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A Christmas tale from North East author Steve Storey


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THE TELLING OF A WINTER MEMORY

by Steve Storey

Author’s Note: There are two terms frequently mentioned in this tale which are best defined at the outset:

i) A ‘lamplighter’ was a person once employed to light and maintain gas street lamps.

ii) In Scots, a ‘lamplighter’ was known as a ‘leerie’.

Elgin author Steve Storey
Elgin author Steve Storey

Foreword

On the anniversary of the passing of James Callum Charters.

"Inside the hard-fronted cover of our old family bible, scribed in an abridged form on the yellow endpaper, each living generation past had made a fresh entry in their best hand which told of their immediate ancestor.

One of these accounts informs of my distant forebear, James Callum Charters, who was born in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, passing this life in 1839.

In his latter years James was known by Elginites as, ‘Jamie the lamplighter’, and commonly as, ‘th’ leerie o’ Elgin’.

James lived a respected and much loved figure about old Elgin, lighting the early gas street lamps in the 1830’s while keeping careful watch over the good folk of the town.

Yet it was in death – so the entry tells – that the celebrated James was called upon by Heaven to light the very stars of the realm."

[From the diary entry of Sarah Charters, Elgin: 21st Dec. 1989]

Part 1

Memories of Childhood

It is the present-day, and Sarah Charters – ever a prolific diarist – reminisces and confides thoughts to her journal.

‘As I age and faculties slow, my being finds solace in memories rather than in vain efforts to follow the ways of this modern world, or in the making of future plans. A chilled evening spent simply sat before my warming stove, with its dancing flames, brings stillness and relief to this aching body; peace to a pilgrim soul; and quietness to my restless mind. I am blessed to have such fine memories – those I am happy to entertain and permit to envelop my quiet thinking.’

‘Thoughts of childhood years’ spent back in the late ‘50’s, shared then with my two siblings, evoke a warm glow of contentment. These were summers when we played; and as we grew, we danced and loved. And then there were winters when, I recall, as a young family we would often sit an evening before the fireplace – my parents in their high-backed chairs and us children upon a rug – to be entertained by father’s stories.

'Generally these were recollections of his misspent youth, but on some occasions I remember him reciting – after some urging from us youngsters, and with his own rich embellishment – tales of our forebears as quoted in our old family bible. Inevitably, he would start with his own father, and then methodically work his way back to the legend – the gentleman of myth and intrigue – who was James Callum Charters, or Jamie; my three times great grandfather.’

Sarah, swathed in memories, then rests her pen. Closing her eyes, she is transported back to the living room of her early life; its warmth; those comforting smells and sounds; and these very words that her father, Douglas, spoke when talking of those family members gone before.

‘My own father you will remember – for he was a regular visitor to this home until called by Heaven – was your grandfather John Robert Charters. He married Esther – a well-read woman, who corresponded regularly with the great George Bernard Shaw. John was one of three brothers’ and a sister who were all born and raised here in Elgin in the years about 1890.

‘John Robert was already an enlisted soldier when The Great War – that "war to end all wars" – was declared, and became known later as one of the "Old Contemptibles". He partook in the Christmas truce of 1914, and was one of the first of his battalion to shake the hand of the "enemy". John Robert exchanged food and souvenirs before returning to the British lines for a hearty sing-song of carols that echoed through the trenches of the combatants – interrupted soon after by the sounds of rifle and shellfire which sadly took hold once more.

‘It is said that before the war one of John Robert’s brothers had been a crew member aboard the passenger steamship Carpathia – that vessel which sailed in all haste to the aid of the doomed "unsinkable" liner Titanic; and another that he angrily turned away a wealthy relative who offered money during the difficult times of the later Great Depression.

Douglas continued, ‘Now, the father of John Robert Charters – who would be your great grandfather – was named James Robert. He took the beautiful Ishbel for his wife. James Robert joined the army of the great Queen’s Empire; he charged head-on the ferocious guns of the Russians’ at Sebastopol; and witnessed the princely Mogul palaces of India. He eventually returned home, sick with malaria, to be cared for by Ishbel until his untimely demise.

