Stirling: Meeting the challenges of the mid-19^th century.

The mid-19^th century in Stirling was one that looked both backwards towards the 18^th (and even 17^th centuries) and forwards towards the 20^th. In 1847, much of the burgh and its people’s way of life would have been familiar to inhabitants of previous centuries. Water for drinking and washing was still drawn from wells, refuse was still deposited on the streets, weavers still worked their handlooms in their own homes, goods were still transported by horse and cart, and the town officers dressed in bright scarlet coats and equipped with halberds still patrolled the burgh. By the end of the period covered by these extracts from the Town Council minutes, a clean water supply was being piped into the burgh and mains drainage was well advanced, handloom weaving had virtually disappeared, the railways were carrying goods expeditiously and cheaply to and from the town, and a burgh police force had been established.

The modernisation of the burgh was illustrated in other ways too. A new High School to the highest contemporary standards was built to replace the old Grammar School, and a free library established, by private philanthropy, to cater for what we now call “lifelong learning”.  The first public lavatories were provided for a burgh increasingly aware of the need for the best standards of public health provision and acutely conscious of the dreadful consequences that followed from any failings in that regard. The growing population and wealth of the burgh was reflected in some unexpected ways; for example, by the creation of a new cemetery to supplement the space available in the Holy Rude churchyard, and by the decision to number the houses of the inhabitants. In politics too, the Council could lead the way; petitioning Parliament for the repeal of legal disabilities against Jews, and for the abolition of tolls on public roads.

Indeed, what is striking about so many of the developments pioneered at this time in Stirling is that they were the result of Council and community initiative rather than either direction or goading from central Government.

Mid-19^th century Britain was the world’s leading power, with an Empire that stretched across the globe, and interests that led it into conflict with other powers. It was during this period that Britain, in alliance with France and Turkey, went to war with Russia, and defeated an insurrection that threatened its possessions in India. Stirling was no parochial backwater interested solely in local concerns; it clearly saw itself as being involved in and concerned with the struggles and sacrifices of Empire. Monies were collected to relieve the sufferings of those caught up in what was then termed the “Indian Mutiny”, a memorial was erected to the officers and men of the 75^th (Stirlingshire) Regiment who had lost their lives during the insurrection in India, and Russian artillery pieces captured during the Crimean War were brought to Stirling for public display as trophies of war.

Contents

100 pages from a total of over 600 have been selected from the original volume of these town council minutes. These 100 pages cover selected themes which are outlined below.
Please note that these images are large (between 150k and 220k) and could take some considerable time to download depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

1.1.1       The Fever Hospital, 5 July 1847 (page 6).
1.1.2       Proposed mass graveyard for future cholera victims, 13 January 1849 (page 90).
1.1.3       Cholera, 27 September 1852 (page 226).

1.3.1  The dung cart and the sale of town dung, 5 October 1847 (page 13); 26 December 1848 (page 88); 21 April 1856 (page 388).
1.3.2   Mains drainage and sewerage, 16 October 1848 (page 81-82); 19 March 1849 (page 96); 23 February 1850 (pages 127-128).