Jamie Gorrie

The Black Collection is a remarkable record about Penicuik and surrounding area from 1880 to 1930. It is named after James Black and his son Robert, who assembled a mass of material about life in Penicuik. The collection includes research and lecture notes, newspaper cuttings, notebooks, postcards, photograph albums and many other items. 

Amongst the cllection is an obituary to Jamie Gorrie, a well known Penicuik character. 

Jamie Gorrie: a Penicuik Character
From the Midlothian Journal 24 January 1890 

Jamie Gorrie’s Tree Fallen 

Every native of Penicuik will hear with regret that the recent storm has demolished “Jamie Gorrie’s tree.” This fir tree, which is situated in the Bog Wood, on Sir George D. Clerk’s estate has been for nearly half a century the favourite pleasure haunt of the children of the village and round its base they have played together while the boys and even girls vied with each other in reaching the highest point and cutting their names in the wood. The result was that a considerable portion near the top was covered with names of boys and girls, who are now grown up and many of them gone to different parts of the world. The tree is 77 feet in length and two feet from the base measures 4 feet 2 inches in circumference. 

From the appearance of the tree as it lies it would seem that its fall is due not to the weakness of the roots but to the fact that the children have been making fires at the side of it with the result that for nearly two feet from the base the tree is like a shell having been burned so much, and the wonder is that it has stood so long. The “Jamie Gorrie” tree in addition to being an interesting pleasure spot for the village children had the reputation of being the highest fir tree in the wood and the one most easily climbed – the branches spreading from the tree at regular intervals like a ladder, and from this cause there is scarcely a man or child in the village who cannot boast of having climbed it. Visiting it on Monday when the snow was lying deep on the ground and everything had the appearance of winter, we could not but think of the many who will hear of the tree being blown down with regret contrasting strongly with the sentiments of one of our local poets, who wrote recently in the Journal about the Penicuik bairns: 

Simmer’s come again my lads,
Hurra! hurra! hurra!
Simmer’s come again my lads,
Hurra! hurra! hurra!
Awa’ wi’ buits or shoon
For freely we maun rin
By muir, or dalce, or linn,
O sae braw! O sae braw!
The ‘Bog’ we’ll hunt wi’ glee,
When we come frae the schule,
An’ roon’ the ‘Gorric Tree’
We’ll see nae dunce nor fuIe;
Or doon the ‘sunny knowe,’
Where the wee primroses grow,
We’ll play the auld row-chow
Frae the tap o’ the hill. 

About a year ago an old man visited the village and asked to be directed towards “Jamie Gorrie’s tree.” On being shown, he remarked “I maun see hit ye ken, for its the only freend I can mind o’ an’ its thirty ‘ear since I saw’t an’ played aboot it.” Such no doubt will be the exclamation of many who are now for various reasons unable to see the old relic of the past. 

“Jamie Gorrie” after whom the tree was called was a painter to trade, but having sustained an accident his brain became affected and for years he was the character of the village, running messages and doing odd jobs for a living. He was generally in a happy mood, but sometimes when he was threatened with punishment he would take refuge in this tree from his tormentors, and thence the name has originated. When the band was out he always accompanied it – ready to assist in the carrying of the drum. Gardeners Walks and Whupmen Plays were his great days, and he aIso attended all the funerals in the district. He played the whistle and triangle, and was often smart in answering those who tried to raise a laugh out of him.