‘Two of James Robert’s brothers chose to sail the wide turbulent oceans for the new land of Western Australia in search of yellow gold. They eventually settled in prosperous Perth; raising their own families who carry the Charters name in that far-off place to this day.

‘As we step further back into the family’s past – to the era when the foundations of our Dr Gray’s Hospital were laid, and the future First Duke of Wellington defeated "The Little Corporal of France" in Belgium – we come to the father of James Robert, who was one John Callum Charters – your great great grandfather.

‘John Callum grew to become a carpenter and as a citizen of this town - a burgher. It is said he was honoured as a Burgess of Elgin, and presented with a burgess seal. With his wife Julia and six children the family lived above his High Street workshop where he practised his trade; and I am proud to say I retain many of his working tools – although sadly not his official seal.

'He had important commissions from the Seafields’ to design and build exquisite furniture pieces for the Grant Lodge family residence; and from William Hay – the great Elgin poet for whom John Callum made a writing desk and comfortable chair.

‘Finally, we come to the father of John Callum – and the central figure in my tale. This man was James Callum Charters. In later life he would become known about Elgin as the characterful, Jamie the lamplighter, and also, the leerie of Elgin.

‘Raised during the last quarter of the eighteenth century, the parish and Burgh of Elgin known to James had become isolated from the rest of Britain and former trading partners. The population found itself in decline as the economy struggled. It was a time recorded "of melancholy and depression" in an age before the future development of Elgin yet to come.

'James was to suffer the loss his father whilst still a youngster, and was fortunate to be taken in by his mother’s family for his care and upbringing. To his credit, while surrounded by such trauma and difficulty, the growing James had a blessed outlook on life that remained godly, empathic and cheerful.’

‘Sadly, it was not until much later in life that James emerged from history’s obscurity to be written once more into the town’s official records – then married, he was to be found living with his wife Isobel and their three younger children in the poor housing of central Elgin.

'This was a record from the 1830s, when James Callum was employed as one of the band of men responsible for manually lighting and maintaining the lamps that were the great wonder of the new coal gas age, which lit the streets of the town. Gone was the dim light and smoky fog that emanated from the former whale-oil lamps.’

Sarah recalls her father’s telling of the life James led as a ‘lamplighter’, or ‘leerie’.

‘Trudging through the streets in all weathers, these keepers of the town lights were known as lamplighters or leeries – and your three times great grandfather, old James Callum Charters was counted amongst their number.

.

'Dressed in the dark clothes from a fourth-hand shop – a waxed cape over a heavy coat; a waistcoat; cap and boots, he would go about the town at dusk to light the gas lamps, before returning at dawn to see them extinguished. Our Jamie was widely known as a man who loved his family, his town and the country hereabout. He was known as a good man; as God’s man; and a friend and help to the folk of Elgin.

‘The act of lighting the lamps was a new spectacle for the local people and would attract attention – engrossing particularly the children. They knew the names and routes that each lamplighter took, and would gather to follow them on their way. Old Jamie revelled in their attention. He loved entertaining the children with stories and songs as he went about his work, and he enjoyed explaining the benefits the bright lamplight would bring to the town to all who would show interest.

‘The town clock would strike the hour before sunset, and this would be the signal for him to set off on his round – and for the children to gather. Jamie carried with him the necessary equipment of a lamplighter: a ladder; a long pole with a taper placed at the end; and a hand lamp. In his pockets he carried a number of spare mantles.

'At the first of his gas lamps Jamie would lean his ladder against the horizontal bars near the tops of the street light, before climbing up with the taper lit on the end of his pole. The pole was fitted with a small hook, and with this hook he would pull on the chain that opened the gas supply before igniting the vapour. This operation completed, Jamie would move on to the next street light.

‘Old Jamie’s reputation about the town steadily grew. He was recognised as cheery; he could tell a good yarn and hold a tune. He made a point of caring for the townsfolk – keeping an eye out for trouble and stepping in, or raising the alarm, if presented with a misdemeanour. In time, Jamie the lamplighter became widely known to locals as, th’ leerie o’ Elgin.

