Remote & Rural Remedies

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"Survey return from Thomas Aitchison"

Cross, Orkney.

1850.

RCP/COL/4/8/178

Thomas Aitchison was a church minister in Cross.

Cross was a united parish with Burness in the Sanday area of the Orkney Islands. In 1881, the population was 1137. The main industry was agriculture and livestock breeding. There were also numerous fisheries.

[[Addressee]]
The Rev.
Thomas Aitchison
Cross
Kirkwall

[[Survey]]
QUERIES

1. How many Medical Men practice within the Parish of Cross and Burness ?

None. I mean residing and practising

2. The Names and Addresses of these.

[no text]

3. Has the number increased or diminished of late years?

I have been in the parish since 1843. During that time no Medical Gentlemen has practised in it. -

4. Have any left the Parish since you became connected with it? If so, for what reason?

Answered in no. 3.

5. Is there any complaint among the people of inadequacy in the supply of Medical aid?

none that I am aware of

6. Do you know of any cases of protracted suffering, or of injury by Accident, such as might have been alleviated had proper advice been at hand?

none.

7. To what extent is the deficiency of qualified Practitioners made up by the efforts of other parties?

Altho’ there is no Medical Gentleman in this parish P. Mood Esq. M.D practises in the next parish (that of Lady) within a reasonable distance i.e. five miles – from any part of Cross and Burness. -

8. Does your experience enable you to suggest any measure – of general applicability – such as would be likely to relieve to some extent the evils (if they exist) of deficiency in the supply of Medical aid?

The great evil here is the inability of the poor people adequately to remunerate Dr. for his valuable services. Hence there is great danger of his being starved out. Government, in my opinion, could not do better than give from the Public Funds a grant of from £50 to £100 for so excellent a purpose.

9. What Heritors¹ are resident, either generally or occasionally, in your Parish?

All the Heritors are non-resident – the principal ones, the Director of the Union Bank, Edinburgh who never set foot in it. -

[[Additional Text]]

Tom Aitchison Minister of Cross and Burness²

Explanatory notes:

1. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend.
2. Word “Burness” is obscured by fold in page.

"Survey return from Thomas Aitchison"

Cross, Orkney.

1850.

Thomas Aitchison was a church minister in Cross.

Cross was a united parish with Burness in the Sanday area of the Orkney Islands. In 1881, the population was 1137. The main industry was agriculture and livestock breeding. There were also numerous fisheries.

1. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend. 2. Word “Burness” is obscured by fold in page.

1. A heritor was a landowner, under Scots Law, whose holdings were sizeable enough for them to be liable for the payment of public burdens such as Poor Law rates, road and bridge assessments and the church minister’s stipend.
2. Word “Burness” is obscured by fold in page.