Wormit Farm House, Scotland.
Owned by Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn of Wedderburn and Birkhill, de jure 10th Earl of Dundee
Hereditary Standard Bearer of Scotland and Constable of Dundee Castle; Capt, Gordon Highlanders; Lt Col commanding 5th Battalion, The Black Watch

SS NORSEMAN / BRASILIA 1898 go to Norseman.htm page
10,222 gross tons, length 516ft x beam 62ft, one funnel, four masts, twin screw, speed 12 knots. Built with accommodation for 300-2nd and 2,400-steerage class passengers. Launched on 27th Nov.1897 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast as the BRASILIA for the Hamburg America Line, she started her maiden voyage from Belfast to New York on 21st Mar.1898. Her first Hamburg - Baltimore sailing started on 4th May 1898 and in Feb.1900 she was sold to Harland & Wolff and then taken over by the Dominion Line, Liverpool who renamed her NORSEMAN and refitted her for cargo and emigrant work on the North Atlantic. Chartered by the Aberdeen Line in 1910 she started London - Cape Town - Melbourne - Sydney voyages with 3rd class passengers on 7th June and continued this service until starting her last voyage on 30th Jan.1914. On 22nd Jan.1916 she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U.39 off Salonika while carrying a cargo of mules and munitions. Towed to Mudros where she was beached and later sold to Italy for scrapping. [North Star to Southern Cross by John Maber] [Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas, vol.1 (photo)] [Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.4, Hamburg America Line]

From the 1881 Census:
Dwelling: Wormit Farm House
Census Place: Forgan, Fife, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203523 GRO Ref Volume 431 EnumDist 1 Page 7
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Robt. HAY U 52 M Cleish, Kinross, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Farmer Of 200 Ac Ar
Isabella HAY U 40 F Beath, Fife, Scotland
Rel: Sis
William HAY U 18 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Nephew
Isa. H. MC PHERSON U 15 F Kinross, Scotland
Rel: Niece
Hugh HYND U 18 M Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Rel: Ser
Occ: Ag Lab

This census report gives credence to the family stories, except that the uncle's name was Robert - not William, though there is an Uncle William as well.

TRADESTON (Central Glasgow) consists of that portion of land allocated to the Trades House out of the purchase made from Sir Robert Douglas by the Magistrates and Council in 1647. It is bounded on the east by Bridge Street and Eglinton Street, on the north by the River Clyde, on the west by West Street, and on he south by the Paisley and Johnstone Canal. It was laid off for feuing by John Gardner, optician, who was the associate and friend of James Watt. The names of almost every street in the section have been changed since the plan was made, Centre Street alone excepted, the first house in which was built by Thomas Craigie in 1790.

"Leuchars parish is 9 miles in length by 5 in breadth. It is bounded on the east by the German Ocean, and watered by the Eden on the south and south-west. The surface is level and the soil tolerably fertile. There is an extensive distillery in the parish. The village of Leuchars is pleasantly situated about a mile from the coast, and 6 from St Andrews, on the road from that town to Dundee. The majority of the inhabitants are employed in the linen manufacture. The Edinburgh & Dundee Railway passes through the parish, and there is a station in the village. The church is very ancient, and considered one of the most perfect specimens of Saxon architecture in Scotland; it is supposed to have been erected in the 12th century. There is also a free church in the parish." from Slater's Directory published 1852.

History and the Standard-Bearer
Before preparing this Bulletin we have considered a number of different accounts of the history of the Office of Standard-Bearer and of its holders. It is our intention to publish as many of these accounts as possible in successive issues of the Bulletin, notwithstanding that this necessarily involves a certain amount of repetition. Some day some gifted person may be persuaded to do the work of collation that would result in a definitive "History of the Scr___s".

It seems to us that the most appropriate account with which to begin would be that dealing with the Office of Standard-bearer itself, and we are fortunate in obtaining a copy of an article which appeared in the "Dundee Advertiser" as long ago as 6th August 1901. We reprint it, with headings, as it actually appeared.



The Hereditary Standard-Bearer of Scotland

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Origin of the Office

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Story of the Scrymgeours

By A H Millar, F.S.A.Scot.


Some dubiety seems to exist as to the identity of the Hereditary Standard-Bearer of Scotland, the question having been raised in view of the approaching Coronation of King Edward VII. This is not a mere matter of etiquette, but of serious history, and is worthy of calm investigation. The following outline of the case may be of more than local interest.

The accepted tradition regarding the creation of the office of Hereditary Standard-Bearer is thus related by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King-of-Arms, in his "Landed Gentry", sub voce "Wedderburn of Wedderburn and Birkhill":-

In the first year of the reign of Alexander I, Sir Alexander Carron, a brave Knight, accompanied that monarch in his pursuit of the rebels who had conspired against the King's life, and seizing the standard from Bannerman, crossed the Spey, and placed it on the other side of the river in sight of the rebels. In reward of this gallant service, the King constituted Alexander Carron and his heirs heritable standard-bearers of Scotland; he also made him a grant of lands, and conferred on him the name of Skirmisher or Scrymgeour, signifying a hardy fighter, and gave him a part of the Royal Arms of Scotland for his armorial bearings.

