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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Dumfriesshire => Topic started by: Jeffrey on Thursday 07 April 16 10:58 BST (UK)
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Can anyone tell me the social position of the stonemason in the 1800's in Dumfrieshire. Was he classified as a servant?
Did he travel around farms to perform his job or did he have a static place of work?
Thank you.
Judy
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Hi Judy
I don't know what the academics would say in answer to your question. I can only comment on my own family, which had a number of stonemasons who were born and lived in Dumfriesshire.
As you might expect, the answer isn’t straightforward, as this Wikipedia article illustrates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonemasonry) . There were several types of stonemason. Some were quarriers and sawyers, and some were workshop-based carvers specialising in either ornamental or memorial work or in buildings. Some members of my family were involved in all of these types of work at different times between about 1800 and 1862. For example, my great, 2nd great and 3rd great grandfathers were based at Locharbriggs and all apparently spent some time at least working in the nearby sandstone quarry. Meanwhile, my 3rd great-grandfather’s brother emigrated to Canada in the 1830s and he built a number of fine stone houses that are now listed as important.
On the social scale these people were probably regarded as “working class”, but some had the opportunity to be apprenticed, then to become journeymen and later master masons, rising the social ladder as they learned their skills to join what we used to call “lower middle class”.
Ian
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That is a very good answer.
Thank you
Judy