Berries and broken bodies littering the road to hell

The road between Coupar Angus and Blairgowrie through the verdant settlement of Rosemount rates among the most picturesque in Scotland. It is a working landscape of farms and field, bridges and stone dykes: the true face of our country and at its best in summer. Little over a century ago, however, the long straight through Rosemount was a highway of shame.

Its verges were littered with the drunken and sometimes broken bodies of berry pickers who descended on East Perthshire for the harvest.

Our archives contain an uncompromising condemnation of the conduct of the pickers and reflected the fears of jam factories shocked by the personal habits of pickers.

Our report started: “The highway from Blair to Rosemount on almost any night of the week bears testimony to the brutality and beastliness of the berry pickers, both males and female. There is little sense of shame in them. How can there be? They herd together like cattle. Men and women, young and old, sleep together in a heap.”

This ragged crowd of humanity came chiefly from Dundee at the end of the 19th Century, although in the earlier part of the 20th Century, many travelled from Glasgow.

Those who were lucky got to sleep in a large shed, others huddled in tents while the least fortunate slept in the open.

In 1898 they could earn just over two shillings a day. The money did not stay in their pockets for long.

After their 6am to 5pm shift was over, pickers headed to Blairgowrie pubs to quench their thirst.

Plenty did not make it back to their campsites. They fell by the wayside to sleep off their carouse. Others, particularly women, got fists with drink and turned the Rosemount road into a boxing ring.

Our report added: “Children and young people can gain only evil by meeting them. Some regard ought to be had to decency and if these people will be beasts they should be kept at a more fitting occupation.

“They appear to be at no great pains to keep drinking within bounds.”

“The highway bears testimony to their brutality and beastliness...