The morning after – St James Fair, Kelso, Scotland, 1886 – by Mark Baillie

Photograph above. Mark Baillie holds an enlarged copy of the original clipping of the photograph – possibly from a local newspaper published at the time of the fair. The caption reads:

Kelso Market Place, the morning after St James’ Fair, 6 August 1886, 9.30am

The van on the extreme left with white horse, half of which only is seen, belongs to Matthew Baillie, Carluke, who is standing a short distance to the right of his van, talking to his wife, Betty Watson (formerly of Swinton). She has a white apron, checked shoulder shawl and child in left arm.

The small pony cart, with children, seen round the back part of Baillie’s van belongs to Betty Blyth, Dalkeith, daughter of Jock Blyth of Yetholm, who was brother to the late Queen Esther. She herself will be found near the right front of picture standing at back corner of cart with white pony which is feeding out of a pail. She has dark dress, white apron and dark bonnet with white border round front. 

The cart with bare spars at left corner of picture belongs to David Douglas alias ‘Hawick Davie’ whose son with several children is lying on cart and whose daughter is standing at near back corner. 

The two vans with white horse and dark one standing immediately behind Matthew Baillie and in front of ‘Wood’s Fancy Emporium’ belong to a showman named ‘Hazard’ who may be seen leaning against the near shaft of the larger van. The man at the head of the dark horse is Thomas Neilson from Fife (one of the Border Neilsons).

Two men seen past near corner of this van are Andrew Douglas, Midlem, alias ‘Lang Andrew’ on the left, and a man named Neilson, they are evidently conversing. In a group of men behind Hazard’s lesser van and looking towards the front is Charlie Douglas alias ‘Tabor’ eldest son of Walter Douglas, alias ‘Dirty Watty’ and Leein’ Jenny, Hawick. Dirty Watty and Hawick Davie are brothers.

The cart to the right of Hawick Davie’s cart and containing round basket, belongs to Watson, Swinton, whose wife with child in her arms is leaning against far wheel.

The cart to the right of Watson’s and behind a group of boys belongs to Kennedy, Swinton, who with three women and a boy is standing at near wheel. The woman on his right is his sister, the one on his left is a Watson from Swinton, and the one facing him and wearing hat, shoulder shawl and white apron is Nannie Gibson or Rutherford, wife of Robert Rutherford ‘Prince Robert’. Her pony, a white one, is feeding out of a pail immediately behind her, and her eldest son is leaning against the near shaft of the cart, talking to a woman named Neilson. 

The large van with the door open in front, black horse with white near hind foot, standing in open space in centre of group belongs to William Baillie, Carluke, brother to the late James Baillie, Innkeeper, Denholm, and father of Matthew Baillie above mentioned.

The horse and cart on the far side of the white pony feeding belongs to John Young, Coldstream, alias ‘Cuddy Jock’.