COLLECTION UPDATE No. 17,1994 Pat Eaves, Editor University of Guelph Library 1994 EDITOR’S NOTE Collection Update is published annually by the University of Guelph Library. Members of the university community write articles about rare books or archives that are of particular interest to them. This year we have again several articles on items from our Scottish collection, these touch on a would be artist, corruption in a seafarer’s insurance company, and scandal and murder. Other articles include a Canadian book on midwifery, books from the trenches of WWI and a charming autograph book. We would like to thank George Loney for doing the layout. Thanks also to Jeanette Davidson for transcribing all the articles to disk and, last but not least, to Carol Goodger-Hill for assisting with proof­ reading. Collection Update was produced by the University of Guelph Library on a personal computer using Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows. The printing is done on an Abaton LaserScript LX using Times New Roman font. Times is a registered trademark of Linotype Co. Word and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writting from the copyright holder. ISSN 0226-3300 Printed on acid free, recycled paper. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS A Dishonourable Soldier; William Henry Cranston and His Women by Linda Day..................................................................1 The Mysteries of Montreal: Being Recollections of a Female Physician by Sharon E. Taylor......................................................13 The Prime Gilt Box of Kirkcaldy by W. K. McLean...........................................25 The Khaki University by Doug Home............................................... 41 William Home Lizars - Edinburgh Artist and Engraver by Susan Waterman MacLean.......................55 By Hook or By Crook by Karen Voss Peters..................................... 69 Contributors................................................................................. 80 List of Illustrations.......................................................................81 iv A DISHONOURABLE SOLDIER: WILLIAM HENRY CRANSTON AND HIS WOMEN William Henry Cranston, a naval officer in the British Army and a younger son of a noble family, was a credit to neither his service nor his family. He is remembered for first deserting and disowning his wife and baby daughter, and then inciting a young woman to murder her father. William Henry Cranston was bom in 1714, the third surviving son of William, fifth Lord Cranston and his wife Lady Jean Ker, eldest daughter of William, second Marquess of Lothian. He was a lieutenant in a marine regiment. In 1744 he became involved with Ann Murray, daughter of David Murray, a merchant of Leith. The University of Guelph Library recently acquired an unusual document regarding this relationship. The document is the court Decreet of declarator of marriage, issued by the Commisary Court of Edinburgh at the instance of Ann Murray and her daughter Jean Cranston. The document is remarkable in itself - inside the handsomely bound volume are over 400 pages if neat handwriting by Alexander Nairne, joint commissary clerk of Edinburgh (who 1 signed each page). The remains of a seal can still be found on the last page. All the evidence in the case, including many letters and the testimony of witnesses, is written in the decreet. The account of the relationship between Cranston and Ann is recorded as follows in the decreet: Some year before May one thousand Seven hundred and fourty four, After the said Lieutenant William Henry Cranstoune Defender had made his Addresses to the said pursuer Anne Murray for marriage he deferred proceeding in the said Courtship by reason of the Lowness of their fortunes untile he should attain to a post and Commission in the army whereby to be enabled to make them live in a way more suitable to their Birth. But afterwards he the Defender coming to be Informed that a Gentleman of Considerable fibrtune, was in suit of the said pursuer and had obtained or was likely to obtain her Mothers consent he the Defender interposed and Renewed his Courtship of the pursuer for marriage and at length prevailed with her to consent to it under consert that they should be married privately and keep their marriage a Secret for some time. Least its coming to be too soon known should be a mean to prevent or Retard the promotion he was then in quest and hopes of in the army and accordingly about the midle of the moneth of May one thousand seven hundred and fourty four they were privatly married in the house of Mrs. Dunbar widow of William Dunbar of Kincorss Esquire by one he brought there of the appearance of a Clergyman, and whom he the Defender Called a Chaplain To a Regiment