The latest Object brings the Prime Gilt Box Society under the microscope.  Although now only perpetuated by an eponymous street name, its history stretches back to the 16th century as a 'friendly society' for the seafaring classes. Few have not heard of the box, but how many know what the Prime Gilt Box's purpose was?

 

Long before state intervention, it was normally the Kirk Session who rendered assistance to those in poverty/financial need. However, in towns, where crafts and merchants existed, it was their Guilds who looked after the aged, the infirm, the unfortunates and the dependents of their calling. This was the exact purpose of the Prime Gilt Box Society – it existed to help those who had made/had made their living from the sea. These 'Sailor's Boxes' were not unique to Kirkcaldy as they existed in Anstruther, Pittenween, Elie and Burntisland, amongst other local ports. There are also records of similar societies in Bo'ness and Aberdeen. While these other boxes are of antiquity, the Kirkcaldy box appears to predate most.

 

Kirkcaldy's Society can be traced back to 1591 when the Town Council minutes disclose two Bailies authorising its inception. The Society initially secured its income from two strands. Firstly, dues were charged on all cargo carried from Kirkcaldy Harbour. It is this fact which provided the word gelt, understood to be a German/Flemish word for money, which became gilt in Scottish parlance. Therefore the fact  that dues became payable as soon as a vessel was loaded and before it was allowed to sail – it became known as Prime Gilt (first money).  Secondly, as their contribution, a sum was levied on sailors' wages at the end of each voyage. The levy was not applied only to Kirkcaldy Sailors – it was universal – every sailor docking at Kirkcaldy Harbour being subject to paying the levy. For non-Kirkcaldy based men this was not popular!

 

The Captains of each ship kept a note of the deductions in a passbook and paid the monies over to the Society. This was long before the days of safes and strong rooms for the safekeeping of valuables therefore an alternative was used. The funds were lodged in a strong chest protected by three padlocks and the Managers, invariably men connected to the sea, dealt with applications for assistance. Annually, a box-master and key holders were appointed. The last box used is currently on display in Kirkcaldy Museum.

 

Therefore, in essence, monies were collected from two sources, paid over to the Society and from there applications for assistance were received and considered. One fundamental requirement to secure assistance was that applicants had to be a seaman, or the dependant of a seaman, who had lived in Kirkcaldy, or served on Kirkcaldy ships, for at least three years before applying. It was designed to assist the ill, the poor, the destitute and their dependants, as long as their calling had been the sea. This explains why paying the levy was not popular with sailors who would never meet the criteria to claim assistance for themselves. While there are no records for the earliest of times, certainly after 1845 those who were granted assistance were paid an annuity on a quarterly basis.

 

Very little has been published on the Society, with a 1946 booklet – The Prime Gilt Box of Kirkcaldy – being the accepted authority. The booklet was written by local solicitor, James T. Davidson, who was a partner in the firm of Wallace, Davidson and Black. Mr Davidson was a keen local historian and a very active member of the Kirkcaldy Naturalist Society. It was these two interests which led to Mr Davidson delivering a talk in March 1946 to the Naturalist Society. His subject was the Prime Gilt Box and, it was such a success, that the members suggested it should be turned into a publication. This was achieved by May 1946 when copies became available. Sadly, hardly had publication taken place than Mr Davidson died.

 

If there is a criticism, it is that the booklet is written in a quasi-legal form and much of the text, by definition, is written in old Scots. It is not the easiest of reads and is restricted to the embryonic decades of the Society. That said, Mr Davidson had made full use of the Society's available records, having had access to many of them, and it is an excellent starting point for research.

 

Fortunately, the local press carried reports on both the initial talk and the content of the booklet. This provided the base for further research which was primarily achieved by trawling through newspapers seeking out articles on the Society. 

 

In its earliest manifestation, after relief monies were disbursed, what remained, at the end of each year, was divided amongst the members. This all changed in 1647, when the Society commenced investing in land and buildings. The lands of the East Mill were the first to be purchased and, over the years, ground on the High Street, premises at the harbour and over 6 acres of land, between what is now Bennochy Road and Dunnikier Road, were secured. Gradually, as the land was feued, the Society's income came more from feu duties and rentals with the reliance on levies fading.

