Trades and Skills

The rural economy existed almost as a self sufficient one up to the mid 1900s. Each community had its own meal mill, tailor, saddler, jeweller, blacksmith, joiner, grocer, butcher, soutter, policeman, school, kirk and fishmonger etc. This interdependency created a close community spirit and bonding. The community took pride in its self-regulatory control mechanisms and looked after its own requirements for the mutual benefit of all its members. All its members lived and worked in its geographic position and as a result shared the good and bad times. Busy periods were common to all and economies of scale were applied to task when appropriate. Celebrations were shared as was the entertainment and the routine of visiting within the community.

  1. The work of an old-fashioned country grocer, tracing over 50 years of retailing. How the rural grocer served the community with a comprehensive personal service.
  2. The traditional rural trades Blacksmith, Souter, Joiner, Saddler and Molecatcher. The techniques of these highly skilled practitioner who were true craftsmen.
  3. The skill competitions of the past, featuring ruck building, hoeing matches, stock exhibiting, ploughing matches and domestic competitions. Find out how skills were perceived as a status symbol within the workforce and experience this pride in the job.
  4. The history of legalised whisky industry. When it all started as a legal industry.
  5. History of paper making. The past techniques involved in a multi national product resourced labour intensive industry.
  6. The development of the motor industry. How the North East moved into the "new" car market no longer was a second hand car the norm. This feature captures the economic and wealth of the population.
  7. The history of quarrying. One of Aberdeenshire's most famous industries as it operated through time.
  8. The thatching technique. The skills of the Thatcher, the product and the finished task.
  9. The gilding trade. The art of gold gilding as a feature of internal decoration.
  10. The work of the trapper. The rabbit trapper working the ferret and the bag nets. A necessity for rural survival in the hungry 1930s.
  11. The packman trader. This traveling retail salesman traveling his round of country customers bringing them new and used commodities plus his "crack".
  12. Lighting through the years. From the rush lamp to the electric lighting each stage a major improvement bringing great opportunities to our ancestors. The movement from self-sufficiency to technology.
  13. The Coopie (Co-operative Society) its history and life. How this institution existed and performed it's service and the diversity of skill, which it held.
  14. Bodging, early wood turning. The art of wood turning using the natural environment and manpower.
  15. Bee Keeping. How the bees were looked after and how the honey was extracted.
  16. The whinn mill. The layout and the action of such a piece of machinery and the use of the output of its labour.
  17. The work of the woodmen. How the forests were harvested and why this was a growth industry of the 1940s- 1960s.
  18. The spinning process. See the process from sheep to garment. A cottage industry with potential.
  19. The lighthouse keeper. The role of the lighthouse keeper and his family. The technology and the closures of the manned lighthouses over time.
  20. The making of the flail. The skill of the joiner making a flail using the patterns and techniques of a century ago.
  21. The Dowser in action. The technique of dowsing for water the tools of the trade and the knowledge necessary for this vital requirement.
  22. The nights darning. The work of the farmer's wife was hard and long even sitting by the fire at night the darning of garments which had been worn through into holes had to be repaired. New garments could not be afforded.
  23. The Crombie woolen mill. The story of a 200 year old industry its hay day and its demise. A local institution which enjoyed employee loyalty.