News extracts: Nov. 5, 1822: Death of William Gordon, of Grahamston, Glasgow

[Alison Kilpatrick]

Transcribed from the 5 November 1822 edition of The Strabane Morning
Post newspaper, by permission of The British Library:

Died.
At Grahamston, Glasgow, Wm. Gordon, aged 97, who was buried on
Thursday following in the Anderston burying-ground. This singular
individual, who had for ten years past worn the same coat, patched and
mended, and who is said for seven years never to have used soap in
washing himself, left behind him an immense quantity of keys, old and
new, highly burnished; a hatful of pins, 15 large screws, from 90 to 100
hammers, adzes, and gimblets, a great quantity of bottles and jars; and
what may appear most singular, a roomful of boys' tops, peeries, whips,
&c. His collection of sticks is curious. These, with gold and silver
watches, are in the possession of his executors. For many years he wore
a polished key on his thumb, a gold watch in one pocket, and a silver
one in the other.

==================

[Jeff]

What are "Peeries"? The only time I've heard the term was in Ireland to
describe sheepdogs.

[Alison Kilpatrick]

I think this refers to a kind of marble. We used to have all kinds of
names for the different kinds of marbles, i.e. for playing jacks and
marbles ... "peeries" or "puries" was one; I remember "cat's-eyes", too,
but I forget the others. There are probably web sites dedicated to this :-).

ajk

[SammyM]

On 05/11/2009 15:56, Jeff wrote:

>> Alison Kilpatrick wrote:
>> Transcribed from the 5 November 1822 edition of The Strabane Morning
>> Post newspaper, by permission of The British Library:
>>
>> Died.
>> At Grahamston, Glasgow, Wm. Gordon, aged 97,

<snip>

>> and what may appear most singular, a roomful of boys'tops, peeries, whips,
>> &c.

> What are "Peeries"? The only time I've heard the term was in Ireland to
> describe sheepdogs.

In Northern Ireland (and Scotland as well) a "Peerie" was a wooden
spinning top. It was only a couple of inches tall. A "whip"(just a piece
of stick with a string attached) was used to propel it. The string was
wound round the peerie and the whip flicked so that the peerie spun
round, spinning on the ground.

Happy memories of childhood in Belfast !!!!

See also :-

<http://members.lycos.co.uk/govanchildhood/sheila.htm>

Sixth photo down and description.

Regards, SammyM

[Jeff]

SammyM wrote:
>
>
> In Northern Ireland (and Scotland as well) a "Peerie" was a wooden
> spinning top. It was only a couple of inches tall. A "whip"(just a piece
> of stick with a string attached) was used to propel it. The string was
> wound round the peerie and the whip flicked so that the peerie spun
> round, spinning on the ground.
>
> Happy memories of childhood in Belfast !!!!
>

OK~ Thanks. I remember those tops. In fact, on a trip back to England
we found some for sale at York Castle Museum. I bought a couple so I
could demonstrate it to my grandchildren - only to find I could no
longer make them work.

[Frank & Roberta Gebhart]

Wait 'till he sees God's collection! A few more years involved in that one!

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