Tuesday 24th August 1819
Tuesday August 24th left Glasgow at 2 o’clock & proceeded through the beautiful Vale of Clyde to Dumbarton a small town situated on the River Clyde, there are some extensive glass works carried on here belonging to Mr Dixon I was highly delighted in surveying them; after dinner we walked to the Castle built on a fine rock which we ascended by steps, sentinels are constantly posted here; & the greatest part of the Castle which does not at all resemble one, is converted into barracks, General Saimon was confined here for three years, one of the soldiers showed us the sword of Wallace which is supposed he threw into the river when pursued it is a very large; we had a fine
view from this eminence.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
Dumbarton history goes back at least as far as the Iron Age and probably much earlier. It was the site of a strategically important Roman settlement known as Alcluith of a province named Valentia. The next record of a settlement in Dumbarton is a record in Irish chronicles of the death of Guret, rex Alo Cluathe ("king of Clyde Rock"), in AD 658. The fortress of Dumbarton was the stronghold of the kingdom of Alclud, and the centre of British power in northern Britain, for more than two centuries from the mid-seventh century, until the Vikings destroyed the fortress after a four-month siege in 870. The loss of the British power base led to the emergence of the new kingdom of Strathclyde, or Cumbria, with a major centre at Govan. The title "king of the Britons of Srath Clúade" was first used in 872. Dumbarton was later the county town of the county of Dunbartonshire, formerly known as Dumbartonshire. The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Dùn Breatainn meaning "fort of the Brythons (Britons)", and serves as a reminder that the earliest historical inhabitants of Clydesdale spoke an early form of the Welsh language.
1824: The Town of Dumbarton, from Clark's Views in Scotland . Artist & Engraver John Heaviside Clark, Publisher: Smith & Elder, Fenchurch St, London http://www.rareoldprints.com/z/16052
From the mid 18th century to the early 19th century Dumbarton's main industry was glassmaking. As the glass industry declined the town became a major centre for shipbuilding and remained so well into the 20th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton
Dumbarton Glassworks, founded in 1777, was owned for most of its history by the Dixon family, who were local gentry landowners and was located in Dumbarton because of the proximity to coal and sources of kelp from the Highlands (an ash derived from burned seaweed), which with sand formed the key ingredients of glass making. The firm was notable for two types of product – glass bottles and ‘crown glass’, the latter its main claim to distinction, giving employment to many skilled craftsmen. At its height, c. 1800-1830, the company supplied most of the high quality glass used in Scotland, with a focus on the Edinburgh market where it maintained an agent and warehouse. Crown glass was used as window glass and having highly reflective qualities is still made today using similar craft techniques for historic building conservation projects. http://www.artisansinscotland.shca.ed.ac.uk/items/show/63
“This oil painting of the town of Dumbarton in west-central Scotland, taken from the west bank of the River Leven, is dominated by the three distinctive cones of the Dumbarton Glassworks.” Painting circa 1820. Image and text from Artisans and Craft Production in Nineteenth-Century Scotland, a University of Edinburgh online exhibition about Scottish artisans, their work and working lives between 1780 and 1914. http://www.artisansinscotland.shca.ed.ac.uk/items/show/63
circa 1820 Dumbarton Glass works from http://www.artisansinscotland.shca.ed.ac.uk/items/show/63
Dumbarton Castle’s rich history dates from the 5th Century. The king of Dumbarton in about AD 570 was Riderch Hael, who features in Welsh and Latin works. During his reign Merlin was said to have stayed at Alt Clut. The medieval Scalacronica of Sir Thomas Grey records the legend that "Arthur left Hoël of Brittany his nephew sick at Alcluit in Scotland." Hoël made a full recovery but was besieged in the castle by the Scots and Picts. The battle appears in stories of Myrddin Wyllt, the Merlin of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini, perhaps conflated with the battle of Arfderydd, located as Arthuret by some authors. It played a key part in the capture of William Wallace, the political intrigues of Mary of Guise and her daughter Mary Queen of Scots and remained garrisoned till World War II.
