Alexander Jeffrey facts for kids

Alexander Jeffrey (1806–1874), a famous historian

Alexander Jeffrey (born around 1806, died 1874) was a lawyer and a local historian. He spent most of his adult life in Jedburgh, a town in Roxburghshire, Scotland. People knew him as the "Historian of Roxburghshire" because he wrote so much about the area.

Early Life and Learning

Alexander Jeffrey was born in a place called Eccles in Berwickshire, Scotland, around 1806. His parents, Alexander and Janet, were from Duns. His father worked on farms in different parts of Scotland. The family eventually settled in Lilliesleaf, Roxburghshire. Alexander was one of nine children.

He went to school in small villages like Maxwellheugh, Morebattle, and Lilliesleaf. His early schooling was quite basic. However, Alexander loved to read and learn on his own. He often said he was mostly self-taught.

When he was young, Alexander worked as a miller at Lilliesleaf Mill. By age fourteen, he was a full miller. His family went to a church called the Seceder Anti-burgher Presbyterian Meeting House. The minister there, Reverend James Inglis, noticed Alexander's strong desire to learn. He lent Alexander his own books, including works by famous writers like Burns and Shakespeare.

Alexander didn't want to do manual labor his whole life. He dreamed of moving to a bigger town where he could use his brain more.

Becoming a Lawyer

Around 1825, Alexander Jeffrey started working for James Curle, a lawyer in Melrose. After more than a year there, he moved to Edinburgh to work for another lawyer, George Scott.

In 1829, while living in Yetholm, Alexander tried to become a lawyer in the Sheriff Court of Roxburghshire. He was turned down several times. In 1833, Alexander, his wife Katharine, and their two young children moved to Jedburgh. Around this time, he finally became a lawyer for the Burgh Court of Jedburgh.

He then got a job as a managing clerk for Mr. Woods, Jedburgh's town clerk. With Mr. Woods' help, Alexander was finally allowed to practice law in the Sheriff Court of Roxburghshire in 1838.

A Skilled Defence Lawyer

Alexander Jeffrey became known as a very good criminal defence lawyer. He often won cases in the courts of Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. He showed a deep understanding of the law.

One important case really showed how skilled he was. It was a disagreement between the town council of Jedburgh and the town's bakers. For over a hundred years, the bakers had to use the town council's mills to grind their grain. They also had to pay a tax on it. The bakers often tried to avoid these rules.

Around 1839, the town council decided to go to court to make these rules official by law. The bakers, advised by Jeffrey, decided to fight the case. Alexander was perfect for this job. He had worked in the town clerk's office and knew a lot about Jedburgh's history.

The case lasted for several years. In January 1843, a jury in Edinburgh decided in favor of the bakers. This meant the town of Jedburgh went bankrupt and had to sell all its property. Because of his excellent work on this case, more and more people wanted Alexander Jeffrey as their lawyer.

In 1849, the leaders of Jedburgh banned people from playing Handba' (a traditional ball game). Jeffrey successfully appealed to a higher court to overturn this decision.

A Passion for History

Alexander Jeffrey was a well-known expert on the history and old buildings of the Scottish Borders. He wrote several books and many articles for history groups. He became a member of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland in 1859. He also joined the Berwickshire Naturalists Club in 1862.

His most famous work is his four-volume book, "History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and Adjacent Districts." As a lawyer, he traveled a lot around the Scottish Borders. He always took time to explore and write notes about interesting things he found.

In 1853, he started organizing his notes to publish them. He first planned for it to be two volumes. The first book came out in 1855. The second was delayed until 1857. He then realized he needed a third and then a fourth volume to finish his history. The final volume wasn't published until 1864.

Challenges in Publishing

His big history project wasn't a financial success. At first, many people wanted to buy the books. But the long delays meant that many people who had signed up to buy them either died, moved away, or decided not to buy them because of the extra cost for more volumes. Each of the four volumes was printed by a different company.

Even though it didn't make him rich, the fact that a busy lawyer could write such a huge book shows how much he loved history. The book made him famous as a local historian. Newspapers and magazines, like the respected Edinburgh Review, praised his work.

