"Jock Oliver".....

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WilmaM
Posts: 1870
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

"Jock Oliver".....

Post by WilmaM » Tue Mar 08, 2005 12:19 am

One of my husband's GGGrandfathers was John Oliver, his Gran often told a story about him quiting his work at the manse.

After her death we got a few of their old books, one I claimed was "Brightons & Surrounding Areas" by a miner turned Minister, D. R. Dishington.
To our great surprise there in his 'Jottings' section was the story of Our Jock.

In the late 1800's there lived in Polmont village a character bearing the name of 'Jock Oliver' who operated Polmont manse water pump. He was a handy man in his way, local postman, boot repairer and quite a variety of semiskilled repair work.
Jock was for a time engaged by the resident minister to pump water into the manse by means of using a hand operated water pump. He was paid one shilling per week.
His pay did not satify 'Jock'. He thought he was exploited by being underpaid. One day whilst in a disgruntled mood and having the gift of writing poems, he wrote in chalk on the pump:
The work is hard,
The pay is ma',
gae pump yersel,
for Jock's awa'
.


I thought in Moonwatchers absence you could use a smile :D
Wilma

HeatherH
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Posts: 699
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:30 pm
Location: Nova Scotia ,Canada

Post by HeatherH » Tue Mar 08, 2005 12:33 am

Lovely Wonka,Just the right spirit .
HK

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