANTANKEROUS NEEBOR [pp. 296-298]
- NAE MENS [pp. 298-299]
- PRACTEESIN THE SERMON [pp. 300-301]
- WHUT HE PREACH’T FOR [pp. 301-302]
- THE TRUE FREEN [pp. 302-303]
- G—E AN THE ROBBER [pp. 303-306]
- THE GHAIST [p. 306]
- ANOTHER KIN’ O’ GHAIST [p. 307]
- HAME-MADE CLAES [pp. 307-309]
- McBRIDES [p. 311]
- THE PROSPEROUS MERCHANT [pp. 313-314]
- THE HONEST CUSTOMER [pp. 314-316]
- BACK AGAIN [p. 316]
- A PASPER GETHERER [pp. 317-318]
- THE FOREIGN HUSBAND [p. 318]
- WUDNA GIE IN [pp. 319-320]
- GUDE NEEBORS [pp. 320-322]
- NO TAE BE BEAT [pp. 322-323]
- A MODEL FLOCK [pp. 332-333]
- A WEE MIRACLE [p. 384]
- ANITHER MIRACLE [p. 385]
- BRUCE AN THE ENGLISH [pp. 386-387]
- A BIG SNAW [p. 387]
- RAEBERRY CASTLE [p. 403]
- MONS MEG [p. 411]
- BYNAMES [pp. 411-412]
- THE MERMAID [pp. 427-429]
- JOCK MACTAGGART [pp. 433-434]
- RIDIN THE STANG [pp. 439-443]
- CAREFU EXAMINERS [pp. 443-444]
- A FISH STORY [pp. 466-469]