Alexander I began his reign in January 1106-7 and died in April 1124, so the approximate date of the creation of this office is thus ascertained. Whether the lands of Dudhope were those then bestowed has not been discovered. It is usually supposed that a charter in 1298 by Sir William Wallace, as Governor of Scotland, of "the Upper Field of Dundee" to Sir Alexander Scrymgeour marked the first appearance of the family in that quarter; but there is an earlier charter in the Dundee Charter Room which implies that the Scrymgeours were Lords of Dudhope early in the thirteenth century. It is certain, however that in a charter dated 13th August 1384 James Scrymgeour is styled vexillator Regis = the King's Standard-bearer; and this charter was confirmed by James II on 2nd September 1458. From that date this title was continuously associated with the Scrymgeour of Dudhope for the time being. To prove that the title was acknowledged as official it is only necessary to refer to the historic charter by James VI. dated 17th May 1590, in which the King alludes to the service of three noblemen who had officiated in the previous year at his marriage by proxy. These were George Keith, Earl Marischal, Andrew Keith of Dingwall, and James Scrymgeour of Dudhope, who is designated Connestabulus Taodunanus ac Scotie vexillifer hereditarius = Constable of Dundee and Hereditary Standard-Bearer of Scotland. James Scrymgeour died in 1612, and was succeeded by his son Sir John, who was created Viscount Dudhope in 1641, and died in 1642-3. His son the second Viscount Dudhope, died of wounds received at Marston Moor in 1644; and the son of the latter, who became the third Viscount, was created Earl of Dundee, and died without issue on 23 June 1668. In the patent of 1641, whereby John Scrimgeour was created Viscount Dudhope, it is distinctly stated that his predecessors "were honnored with the heretable title of The King's Standard-Bearers". It is thus beyond dispute that this title was held heritably till the death of the first and last Earl of Dundee.

Up till 1668, when the Earl died, there had always been male heirs to the title, offices and estates. The patent of the Earldom is not known to be in existence, but it may be presumed that the limitation of the title and the offices excluded heirs-female. This is implied by the terms of a charter apparently dated 11 July 1670, and ratified by Parliament on 22nd August 1670, whereby Charles II conferred upon Charles Maitland of Halton (brother of the Duke of Lauderdale, and afterwards third Earl of Lauderdale) the lands

"formerly belonging to the deceast John, Earl of Dundie, and fallen and become in his Ma. ties hands and his Ma ties gift and disposition be reason that the infeftments of the samen lands . . . wer given by His Ma. ties predecessors to the deceast John, Earl of Dundie, and his predecessors and ther Aires male, and that ther is no lawful Air maill that may succeed to be served Air male to the said umquhile John, Earl of Dundie".

This document clearly shows that the lands had fallen to the King, but no mention was made of the offices of Constable of Dundee and Royal Banner-Bearer. It is probable that some claim to these offices was made by one of the Scrymgeours, for the King took means to settle this point. On 25th May 1672 Charles II granted a charter to charter to Charles Maitland of the lands and Barony of Dundee.

"And Siclyke the heretable offices of bearing all his Maiesties banners, standerts, Cornetts, pinsells, ensignes and other signes and tokens of warr of whatsummever Chape, fashione or Cullor, als weil to foot as horse, that have been displayed befor his highness and his successors at any time heiraftir, with all honors, lands, fies, dueties, and immunities whatsumever belonging thereto".

No legal language could be more precise. The Charter was ratified by Parliament on 11th September 1672. To make assurance doubly sure, however, Charles Maitland obtained another charter, ratified by Parliament on 6th September, 1681, which settled all the lands and offices formerly belonging to the Earl of Dundee upon himself and "his airs male of his bodie, whilks failzieing, his nearest and lawfull airs male, whilks failzieing, his airs and assigneyes whatsumever". Amongst the offices mentioned are "the heretable office of Constabularie, and heretable office of carying all his Ma.ties Banners, Standards, cornetts, pincells, alsweil of foot and horse, with all fies, honors, lands and immunities thereto belonging". It will be noted that by this charter Charles Maitland had absolute power to confer the office of standard-bearer upon anyone, failing his own children and nearest heirs. Did he forfeit this right?

