User:1797massacre

The Massacre of Tranent

The goal of this project is to identify and honour those who were victims in the Massacre of Tranent in 1797.

While much has already been written regarding the Massacre of Tranent itself, the aim of this project is to concentrate on the people as opposed to the events of the day, to identify those who were involved and !nd a link to their families, rather than leaving them as only footnotes to a tragic page in Scottish history. The political and historical context of the massacre has not been well studied, so this will also be examined.

Summary

Civil Square, Tranent, East Lothian On 29 August 1797, following a protest in Tranent against the 1797 Militia Act, at least 22 people were killed. [1]

The East Lothian archives at the John Gray Centre in Haddington note: It's clear that the authorities were unprepared for the scale of the protest, that they attempted to press ahead after dismissing the populace’s appeal out of hand, that the military on hand was out of control very quickly, and that most of those killed and injured had taken no part in the events in Tranent itself.

The Political Background

Before the Great Reform Act of 1832, [3] the political system in the British Isles was unrepresentative and undemocratic with the outcome of general elections decided solely by the in#uence of the nobility and landed classes. Following the French Revolution of 1789, [4] pamphlets began to circulate stressing the requirement for reform to move towards a representative parliamentary democracy and Thomas Paine's 'The rights of man', published in 1792 also raised the awareness of the people. [5]Meanwhile, in Scotland in July 1792, The Friends of the People Society was formed and attracted a wide membership. [6] However, those in power had no wish to relinquish it and on 24 August 1793, one of the champions of the reform movement, Thomas Muir of Huntershill, was arrested and later sentenced to 14 years transportation. [7] Amongst this background, discontent began to grow amongst the ordinary non-enfranschised classes.

Militia in Scotland before 1797 and the Auld Alliance

In 1698, although in personal union with England under King William II of Scotland and III of England, the Kingdom of Scotland was still an independent country. It was feared by many that Scotland was in danger of being invaded by England, its more powerful southern neighbour and Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, recommended that a Scottish militia be created to aid in the country's defence. [8]

Scotland had been a friend and ally of France for centuries. In 1942, while in Edinburgh, General de Gaule described the alliance between Scotland and France as "the oldest alliance in the world" and added: In every combat where for !ve centuries the destiny of France was at stake, there were always men of Scotland to !ght side by side with men of France, and what Frenchmen feel is that no people has ever been more generous than yours with its friendship. More recently, in 2011 an academic suggested that the alliance may never have formally ended. [9]

Even after the Union of 1707 and the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain, [10] the British Militia Act 1757 did not apply to "that part of the Kingdom of Great Britain named Scotland". The close ties between Scotland and France and the possibility of a revolutionary French landing in Scotland receiving local support made the raising of militia regiments throughout Scotland an urgent priority.

The Militia Act of 1797

The Militia Act of 1797 empowered the Lord Lieutenants of Scotland to raise and command militia regiments in each of the "Counties, Stewartries, Cities, and Places" under their jurisdiction. [11]

However, the attempt to impose the act in one district of Haddingtonshire (East Lothian) was handled so badly that it is recalled to this day as the Tranent Massacre. The militia was intended for home service but as this could include deployments to the south of England or even Ireland desertions and failure to deploy were endemic: the Haddington(shire) Local Militia didn’t form until 1808. [12]

In 1797, the County of Haddingtonshire (East Lothian) was split into four districts. District Four was a mining area and comprised the parishes of Pencaitland, Salton, Humbie, Ormiston, Tranent, Prestonpans and Gladsmuir. [12]

Men between the ages of 19 and 23 were to be balloted for militia service. Lists of those eligible were complied by local o"cials, often the parish schoolmaster and those concerned were summoned to appear before the Deputy Lieutenants of the County at Tranent by means of notices posted on the doors of the parish churches. Those who wished to express their opposition were also invited to attend. [1]

The Petition

The summonses led to protests against the Act that were led by Jackie Crookston and included the wives and families of those who were to be balloted. [1]

On 29 August 1797, a petition was delivered to four Deputy Lieutenants of the Country who were assembled at John Glen's Inn at Tranent to draw ballots to select local inhabitants for service in the militia. The document was signed by about thirty people in circular or "Round Robin" format and read:

Prestonpans, 28th August 1797.

To the honourable gentlemen assembled at Tranent for the purpose of raising 6000 militiamen in Scotland.

Gentlemen,—The following are the declarations and resolutions to which the undersigned do unanimously agree :
 * 1) We declare that we unanimously disapprove of the late Act of Parliament for raising- 6000 militiamen in Scotland.
 * 2) That we will assist each other in endeavouring to repeal the said Act.
 * 3) That we are peaceably disposed; and should you in endeavouring to execute the said Act urge us to adopt coercive measures, we must look upon you to be the aggressors, and as responsible to the nation for all the consequences that may follow.
 * 4) Although we may be overpowered in effecting the said resolution, and dragged from our parents, friends, and employment, to be made soldiers of, you can infer from this what trust can be reposed in us, if ever we are called upon to disperse our fellow-countrymen or to oppose a foreign foe. [1]