Hammermen

The Seal Of Cause has been lost but the nine Trades’ Inventory of Charters includes what purports to be a copy, giving the date as 21st September, 1525 during the Deaconship of Alexander Moir. early records show that two Cutlers were before the burgh court for ‘invading’ their Deacon, one Silvester Ramsay, with a ‘winger’ (dagger). This happened some time before 1587 because Patrick Ramsay, who was Deacon in 1587, was the son of Silvester.

The lockit book, now rebound, was repaired at an earlier date and many of the pages are out of sequence. It is fair to assume that some were lost altogether.

One record in 1602 gives licence for a Hammerman from Strathdichty, David Thoms, allowing him to work in Dundee by paying a weekly penny to the Craft. This was one way in which the Craft retained the work for its own members within the town.

The constant money worries showed very real concern for the poor and needy, the ageing craftsmen and their widows and orphans. Their well-being was of paramount concern and the Deacon had authority to give immediate relief and recover the money later when he cleared his accounts at the end of the year.

Bearing in mind that there was little or no opportunity for a craftsman to save during his working life, this was the only lifeline to those who fell on hard times. This part of the Trade’s work continues to this day, although there are fewer opportunities to show this benevolent side without infringing some of the social benefits to which these people are entitled.

The protectionism mentioned earlier was done partly by limiting the number of people who could be trained in the craft by insisting upon a long period of training i.e. seven years plus two as servant or eight and one followed by an ‘essay’ or test piece set by the Deacon. Outsiders or unfree men were ruthlessly dealt with. Penalties were also severe and these can be read in the Rules and Bylaws of the Craft.

Around 1653/4 Alexander Guthrie, a saddler, was expelled from the Craft for striking the Deacon and ‘other causes not to be publish’. In fact he had been guilty of ‘filthie carriage to his brethern by lying daily to the English commander’. This was not the result of antienglish feeling because the Craft had two englishmen in their ranks at that time. Discipline, however, was sharp and swift. It also shows that the english were not unwelcome and had support in the town. More than thirty crafts figure in the Hammerman records such as Armourer, Bucklemaker, Blacksmith, Gunsmith, Goldsmith, Silversmith, Jeweller, Clocksmith, Watchmaker, Knocksmith, Cutler, Sword Slipper, Locksmith, Farrier, Saddler, Lorimer, Brassfounder, Plumber, Pewterer, Guardmaker and Potter.

Due to irreconcilable differences, the Goldsmiths were given permission by the Town Council to separate from the Craft, although the records show that many still retained heir membership of the Hammerman.

In the 16th and 17th Century Dundee guns were famous all over europe and were much sought after. A high proportion of the Trade between 1587 and 1620 were Gunmakers with the Ramsay and Alison families featuring prominently. Sadly, very few records remain of the methods or style of Dundee guns of the time, but certainly guns of the ‘fishtail’ and ‘lemon but’ design were superbly crafted and there is an example of each in the national Museums of Scotland, edinburgh. THe Craft worked hard at keeping their monopoly. Keeping the work of the unfree out of the burgh on the grounds that it was not up to standard was one ploy used and, since the Craft was the sole judge of standards, it was an effective method of keeping outsiders from trading and for ensuring high prices for their own products.

Only the Deacon, for example, was allowed to buy the ‘smiddy coal’ for the forges as it arrived at the Port. He ensured that it was separately weighed to ensure that the poor fund got its just dues. In 1699 Journeymen were charged £1.10/- if they moved from one master to another. The master was charged 10/- if the servant stayed for more than a year.

In 1846, by Act Of Parliament, all trade privileges were abolished and the authority of the Trades was slowly eroded, including removing their rights to sit on the Council, until the present day when the Trades are reduced to doing charitable works, mostly connected with education, and acting as a pressure group.

The industrial life of the City has been greatly enhanced by members of the Craft and it could be said in all modesty that without the Hammerman Craft of Dundee its industrial future would be bleak indeed.

The Craft continues to expand its interests into new technology and is sure to play an important part in the life of Dundee.