The Duke of Lauderdale died on 28th August 1682, and his brother Charles Maitland, succeeded to the Scottish title of Earl of Lauderdale. His overbearing manner had made many enemies, and after the Duke's death they rose against him. On 20th March 1683, he was charged before the Court of Session with fraud as Master of the Mint and Treasurer-Depute, and was found guilty, and he and his accomplice, Sir John Falconer, were declared liable in the sum of œ72,000 sterling. This sum was afterwards reduced by the King to œ20,000, and Lauderdale was ordered to pay œ16,000 to the Lord Chancellor (Aberdeen), and œ4,000 to John Graham of Claverhouse. The latter sum was converted into a grant of the lands of Dudhope and the Constabulary of Dundee, both of which were conferred on Claverhouse. Did this grant not necessarily include the office of Hereditary Standard-Bearer, seeing that that office had never been dissociated from the Barony of Dundee for many centuries? If so, then the Lauderdale family has not a shadow of a claim to this office.

John Graham of Claverhouse died a rebel in arms against King William, and his title was attainted and his lands forfeited. The King divided up the property, and in 1694 gave the Castle of Dudhope and the Constableship to Archibald Douglas, first Earl of Forfar. There is no mention made in this gift of the office of Hereditary Standard-Bearer. On the death of the second Earl, the estate fell to the Duke of Douglas, and from him it passed to Baron Douglas of Douglas Castle, whose present representative in the female line is the Earl of Home. No claim has ever been made by his family to the office of Standard-Bearer. The whole question thus lies in very narrow compass. If Graham of Claverhouse obtained this office together with the lands, then it fell into the Kings hands on Graham's forfeiture, and was not revived until 1821. If on the other hand, Charles II had no power over this office when the Earl of Dundee died, as there were then heirs in the line of Scrymgeours, then Mr Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn of Birkhill, the direct representative of the old line of Scrymgeours, is beyond question the Hereditary Standard-Bearer. Here a very curious circumstance must be noticed. In "The Wedderburn Book", recently published by Alexander Wedderburn KC, the following paragraph appears in the account of Henry Scrymgeour of Birkhill, born 1755, died 1841:-

"In 1820 when preparations were being made for the coronation of George IV, he (Mr Scrymgeour) put in a claim to act as Hereditary Royal Standard-Bearer of Scotland. In this matter he acted at the instance and with the help of my grandfather, then in London, who drew up and presented his petition to the Committee of Privy Council, then sitting as a Court of Claims in regard to the ceremony. The ground of his claim was, of course, his position as heir male of the last Earl of Dundee and his pre-decessors, who from an early period, had been the hereditary Royal standard-bearers of the Scottish Kings. The consideration of his petition and other coronation business was delayed, "the Queen's affairs having temporarily checked all proceedings of this nature, nor will they be attended to until she is disposed of"; but at length 2nd July 1821 the Privy Council, while they postponed without decision his right to appear at the coronation, approved his hereditary title to the office he claimed, and he was presented as Royal standard-bearer at the King's levee at Edinburgh in the following year. The office is now held by his grandson and successor, whose attendance as Hereditary Royal Standard-Bearer of Scotland, together with the other great Scottish officers of State, was commanded by the Queen (Victoria) when Her Majesty unveiled a statue of the Prince Consort in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, 17th August 1876".

There is thus a double precedent for the claim of Mr Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn to this office, with more than half a century between the events. The arguments in his favour, which were effective in 1821, should be equally cogent in 1901. In any case as Charles II committed an illegal act in seizing upon the estate and offices of the deceased Earl of Dundee in 1670, and bestowing them upon a favourite, making a false declaration that there were no heirs to the Earl then alive, it is perfectly clear that the Earldom is not extinct, and that a reasonable claim to it might be preferred by MrHenry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn. It is to be hoped that the Court of Claims will examine the whole evidence carefully, since the decision involves the revival of an ancient title in the Scottish Peerage.

Henry Scrymgeour-Wedderburn of Wedderburn and Birkhill, de jure 10th Earl of Dundee
born
28 Jun 1872
mar.
30 Jul 1901 Edith Moffat (d. 16 Oct 1968), only dau. of John Moffat, of Ardrossan, by his wife Jessie Fulton Arthur, only dau. of James Arthur, of Arlung, Ayrshire
children
1. Henry James Scrymgeour-Wedderburn later Scrymgeour of Dundee, later 11th Earl of Dundee
2. Lt Col David Scrymgeour-Wedderburn DSO (b. 2 Apr 1912; d. 1 Mar 1944), mar. 9 Sep 1940 Patricia Katharine Faulkner (widow of (1) Lt Col Walter Douglas Faulkner MC; mar. (3) 30 Oct 1946 her brother-in-law Henry James [Scrymgeour-Wedderburn], 11th Earl of Dundee), 2nd dau. of Lt Col Lord Herbert Andrew Montagu-Douglas-Scott CMG DSO (by his wife Marie Josephine Edwards, 2nd dau. of James Edwards), 5th son of William Henry Walter [Montagu-Douglas-Scott], 6th Duke of Buccleuch, and had issue
1. Janet Scrymgeour-Wedderburn (d. 18 Aug 1926)

died 12 May 1924
suc. by
son