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The Eighteenth Century -- Scotland
The Porteous Riots.
The Lothian Run was first published in 1971.
The Lothian Run of the title is the name which the Customs men give to the smuggling routes which end in the little ports on the north and south shores of the Firth of Forth.
But this is far more than just a smuggling story. It is written around a very significant incident in 18th century Scottish history - the Porteous Riots of 1736. Briefly, the facts about Captain Porteous are as follows. Two smugglers Andrew Wilson and George Robertson were due to be hanged. A few days before the execution George Robertson managed to escape. When Wilson was hanged Robertson tried to rescue him with a band of men armed with cutlasses. The soldiers fought the rescuers off and the crowd threw stones at the soldiers. Then the Captain of the Town Guard, Captain John Porteous ordered his men to fire on the Edinburgh crowd. They did so and a few citizens were killed. Captain Porteous was later accused of murder, tried and sentenced to death but was later reprieved. But when he was finally released from gaol the Edinburgh mob rioted. Captain Porteous was seized and hanged from the pole above a barber's shop.
The story of Captain Porteous runs right through The Lothian Run. But as if this is not enough Mollie Hunter has also worked in a Jacobite plot.
Sandy Maxwell is an apprentice in a lawyer's office. To Sandy the deed-room where he works is a small, dusty prison cell. Then Deryck Gilmour, Special Investigations Officer in the service of His Majesty's Customs, calls on the lawyer, Mr Wishart. Deryck Gilmour is trying to catch the escaped smuggler, George Robertson and he is asking Mr Wishart to help him. Mr Wishart at once tells him that his young clerk, Sandy Maxwell could be of assistance. Robertson has friends in the fishing village of Prestonpans - which is near Sandy's home. Sandy also has friends among the fisher-folk. Mr Wishart says that Sandy has a head on his shoulders and can be relied upon to ask the right kind of questions and keep the answers to himself.
So Sandy starts to work for Deryck Gilmour. There is adventure and danger. The story moves between the tall buildings and narrow alleys of Edinburgh, the hills and valleys of the countryside south of Edinburgh and the fishing village of Prestonpans. It moves at a rapid pace until the final climax during the riots and lynching of Captain Porteous.
A thrilling story with a sound historical background.
I once heard a story about a teacher who read this book with her class. When she had finished her class gave their verdict in no uncertain terms. In a mixture of traditional Glasgow and modern TV they told her exactly what they thought of Sandy Maxwell.
"He was a right wee grasser. He went to yon wee fushin' village and the people were friendly to him and then he went and shopped them to the polis."
Whatever may be said about the sentiments expressed one thing is for sure.
The Lothian Run really meant something to those children.
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