in presence of Margaret Park Sister to the said Mrs. Dunbar, and the said marriage was keept private for several moneths until the parties thought it proper to make known their marriage, and accordingly they Intimated and acknowledged the same, and owned themselves married persons Husband and wife to their ftriends. Relations and acquaintinces and from that time they were by their friends, Relations and Acquaintinces, esteemed, Reputed, Conversed and Corresponded with as Husband and wife, and they treated and entertained each other as such and a Child procreated of the said marriage to with the said pursuer Jean Cranstoune being brought furth by the said pursuer in the house of the said Mrs. Dunbar in Edinburgh upon the nintheenth day of ffebruary one thousand seven hundred and ffourty five years. The said Child, the Defender being then at London, was at his desire holden up at Baptism by Charles Cranstoun his brother german and by the Defenders order Christned by the name of Jean after the Defenders mother, and was afterwards owned treated and entertained by the pursuer and Defender As their lawfull Child and was esteemed and Reputed such by their friends Relatives and Acquaintinces and the pursuer and Defender Continued to own treat and entertain each other as husband and wife untill the moneth of August one thousand seven hundred and ffourty six, that he the Defender most wrongously and unjustly took it in his head to disown the pursuer to be his wife, and he has even since most unchristianly abstracted himself from and deserted her and their said Daughter, all which ffacts and Circumstances appeared from several missive Letters which with exact copies thereof duely Collated and Attested by the Clerk of Court are Lodged in the said Clerks hands and should also be otherways proven. Therefore the said pursuers ought to have the said Commissaries their Sentence and Decreet, Finding and Declaring the said Defender and the said pursuer Anne Murray married persons Husband and wife and the said Jean Cranstoune pursuer their lawfull Daughter, and Decerning and ordaining the said Defender to Adhere to the said pursuer Ann Murray As his lawfull wife her society ffellowship and Company and to treat Cherish and entertain her at Bed Board and all other conjugal duties as becometh a husband to do to his wife, and that during the conjunct lifetimes, and Decerning and ordaining him the Defender to make payment to the said Ann Murray his spouse of the sum of one hundred pounds sterling for her 3 aliment from whitsunday one thousand seven hundred and fforty five years to Whitsunday last. Fifty pounds sterling at the term of Martinmas next and the sum of twenty five pounds sterling at each term of Candlemas, whitsunday, Lambas and Martinmas thereafter until he Adhere to her and Discharge all the duties Incumbent upon him as her husband, and likeways Decerning and ordaining the said Defender To make payment to the pursuers of the sum of Five pounds sterling for each quarter of a year from the Birth of the said pursuer Jean Cranstoune the time above mentioned and in time Coming for the aliment of her the said Jean Cranstoune... (p.2-6). The remainder of the decreet consists of evidence assembled in the case. It is not difficult to understand why the Commissaries decided in Ann's favour; one simple fact is that most of Cranston's letters to Ann address her as "Mrs. Cranston". A letter dated January 26, 1745, attests to the fact that Cranston's family was well aware of the relationship between Cranston and Ann. Cranston wrote: My mother wrote me, Cranstoun [a brother] was to sett out for Edinburgh, the day She wrote me when every thing As to the Affair would be publick by his visiteing you, & the inclosed will shew you his Regarde and Affection better than what I can espress it... My Br. Charles will hold up the Child, and I have a favour to beg of you, that if it is a Girl it may be Jean after my Mother, Wm if it is a Son...(p.26) In another letter, date April 25,1745, Cranston wrote to "Mrs. Cranstoun" that "All I can say is that whilst I life you and her [Jean] shall be my constant care". 5 Ann Murray was a Catholic; this was the main reason why the marriage had been kept secret at fust, for fear that a Catholic connection would retard Cranston's promotion in the army. Cranston claimed that he had not married Ann, but had promised to do so if she would give up her Catholic faith and become a Protestant, but she had refused to keep a promise to do so. In a letter to a lawyer retained by Ann, he wrote "...marriage is the point which she affirms and what I absolutely denye ever existed between use... She confesses the aggreement between me and herself wherein She consented to be Protestant if I would save her Character by making her Mrs.