The Curious Lives of Scotland’s Bluegown Beggars

In Scottish history, the Bluegowns, or royal bedesmen, occupied a unique place in society, blending charity with royal patronage. They were beggars, but not in the typical sense. These individuals were part of a special group granted the right to beg legally, in exchange for their prayers for the reigning monarch. The term "Bluegown" originated from the distinctive blue cloak they were given as part of an annual ceremony, a tradition that lasted for several centuries.

One of the more curious aspects of Bluegown life was their interaction with society, including marriage. The 1749 wedding of a Bluegown named Hamilton, a man in his 80s, to a much younger woman named Jean Lindsay, provides a lens through which we can explore the Bluegown tradition and its role in Scottish history.

Who Were the Bluegowns?

The Bluegown beggars first appeared during the reign of King James I of Scotland in the 15th century, and they remained a fixture of Scottish life until the 19th century. The tradition was both practical and symbolic. Each year, on the monarch’s birthday, a gathering of Bluegowns would be held, where these men were given a new blue cloak, a sum of money, and a badge that authorized them to beg throughout the kingdom without being harassed by local authorities.

The practice was grounded in Christian charity and royal benevolence. In return for their prayers for the monarch's health and longevity, these beggars received material support. However, they were not mere recipients of charity—they were royal bedesmen, part of an official tradition that reinforced the bond between the crown and the most vulnerable in society.

Bluegowns were typically older men, often poor and disabled, who had few other means of support. The blue cloak they wore became their symbol, marking them as members of this exclusive group. While they were given special rights to beg, the existence of the Bluegowns also highlighted the lack of a broader social safety net in pre-modern Scotland. The monarchy's involvement in providing for these individuals was both a show of kindness and a reflection of the government's inability to fully support its poorest subjects.

The Bluegown Wedding of 1749

In October of 1749, a particularly famous Bluegown wedding took place in Edinburgh’s Canongate, a historic area known for its proximity to the royal palace of Holyrood and its mix of wealth and poverty. The groom, Hamilton, was an elderly bachelor, reportedly about 80 years old. His bride, Jean Lindsay, was much younger, in her 20s, and the daughter of another Bluegown beggar. This union between two members of the Bluegown community was remarkable not only for the age difference between the couple but also for the physical condition of the groom.

Hamilton was a well-known figure across Scotland, partly due to his severe physical deformities. It was said that his body was so contorted that his chest lay between his ankles, and he was often carried about on an ass as an object of charity. Despite his appearance and advanced age, his wedding to Lindsay was a significant social event within the Bluegown community.

This wedding reveals a great deal about the lives of Bluegowns. While they were beggars, their formal connection to the monarchy gave them a certain standing within society. Their marriages, like the one between Hamilton and Lindsay, were not merely personal affairs but also moments that underscored the unique place they held in Scottish culture. The gathering of people to witness this event, both from within and outside the Bluegown community, suggests that these individuals, despite their poverty and physical challenges, were seen as part of the fabric of society.

Bluegowns and Social Mobility

The Bluegown wedding is particularly interesting because it illustrates the social dynamics of the time. Hamilton’s deformity and his dependence on the royal bedesman system for survival did not prevent him from forming familial bonds. In fact, marriages like this one were practical as much as they were personal. For individuals living on the margins of society, marriage provided a measure of security. It was not uncommon for poorer individuals to marry for survival, particularly in a community like that of the Bluegowns, where mutual support was essential.

The marriage of Hamilton and Lindsay, while unusual due to their ages and physical conditions, also speaks to the close-knit nature of the Bluegown community. These beggars were bound not just by their blue cloaks and royal connections but by their shared experiences of poverty, disability, and survival in a world that offered few other options.

For the bride, Jean Lindsay, the marriage likely provided her with the benefits of being associated with a Bluegown, including the legal protection to beg without fear of reprisal. The Bluegowns had a certain level of privilege within their status as beggars, and for a young woman with limited prospects, this union may have offered a more secure future, even if her husband was elderly and infirm.

The Decline of the Bluegown Tradition

By the 19th century, the Bluegown tradition began to fade. As social reforms took hold and new systems of welfare were introduced, the formalized charity system that had sustained the Bluegowns for centuries became less relevant. The Poor Law reforms of the 19th century, which aimed to provide more systematic support for the impoverished, rendered the Bluegown practice obsolete. The last official gathering of Bluegowns took place in 1833, marking the end of a long and unique chapter in Scottish history.

Despite their decline, the legacy of the Bluegowns offers an insightful glimpse into how Scotland dealt with poverty before modern welfare systems were in place. The royal connection provided these beggars with a lifeline, but it was also a reminder of the precariousness of life for the poor in pre-industrial Scotland.

Conclusion

The Bluegown wedding of 1749 serves as a fascinating entry point into understanding the broader role that Bluegowns played in Scottish society. These royal bedesmen, marked by their blue cloaks and given the right to beg, represented a peculiar blend of charity, royal favor, and social marginalization. Their marriages, like the one between Hamilton and Jean Lindsay, show that even within a community defined by poverty and disability, individuals sought connection, support, and companionship.

As a historical tradition, the Bluegowns remind us of the complexities of social welfare in pre-modern societies, where charity often came with conditions and where even the poorest had their own forms of status and recognition. While their presence in Scottish history has largely faded, stories like Hamilton’s wedding ensure that the legacy of the Bluegowns lives on, offering us a window into a time when beggars could be royal bedesmen, and marriage could mean more than just personal happiness—it could be a matter of survival.

Hislop, A. (Ed.). (1880). The book of Scottish anecdote: Humorous, social, legendary, and historical (8th ed.). Thomas D. Morison; Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.