Dunning Parish Historical Society in Perthshire Scotland has local Dunning history data including dunning village census and grave yard geneaology records Dunning history society logo text

Crossroads and Characters

Crossroads pic16

16. FARM WORKERS AND LITTLE DUNNING.

On the hills above Dunning there used to be small rented farms. In this early 1900's photograph, a group of workers on a farm called Broadheadfold is taking a break from sheep clipping.

Agricultural workers like these were traditionally hired for a season. Often the deal was struck at the feeing market called Little Dunning held once a year in the city of Perth, when farmers and farm workers wanting a change would meet and agree on a season's fee. Sometimes the worker's family would be there with all its belongings and on a handshake would change farms and tied homes.

As the name indicates, this labour market originated in Dunning and undoubtedly had a long tradition there in the village's days as a busy trading centre, for Dunning in the mid-18th century had a market every month. They must have been undisciplined affairs, for Lord Rollo began the custom of having the village searched the night before a market for any suspicious characters. On market day, farm workers like these were armed with halberts and formed patrols to keep order during the fair. They also assisted in the collection of the tax which Lord Rollo levied on sweetie and whisky stalls and on each head of cattle sold.

But towards the end of the eighteenth century, Dunning lost its feeing market: a man was killed and the Perth Authority took away from Dunning the right to hold such an event, moving it to Perth.

Dunning was by then down to three markets, in May, June and October. To replace the lost autumn feeing event Lord Rollo was asked to find a day for a replacement. He did and it became known as the Findaday Market. Perth's Little Dunning continued until the 1930's.

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