Hi Lorna,
it basically started because the villagers were fed up with their young men being called up for Army duty, each village schoolmaster had to put forward names of those who were of age to join up ( Early Conscription ) I think the number men needed from Scotland was 6000.
If we look at what had happened in the near past of that time in East Lothian we had the Battle of Prestonpans in which I am sure many locals were involved and many killed, with this in mind the local population was fed up with this happening, plus why should they fight in foreign Wars started by the English Government.
All the surrounding villages and Hamlets seemed to gather in Tranent and at that time it was probably the second largest village, the people started off demonstrating peacefully until the man who owned the coalmine a John Caddell ordered them to break up and go home.
When he seen that the people were not going to do that he called for the soldiers who were in the Pub to go out and break it up, the soldiers were drunk but when they set foot on the street they were told to go back, Caddell then sent for the Cinque Port Troopers to come and break it up, when they arrived they were ordered to fire blank rounds to scare the villagers.
Caddell then ordered the troops to kill everyone, this really stirred the people up as it was a real threat, witnesses said they had seen Caddell throwing a stone at the soldiers and of course the soldiers thought it was the villagers that had done it, the Cinque Ports then started to shoot live rounds wounding an killing the villagers.
To date I don't think there was ever an apology given, I am thinking of starting a petition and make it public, my 5th g-aunt was Joanna ( Jackie ) Crookston killed, another relation Janet Hogg her face was slammed of the Pub door by Caddell and possibly Robert Ross who was injured.
Cheers.
Archie.
