MYTHICAL BLACKSMITH

Evening Star, Issue 21994, 2 April 1935, Page 11

MYTHICAL BLACKSMITH

SOME RUNAWAY MARRIAGES This debunking is a sad business. The “ historical ” blacksmith of Gretna Green is fallen from his perch. He is, in fact, a myth. Of course, the learned, the researchers, the Notes and Queries ferrets realised this some time ago. ' But the legend of the brawny blacksmith has persisted. No doubt it will continue to do so. It appears that the phrase “ blacksmith’s marriage,” signifying an irregular union, was used wide! 5' and generally at an early date. An entry in Mr Justice Rokeby’s Diary, 1693, notes a case in which a woman named Scager sued a man named Hopkins for libel, on the grounds that he had proclaimed in market places, that she. was his wife by a “blacksmith’s marriage,” and had nailed up a Statement to that effect on the public pillory. • The jury awarded the plaintiff 20s damages, which Mr Justice Rokeby considered insufficient.

Evidently ‘‘blacksmith’s marrage was a term well known in English jurisprudence at the time. How and when it crystallised into the figure of a particular blacksmith at Gretna Green remains a mystery. In 1783 an operetta called ‘ Gretna Green ’ was produced at the Haymarkct Theatre, complete with a blacksmith parson. The only Gretna “ priest ” who came up to the tradition was Thomas Little, known as “ Torn the Piper,” who had been a blacksmith in Newcastle before he took up the marriage trade; he practised c. 1830*50. “ Claverhouse.” in a book on Irregular Border Marriages, has collected many interesting- stories of runaways. One unfortunate young man was locked up by his father to prevent an elopement.

This was not to be endured. Only one method of escape was apparent, and that was a black one. Up the chimney went the bridegroom, off the roof, and away to the house of Scarr, where his lady love dwelt. Impatiently he attracted Hits W.’s attention. Alas, when she appeared she did not recognise her own dear love under his -covering of soot. In a husky voice he begged for soap and water. After some demur the soap and water were provider]; the lady was overjoyed, ami the couple fled to Gretna, where they were married in December, 1803.

THE LINCH-PIN BROKE. A greater disaster befell another couple in 1806. The postillion, one Joe, had unfortunately a little while previously forgotten to put on a nightcap; asia result he caught a cold, which rendered him quite deaf. The couple set off, hotly pursued by irate relatives,, and were rattling- along merrily when “ a crash! a crash ! a shriek from a lady and a sudden pause.” The lovers came to only to see postillion, horses, and front wheels of the chaise rapidly disappearing,: The linchpin. had broken. In vaui were shouts and cries. The deaf postillion heard nothing and rode quickly on, eyes front. . He arrived at his destination at a spanking pace, but the young couple were never seen again: it was three months. before Joe could be persuaded to return to work. Many celebrities made use of Gretna Green "and other places where these irregular marriages were celebrated. One of the earliest and most important matches made at Gretna was that between the future Earl of Westmorland and Miss Sarah Ann Child, the daughter of an enormously wealtny. hanker, who forbade the match, it i* related that Mr Child pursued the couple, and came up with them. at Hesket, between Penrith and Carlisle. Mr Child, in a fury, jumped out and shot one of the leading horses m the Karl’s and, unobserved, cut the leather which suspended the body, of the carriage to the springs. . The Earl proceeded with three horses, leaving the fourth dying. Mr Child, starting soon afterwards, had not gone far before' the body of the carnage! fell upon the frame, which entirely] stopped him, and he was compelled to wait until he could get a post-chaise to proceed with. He was. of course, tool late. JOHN PEEL ELOPED. In 1797 John Pefd eloped to Gretna Green with May White, in defiance of her mother’s objection that they were “ far owre young.” His “ viewl halloa ” announced tlieir return aa man and wife. In 1840 Lord Archibald Drumlanng, son and heir to the Marquis of Queensberry, ran away with a daughter of General Clayton. During their married life a groom ran away with one of the maids. Unfortunately he chose the Earl’s mosi» valuable hunter to ride upon. Too excited to be careful, the groom brought? back the horse lame. The Earl was furious, and dismissal was impending, when the Marchioness appeared upon the scene and was informed of its cause. “ Would you,”! she said, turning to her husband, “ have minded how many horses were lamed when you eloped with So the servants were not dismissed. There was no need in former time# to go to Scotland for irregular marriages. In London many were performed at the Fleet Prison. At that time, says Claverhouse. the entrants to Fleet street abounded with tenters, who accosted matrimonial visitors with! such queries as “Married, Sir?”* “ Wish to be married, madam?” hi the summer of 1753 Miss'Pelham, sisten Of the Prime Minister and of the Duke of Newcastle. late Secretary of State,; met a handsome fellow at RaneJagK Gardens. After several meetings the lady agreed to marry him. and they; repaired to the Fleet. But her loven was a notorious highwayman,. Jack Freeland. Luckily they were observed by a gentleman who knew them both, and who. to save Miss Pelham* arrested her bridegroom. The taking up of this case in Parliament led to the introduction of Lord Hardwioke’s Bill to stop clandestine marriages in England. This Bill became law on March 26, 1754. On the previous day a single Fleet marriage register recorded 217 weddings. Many, people must have lost a lucrative business by this Bill. One Fleet street parson took about £6O in marriage fees during October, 1748.