His Published Works

Here are some of the books and papers Alexander Jeffrey wrote:

Newspaper Work and Politics

Alexander Jeffrey often wrote for local newspapers about important topics of the day. He was the first editor of Jedburgh's Teviotdale Record, which started in 1855. However, the paper's owner, William Easton, did most of the editing. Jeffrey also published two short-lived magazines called the Border Spy and the Border Observer. He likely published another one called The Tablet, which discussed local issues in a sharp way.

He gave speeches in Jedburgh and other towns to support a campaign to let more people vote in elections for the House of Commons (part of the British Parliament). He also wrote many newspaper articles about this. When the Reform Act of 1832 became law, the number of voters increased a lot.

Jeffrey also worked as a reporter for the Kelso Mail newspaper. He attended many public meetings during the elections of 1832 and 1834.

In 1853, the Jedburgh Border Games were held to celebrate the 8th Marquis of Lothian turning 21. Jeffrey wrote the official report about these events.

His Family Life

Alexander Jeffrey married Katharine Kerr in Yetholm, Roxburghshire, in 1828. They had ten children. Sadly, their first five children died young: Francis, Charles Grey, Alexander, James, and George.

Their other children who lived to adulthood were Katharine, Smeaton, William, Jean, and Isabella. It's interesting that the names of their first two children, Francis and Charles Grey, were not common in their families before. Alexander Jeffrey strongly supported the 1832 Reform Act, which changed voting rules. Lord Francis Jeffrey helped create the Scottish version of this law, and Lord Charles Grey, the Prime Minister, helped create the English version. It seems Alexander named his first two children after these important reformers.

More About Alexander Jeffrey

People described Alexander Jeffrey as a good-looking man. He was tall and had a well-shaped head.

He was happiest at home with his family around him, reading the newspaper. He was a very devoted family man and made many sacrifices for his children.

Jeffrey was also a great talker. He could share many interesting stories about books and his work.

He was a strong Protestant. He was involved with the Anti-Burgher Meeting House in Jedburgh for a long time. Later, he joined Jedburgh's Parish Kirk.

In 1840, Jeffrey became the political agent for the Conservatives in Jedburgh, a role he held for about fifteen years. He was made a freeman of Jedburgh in 1841. In 1856, he became a member of Jedburgh's town council.

Today, a part of the Bob Mason Room in Jedburgh Castle Jail Museum is dedicated to Alexander Jeffrey. It has a short story about his life, a picture of him, and a copy of one of his history books. These items were given to the museum by John Murray, a direct descendant of Jeffrey.

His Final Years and Death

Alexander Jeffrey's wife, Katharine, died in May 1872. Her death seemed to affect his health and mind deeply. People who had seen him at his best found it sad to watch him in court after that. His health got much worse in his last year.

On October 22, 1874, he was in the Sheriff Court in Jedburgh when he likely had a stroke. He was able to walk home with help, but he was never seen on the streets of Jedburgh again. For six weeks, he stayed at home, almost unconscious.

Alexander Jeffrey died on Sunday, November 29, 1874, in the afternoon. He was buried in the churchyard at Jedburgh Abbey on December 2, 1874. Many people came to his funeral, showing how much they respected him. His gravestone says that his wife, his youngest son William, and the five children who died as babies were also buried in the same spot.

His Will

Alexander Jeffrey wrote his will on August 24, 1874. In it, he left all his property and belongings to his daughter, Isabella Jeffrey. He explained that he did this not because he loved his other children less, but to show his thanks for Isabella's loving care after her mother died. He also felt that dividing his property among all his children wouldn't be a big help to any of them.

He asked Isabella to give a ring to each of her sisters, Mrs. Katherine Bell and Mrs. Jean Peat, as a memory of him. He also asked her to give up to ten books to each of his sons, Smyttan and William, also as a remembrance. He named William Elliot, a lawyer in Jedburgh, as the executor of his will.

What He Owned

Here is a list of what Alexander Jeffrey owned when he died: