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Strict Christians in Banffshire fishing ports criticised as 'Holy Willies'. The fishermen around Gamrie [Gardenstown] and Macduff were all very religious. "They'd sing on the Lord's day, but they'...

Gamrie [Gardenstown] a wealthy place. Gamrie [Gardenstown] seems to Charles 'Codlins' Simpson to be one of the richest places in Scotland. There are no poor rates, because there are no poor people...

Invading Norsemen fought off in Banffshire. The first Norsemen in the North-East of Scotland landed at Gamrie [Gardenstown]. The men fled, but the women got the Norsemen drunk, then put stones in ...

Former site of Macduff. The Macduff area was a barren country at the time of the Norsemen. Macduff was not where it is now, but was at Doune, by the Burn of Melrose.

A Banffshire ghost. The Green Lady of Melrose, the ghost of a woman who was killed, used to be seen by servant deems [kitchen maids] on the Farm of Melrose and beside the green tree [Green Tree?] ...

A Banffshire witch. Talk of old Maggie Shaw, said to be a witch. Women believed that she could tell the future, and if she put a curse on somebody they would never thrive.

Description of Francis Markiss, the musician. Hamish Henderson asks about a woman supposed to be a witch, and whether she could make peats fly through the house by themselves. Charles 'Codlins' Si...

A trick is played on Francie Markiss. One time Francie Markiss was returning from Brandon Fair and some of the billies [lads] decided to give him a scare. They put a string across the road with a ...

Description of Francie Markiss and his character. Francie Markiss used to travel using two staffs: he could go faster than a horse. He went into Turriff once to fee [engage as a farmservant] for t...

Francie Markiss competes against Donald Dinnie at Elgin Highland Games. Francie Markiss made a lot of money playing at fairs and markets, including Banff market at Turriff, Fogieloan [Aberchirder]...