1800: Dumbarton castle and lime kiln by Roger Griffith from John Stoddart, Scenery & Manners in Scotland. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dumbarton_castle_and_lime_kiln.jpg
2006: Looking north across the River Clyde towards Dumbarton Castle by Alan Hughes. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scotland_Dumbarton_Castle_bordercropped.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbarton_Castle and https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/dumbarton-castle/history/
General Simon: We are indebted to Dr John Taylor, again, for coming to our rescue by providing several references to this French Officer, who was confined in a small state prison set in part of the fortifications. “The general Lucy is most likely referring to is Brigadier General Édouard François Simon, a Napoleonic officer captured at the Battle of Bussaco during the Peninsular War. He was imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle for 2-3 years. His name is variously spelled Symeon, Simeon”.
On reading these references I was struck by the fact that Gentlemen were expected to honour the terms of their parole and in consequence any attempt to flee back to France was considered exceptionally bad manners. General Simon must therefore have been notorious for his attempts to send paroled French troops back home, so much so that the Coplands were shown the room in which he was held in the castle. A colourful character, having once been convicted of trying to remove Bonaparte he then became a loyal officer, a notably brave soldier and apparently hot-headed in character. I have quoted extensively from Dr Taylor’s References to illustrate my impression of him:
MEMORIALS OF CLUTHA – Pencillings on the Clyde – Elvira Anna Phipps (1842) https://archive.org/details/memorialsclutha00phipgoog/page/n138/mode/2up?q=simon “He had broken his parole of honor to the English, and made his escape to France, but, being recaptured, he was again sent over to England and confined in Dumbarton Castle till the peace”. This reference states the confinement as two years as opposed to Lucy’s three. HISTORY OF THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF DUMBARTON, from the remotest period. By John Glen (1847) https://archive.org/details/historytownandc00glengoog/page/n106/mode/2up?q=symeon "Adjoining the barracks there is a strong building of two stories, in which there is a suit of rooms, with iron-stanchioned windows. In these apartments General Symeon was confined, an intrepid French officer under Bonaparte, taken prisoner by the British, under Wellington, at Waterloo. He was kept a close prisoner in the castle for a considerable period. He was vigilantly guarded by two soldiers with loaded arms and fixed bayonets, from the place of his confinement daily to the summit of the eastern rock, and his patrol was circumscribed it to the circuit of the magazine. The British government allowed him this recreation twice a day – from 10 to 12 A.M. and from 4 to 6 P.M. The regular undeviating track of the general’s meridian and evening walks, being at first covered with soft and verdant grass, became at length a beaten pathway, a yard beyond which he dared not venture, by reason of the strict military orders given his accompanying guards. During the period of his long confinement, and his circumscribed march on the eastern rock, the “Scottish Maiden", an ancient instrument for beheading traitors, and somewhat similar to the French guillotine, lay dismantled at his feet." PRISONERS OF WAR IN GREAT BRITAIN 1756-1815 – a record of their lives, their romance and their sufferings – Francis Abell (1914) - https://archive.org/details/prisonersofwarin00abel/page/372/mode/2up?q=simon “An ugly feature about the practice of parole-breaking is that the most distinguished French officers did not seem to regard it seriously. In 1812 general Simon escaped from Odiham and corresponded with France; he was recaptured, and sent to Tothill Fields prison in London, and thence to Dumbarton Castle, where two rooms were furnished for him exactly on the scale of a British field officer’s barrack apartment; he was placed on the usual parole allowance, eighteen pence per day for himself, and one shilling and threepence per day for a servant, and he resented very much having to give up a poniard in his possession. From Dumbarton he appears to have carried on a regular business as an agent for the escape of paroled prisoners, for, at his request, the Transport Office had given permission for two of his subalterns, also prisoners on parole, Raymond and Boutony by name, to take positions in London banks as French correspondents, and it was discovered that these men were actually acting as Simon's London agents for the escape of prisoners on parole. It was no doubt in consequence of this discovery that in 1813 orders were sent to Dumbarton that not only was Simon to be deprived of newspapers, but he was not to be allowed pens and ink, ‘as he makes such a scandalous and unbecoming use of them.’ In May 1814 Simon, although he was still in close confinement, was exchanged for Major General Coke, it being evidently considered by the government that he could do less harm fighting against Britain than he did as a prisoner.” This same reference, on page 436, describes their capture: “Information led them to Pratt Street, Camden Town. The female servant appeared in the area of No. 4 in reply to their knocks, denied that there was anyone in the house, and refused them admittance. The officers, now reinforced, surrounded the house, and some men were seen sitting in a back-parlour by candlelight. Suddenly the candles were put out. Lavender, the senior officer, went again to the front door and knocked. The servant resisted his pretext of having a letter from a lady in the house, and he threatened to shoot her if she still refused admission. She defied him. Other officers had in the meanwhile climbed over the back garden wall and found Simon and another officer, Surgeon Boiron, in the kitchen in darkness. The mistress and servant of the house were both French women, and they were carried off with Simon and Boiron: altogether a capital haul, as the women were found upon examination to be ‘deep in the business’ of aiding and abetting in the escape of prisoners.” WELLINGTON'S BATTLEFIELDS ILLUSTRATED - Bussaco – Lt. Col. G L Chambers, ( 1910) https://archive.org/details/bussaco00cham/page/n5/mode/2up?q=simon This book contains details of General Simon's career, his battles, his imprisonment, and anecdotes: “There were some curious incidents in connection with Gen. Simon, who was wounded and taken prisoner along with his aide-de-camp in the attack on the Light Division. In spite of three wounds, Gen. Simon was excited and furious, and after his capture insisted on being allowed to meet Gen. Craufurd in single combat. It was, however, pointed out to him that he was already a prisoner, and that an acceptance of his proposals would therefore not show much wit. Wellington treated him with great courtesy. He was taken to the Convent, an English officer gave up his room, and the General's wounds were attended to. Word was also sent to Masséna, asking for his baggage to be sent. In the meantime his valet was endeavouring to penetrate the Allied lines but, his object being misunderstood, he was fired on. Thereupon, a French account says, the cantinière of the 26 Regiment of the line in Simon's brigade, a young and pretty woman, hearing the complaint of the valet, insisted on loading a donkey with the General’s kit, and proceeded towards the front, saying, "Let us see whether the English will kill a woman." She was allowed to pass without molestation, was taken to the Convent, where she remained until Gen. Simon and his aide-de-camp left for Coimbra next day, when she returned to her Regiment. An English officer, writing from the front under date 30th September, 1810, says that a short time after Simon was captured a young Spanish lady in male attire, whom the General had carried off from Madrid, and his baggage, was sent to the British head-quarters under a flag of truce. The Friar in his diary says the French general, his wife and secretary left for Coimbra on the 28th. Col. Leech says, “Towards evening a flag of truce came in, bringing Gen. Simon's baggage, and with it a pretty little Spanish woman, part of his establishment. The fair one was in tears, and appeared much agitated." Lt. Col. Chambers includes another account: “We took some prisoners, and among them General Simon, a gallant officer, but a bad and dishonourable man, who afterwards broke his parole of honour. He was horribly wounded in the face, his jaw being broken and almost hanging down on his chest. Just as myself and another officer came to him a soldier was going to put his bayonet into him, which we prevented and sent him a prisoner to the General." Another account relates: “As I could not see the fight I returned to the house. When I arrived, a soldier of the General's guard told me that there was a prisoner, a French General named Simon. I went at once to see him. He was wounded with three balls, all in the face.” His capture is later described by another: “Simon surrendered to Private James Hopkins, of Robert Campbell's company, who received a pension of twenty pounds per annum as a reward for his bravery on this occasion. Private Harris, of 52nd, also shared in his capture and got a pension.” BORIS WILNITSKY FINE ARTS: https://www.wilnitsky.com/scripts/redgallery1.dll/details?No=40698 In the Boris Wilnitsky Fine Arts collection are fine portraits of General Baron Eduard François Simon and his wife, “painted by well-known presumed miniaturist Jean Cossard in December 1814” together with details of his life and career.
