STEPHEN HOUSTON
Researchers have discovered Paisley is still owed cash ... by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s men.
That Jacobite debt has soared in value from the original £500 to a whopping £100,000 in today’s money.
But there’s no notion to call in the cash 275 years on. Instead, the story will be retold in the splendour of the new Paisley Museum, when it reopens next year.
Paisley Town Council had stumped up after the Jacobite army fined them £500 for daring to raise a Buddie militia against them.
Most other towns, including Dumfries, were later reimbursed by Charlie’s men following the Rebellion of 1745.
But the Jacobites refused point blank to reimburse Paisley, despite a number of approaches and years in court.
Archie Henderson, social history research assistant for Paisley Museum, said: “The history of the Jacobites is full of fascinating tales and having the opportunity to reinterpret the museum’s collection, tell new stories and retell old stories in a more engaging way is all part of the museum’s redevelopment.
“On December 30, Bonnie Prince Charlie celebrated his 300th birthday, so what better time for us to remind people of this part of our town’s history.”
Originally, Bonnie Prince Charlie fined Paisley £1,000 and took Bailie Matthew Kyle and former Bailie William Park hostage to ensure the fine was paid.
However, this fine was later reduced to £ 500 providing it was paid in full by the following evening. When the time came, the town only managed to pay £300, and the payment window was extended by 12 hours. At the final hour, the remaining payment was made to the Jacobites and a receipt from the Prince’s Secretary John Murray of Broughton was issued.
Archie added: “After the Jacobites were defeated at Culloden, and money started to be repaid to other towns, Paisley Council was advised that they should take John Murray to court, which they did in 1753 and the case dragged on for seven years without success. In 1760, an appeal was launched, but, again, there is no record of any response or positive outcome, so the debt has remained outstanding.”
The £42million Paisley Museum redevelopment will enable the number of objects on display to be doubled.
Significant items from the Jacobite collection that will go on display alongside the summons and receipt, including a Culloden sword passed down from the Carlile family, a Jacobite silver medal commissioned by Bonnie Prince Charlie, a painting by David Wilkie (1819) of The Veteran Highlander, and a headstone originally from the grounds of Paisley Abbey commemorating
John Orr, one of eight Paisley volunteers killed at the Battle of Falkirk in 1746.
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, chair of Renfrewshire Leisure, said: “Paisley’s collections are culturally significant and the museum’s refurbishment is a wonderful opportunity for the town to reinterpret our objects for public display in a way that is engaging and meaningful to visitors.
“It is also a real tribute to our curatorial teams past and present, that our objects are still in such good condition, and are able to illustrate the area’s rich culture and the people’s story.”