 

The 6 acres of land mentioned above were known as the 'Sailor's Park' for centuries and were normally rented out for grazing until the pressure of land required for building brought about a change. The full story relates how 'Sailor's Park' came to be extended through an exchange of their High Street land for land owned by the Oswald family of Dunnikier. The securing of the premises at the harbour is also covered and makes for interesting reading.

 

Mr Davidson relates how the Society provided relief money during the covenanting period to seamen involved in the siege of Newcastle.  During the Dutch Wars there are records of monies being sent to Kirkcaldy seamen who have been taken prisoners of war. There were also instances of monies being used to free men who had been taken by pirates and sold into slavery. Clearly, it was a society who did not just cater for those in distress in the local area but at times had a far wider remit.  Interestingly, Kirkcaldy also played its part in ensuring the Licht o' May (Isle of May light) was kept operational.

 

In 1839 dark forces were at work. Six members of two of the town's most significant nautical families attempted to close down the Society and share the not inconsiderable assets amongst themselves. There had been a determined and planned culling of the number of members over the previous few decades and the six individuals hatched their plans accordingly. Their argument was that the membership was now so low there was no point in the Society continuing to exist, albeit they had been removing members on any pretence for decades! They had gone as far as advertising all the assets for sale in 1839.  However, the attempt was taken to the Court of Session and defeated. The Court also oversaw a new Constitution being written with Kirkcaldy's Provost, two Bailies and their successors in office being added as trustees thereby putting the Society on a strong legal footing. The new constitution was clear, concise and precise, and certainly restored order and confidence in the management.

 

As previously mentioned pressure on the Society to provide land for house building started to come into effect in the middle of the 19th Century with a particular focus on 'Sailor's Park'. The first ground to be feued was for two mansions on the western side of Dunnikier Road – Whytebank and Parkhill. Both still stand although Whytebank has seen extensive housing developments take place its grounds over recent times.  The ground between the two mansions was filled by the construction of bungalows on either side of Mariner Street. This was only the start and the original Sailor's Park has now been completely built over. Its boundaries were Dunnikier Road, Meldrum Road, Prime Gilt Box Street and Patterson Street. Within these boundaries,Matthew Street, Nile Street and Nelson Street plus the North School have been added. Given the volume of housing, it illustrates how significant a part feu duty came to play in the Society's finances.

 

The Society were back in the Court of Session in 1920 when they wished to sell their premises at the harbour to the Scottish Coast Mission. They also wished to dispose of their pews in the parish church. They were also seeking to pay the sum of £200 to the Scottish Coast Mission to rent a room, to hold meetings, in what would now be their former premises. Obtaining accommodation for four meetings per year was often vexatious. The full story covers the issues the Society had with a bequest left by former box-master Matthew Beveridge when they used it as a contribution to the Adam Smith Memorial Appeal. The hope had been that the donation would secure the use of a room in the new hall to hold their meetings. The plan was not a success.

 

As time passed the assets had gone and the state now supported the poor and the needy with the last annual meeting traced to 1974. Strange to relate there appears to be no specific mention of how the Society came to an end in any newspapers. The presumption must be that the last annuitant had died. This was certainly the case with Burntisland in 1973 and the demise of that society is fully documented. This is certainly not the case with Kirkcaldy. Research is still being attempted via Kirkcaldy Town Council minutes and the National Records of Scotland as to how the Society was wound up and where the records are!

 

The full Object brings to life; blockade running, assisting naval prisoners of war, transforming fields into schools and housing, covers the figures who played lengthy and major roles in the Society's administration and operation, plus a raft of other related events. Above all, it recounts the assistance given to those in distress whose calling had been the sea. The Prime Gilt Box is a story of charity and prudent management, but with some dark moments included in its 400 plus years' history. The Box deserves to have its story told and can be reached from the icon on this page. It is augmented by photographs, maps and newspaper snippets.

 

While, as yet, there is no satisfactory conclusion it was a rewarding exercise in terms of research and the team hope that some more light has been shone on the Prime Gilt Box Society.