General Baron Eduard François Simon by Jean Cossard https://www.wilnitsky.com/scripts/redgallery1.dll/details?No=40698
“Baron Eduard François Simon was born on December 1, 1769 in Troyes as a son of a physician and well-known French bibliothecaire (librarian) Eduard-Thomas Simon, called ‘Simon de Troyes’. In May 20, 1792, he volunteered to join the military service and entered the 1st Infantry Regiment as a sous-lieutenant. In the period between 1792 and 1795 he fought in ranks of the Armée du Nord, whereas on June 1, 1793, he was promoted to lieutenant and, on February 22, 1795 - to "chef de bataillon". On July 26, 1795, he was awarded the rank of "chef de brigade" and transferred to Armée du Cotes d'Ocean. His next transfer occurred on January 30, 1797 and led him into the Armée du Sambre-et-Meuse. On July 6, 1797, General Louis-Lazare Hoche submitted the nomination of Baron Edouard François Simon to be appointed the rank of Colonel and command of the 16th Regiment de chasseurs-a-cheval (he was confirmed in this rank on September 9, 1797). On July 15, 1798, Simon was appointed staff-commander of the Irish Invasion of General Jean Hardy in the course of which, (or, to be more precise, on October 12), he was imprisoned by the British during the capture of the French battleship "Le Hoche". Soon, however, he was released as a result of prisoners exchange. On July 27, 1799, he was raised in rank to brigade general and commander of a brigade in Vandamme Division (Armée du Batavie). On February 8, 1800, he was transferred to the Armée de l'Quest of General Brune. On February 20, he became the staff-commander of General Bernadotte in the Armée de l'Quest. In 1802, Baron Edouard François Simon happened to be the main figure in the plot against the 1st Consul Napoleon Bonaparte - the so-called "complot des pots-de-beurre". He was arrested on June 25, 1802 and, on August 10, sentenced by war crimes tribunal into exile on the island Ile d'Oléon on the French Atlantic coast. On June 15, 1804, Napoleon granted him mercy, and he returned to military service with the rank of brigade general. On October 30, 1809, he was appointed Commander of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Reserve Infantry Division of General Loison in ranks of Armée d'Espagne (on January 31, 1810, this taskforce became the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division of VI Corps of Armée de Portugal). He participated in sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida and on September 27, 1810, during the Battle of Bussaco, was wounded and once again apprehended by the British army. He (alike other French prisoners) was kept on Pontoons of Chatham; he returned to France at the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration (April 1814). From December 30 1814, he served as the general inspector of the 23rd military division (Corsica) but during the "100 days" joined Napoleon, who promoted him to division general on May 22, 1815. After Napoleon's defeat, Louis XVIII annulled this promotion, and for the following three years (between September 20, 1815 and December 30, 1818), Simon remained without any military appointment. From 1819 until his retirement (August 9, 1826), he served as inspector of infantry in different military divisions. He died on April 13, 1827 in Paris, at the age of 57. He was buried at the Cemetery Pere-Lachaise.
Wallace’s sword is of dubious provenance though it’s displayed in the Hall of Heroes of The National Wallace Monument.
It has been alleged that after William Wallace's execution in 1305, John de Menteith, governor of Dumbarton Castle received the sword in August of that year, but there are no records to that effect. Two hundred years later, in 1505, accounts survive which state that at the command of King James IV of Scotland, the sum of 26 shillings was paid to an armourer for the "binding of Wallace's sword with cords of silk" and providing it with "a new hilt and plummet" and also with a "new scabbard and a new belt". This repair would have been necessary because, according to legend, Wallace's original scabbard, hilt and belt were said to have been made from the dried skin of Hugh Cressingham, who was killed at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. No other written records of the sword are found for a further three centuries. In 1875 a letter from the War Office informed that the sword, in 1825 was sent to the Tower of London to be repaired. At that time it was submitted to Samuel Meyrick by the Duke of Wellington for examination.Dr Meyrick was an authority on ancient swords, but he estimated the age of the sword by examining the mountings only, which as we know were replaced early in the 16th century. Thus he concluded that the sword could not date from earlier than the 15th century. However, he did not take account of the blade, which must have been of some importance for James IV to have it bound in silk and give it a new scabbard, hilt and belt, and it was also described then as the "Wallas sword". The sword was recovered from Dumbarton by Charles Rogers, author of The Book of Wallace. Rogers, on 15 October 1888, renewed a correspondence with the Secretary of State for War, with the result that the Major General commanding forces in North Britain was authorised to deliver the weapon to his care for preservation in the Wallace Monument.
Close inspection reveals that it may be made up from pieces of different swords fitted together. Part of this could have come from a late-13th-century sword. David Caldwell, writes that "Apart from the reshaping of the guard, this sword does not appear untypical of the two-handed swords in use in the lowlands of Scotland in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth centuries.” (page 174) and that the blade has a ricasso, which is not a medieval feature. However, the blade appears to be made of 3 separate pieces hammer welded together. The bottommost piece has a flattened diamond cross-section, and so perhaps might be a 13th-century sword, and therefore there is some hope for those who think that Wallace's sword is there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Sword https://www.nationalwallacemonument.com/sir-william-wallace/the-wallace-sword/
Can you help us?
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?