A wonderful record of hundreds of court decisions involving people from all over Scotland. A wealth of information and a snapshot in time. A random example:
'Dugald Ferguson, Pursuer. Alex. McKenzie, Defender. June 15, 1815. Apprentice - Implied discharge of an indenture, by the master's failure to make any claim on it for a series of many years.
In May, 1796, Alexander McKenzie, a lad from the Isle of Skye, became bound by regular indenture, as an apprentice, for four and a half years, to John and Dugald Ferguson, coopers in Greenock.
The parties did not agree well; and in spring 1798, Ferguson, having found McKenzie on board an English vessel in the harbour of Greenock, had him apprehended and committed to gaol; and there he remained for some days.'
As the story unfolds we hear of McKenzie being press-ganged into the Navy, where he served with distinction, rising to the rank of lieutenant and serving at Trafalgar.
After his discharge McKenzie wrote to Ferguson to settle a small debt and was then pursued through the courts for seven years by his former master who wished to recover his 'losses'.
Happily the Lords found in favour of the poor lad from Skye who became a distinguished naval officer!
