Dougal Graham
Encyclopedia
Dougal Graham, born in the Raploch
, Stirlingshire
, Scotland, around 1724 and died in 1779, became the skellat bellman
of Glasgow at some time around 1770. In addition he was a prolific author of Scottish chapbook
s and provides our best prose examples of mid 18th century vernacular Scots
.. In his youth he followed the Jacobite
and Hanoverian
forces around Britain as a non-combatant. His The History of the Rebellion in Britain in the Years, 1745 & 1746 gave an account in doggerel
of his experiences and sold very well.
William George Black
's article in the Dictionary of National Biography
, 1900, proffers a little more detail on this figure's life and works−
Raploch
The Raploch is a district of the city of Stirling, which lies to the south of the River Forth in central Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to by people from outside the area as "Raploch"....
, Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, Scotland, around 1724 and died in 1779, became the skellat bellman
Town crier
A town crier, or bellman, is an officer of the court who makes public pronouncements as required by the court . The crier can also be used to make public announcements in the streets...
of Glasgow at some time around 1770. In addition he was a prolific author of Scottish chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s and provides our best prose examples of mid 18th century vernacular Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
.. In his youth he followed the Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
and Hanoverian
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
forces around Britain as a non-combatant. His The History of the Rebellion in Britain in the Years, 1745 & 1746 gave an account in doggerel
Doggerel
Doggerel is a derogatory term for verse considered of little literary value. The word probably derived from dog, suggesting either ugliness, puppyish clumsiness, or unpalatability in the 1630s.-Variants:...
of his experiences and sold very well.
William George Black
William George Black
William George Black, C.B.E., was an antiquary, lawyer and politician of Glasgow.Black was born 23 December 1857, and died in Glasgow on 21 December 1932....
's article in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, 1900, proffers a little more detail on this figure's life and works−
..., chapbookChapbookA chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
writer and bellmanBellmanBellman is an alternative term for a bellhop. It may also refer to:People named Bellman* Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer* Eric Bellman, psychotherapist* Gina Bellman, New Zealand/English actress...
, was born, it is believed, at Raploch, near Stirling, in 1724. He was much deformed, and found the wandering life of a 'chapman' (or pedlar) more to his taste than any settled trade; but when the highland army of Prince Charles Edward was on its way south in September 1745, he gave up such occupation as he had, and followed the prince. It is probable he was merely a camp-follower, as he can scarcely have been a soldier, but he accompunied the forces to Derby, and back to Scotland, and was present at CullodenCullodenCulloden may refer to any of the following:*Culloden, Highland, a village in Scotland**The Battle of Culloden, a battle which took place there in 1746...
(16 April 1746). Five months later he published A full, particular, and true Account of the Rebellion in the year 1745-6.
- Composed by the Poet, D. Graham,
- In Stirlingshire he lives at hame.
To the tune of "The Gallant Grahams," etc. This work is written throughout in a rough doggerel, but is historically useful as the undoubted testimony of an eye-witness. Its popularity was very great. No copies of the first or second (1752) editions are known to exist. Graham settled in Glasgow, and is said to have become a printer, but this is doubtful; at all events he became 'skellat,' bellman or town-crier, of Glasgow about 1770. He is described as "a bit wee gash bodie under five feet," as being lame in one leg, "with a large hunch on his back, and another protuberance on his breast." He died on 20 July 1779. Graham wrote, under assumed names, a large number of chapbooks, such as Jockey and Maggy's Courtship, The History of Buckhaven, Comical Transactions of Lothian Tom, History of John Cheap, the Chapman, Leper the Taylor, The History of Haverel Wives, Simple John and his Twelve Misfortunes, etc. All his works were exceedingly popular,and early editions have become very rare. Although coarse, they are not wanting in humour, and they are valuable to the student of folklore as containing very numerous references to current superstitions. Sir Walter ScottWalter ScottSir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
warmly appreciated Graham's talent, and so late as 1830 entertained the idea of printing a correct copy of the original edition of the rhyming history of the rebellion as his contribution to the Maitland Club publications. The idea was not carried out. Graham's collected writings were edited with notes, together with a biographical and bibliographical introduction, and a sketch of the chap literature of Scotland, by George MacGregor, 2 vols. 1883 (250 copies only).