‘It was on a winter’s morning that the leerie meet a sad end. The world lay frozen – as were the rungs of poor Jamie’s ladder. Descending from an extinguished lamp, Jamie slipped and fell to earth. He lay in the snow concussed for only a short while before being discovered; but the damage had been done, and sad Jamie slipped quietly from this world with his final thoughts given over to Isobel and their children.

‘Just a week before Christmas many attended the funeral of th’ leerie o’ Elgin. His fellow lamplighters reverently formed a guard of honour outside the portico of Elgin’s St. Giles Church; their poles held crossed aloft as the wrapped body was carried beneath their lit tapers to the burial ground where the mortal remains of the man James Callum Charters were laid to rest.

'That same day Jamie Charters entered through the gates of Heaven to be met by celebrations throughout the celestial realm. Heaven loves a good man; God’s man; and a thong of saints and angels sang praises as Heaven’s bells rang out.’

Part 2

The Regent of the Constellations

Father spoke with quiet reverence as he then told of us of Uriel, known as the Light of God, and how Uriel had become an advocate for Jamie.

‘Uriel, one of the high ranking seven Archangels, whose name means "Light of God" was also known as the Regent of the Constellations – the keeper of the awning of stars that eternally aid the navigation of saints and angels about God’s realm – has since the beginning of creation when God separated light from dark,

kept watch over the canopy’s fiery globes.

'Uriel rekindles the faint orbs; brings illumination to those shadowed places the deceiving angel and his hoards attempt to corrupt; and lights the way for the souls of men to find Heaven’s rest.

‘Perhaps Uriel’s greatest feat known to this world of sorrow and tears ensured the simple stable where the Christ child lay born was marked by a celestial light, allowing the noble pilgrims from the East of the earth to find the anointed infant. This was, of course, the Star of Bethlehem, a flaming globe fashioned by Uriel’s will that lit the land and enthralled the shepherds, as if the sun-of-days’ burned bright overhead.

‘Uriel was impressed with the purity of the good man’s heart. So much so, that he allowed the soul of James Callum Charters to light a star; in celebration; as a memorial and as an eternal inspiration to mortal men.

‘It had been nearly a year since Jamie entered the realm of Heaven when Uriel escorted the soul of the lamplighter to the far eastern region of the kingdom of stars. There he granted Jamie the privilege of lighting his own celestial globe.

'It was the first day of Advent – that season when men expectantly await the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, and look forward to the second coming.

'Jamie climbed his ladder and stood amongst the stars; and there he lit his fiery globe. Jamie the lamplighter had become reborn as Jamie the Starlighter, and his star burned bright until Christmas Day when it was extinguished. Uriel agreed that each year thereafter Jamie would light his star to mark the time of Advent.’

Part 3

Father’s Telling of his Tale nears Completion

Father’s final act was to provide the evidence to prove Jamie Charters was, indeed, a celebrity both of Heaven and of God’s creation.

Then, at father’s command we all hurriedly donned warm coats; scarves; hats and boots before our parents led us excitedly out into the late evening’s moonlit garden. Once gathered in the chilled winter’s stillness, father would wait for a thinning of the low misty clouds before calling for our attention.

‘Believe me when I say that the story I have shared with you is nothing but truth. You see that star there?’, he exclaimed, pointing to a bright twinkle that hung in the darkness of the eastern sky low to the snow covered hills. ‘That there is your great great great grandfather Jamie’s star; lit by his own hand and honoured by Heaven,' he insisted.

Having seen the evidence with our own eyes the satisfied family would retreat back into the warmth and close comfort of the house’s living room to toast marshmallows and crumpets before the fire, and look forward to the celebrations of Christmas to come.

We were happy in the knowledge that Jamie – my three times great grandfather and onetime a leerie of Elgin was, by the grace of Heaven, forever our Jamie the Starlighter, the knowledge of which will enrich our family always.

Outside, snow began to fall as a deep frost clung to her windows glinting in the

moonlight – just as it had done when she was young and waiting on Christmas; just as it had done the day Jamie slipped from the rung of his ladder and entered the illustrious realm of starry Heaven.

Having finished recollecting her father’s telling of the story of James Callum

Charters, Sarah’s mind quietened as the three times great granddaughter of the

Starlighter fell asleep – just as groups’ of carol singers made their cheery rounds

through the Elgin streets watched over by an eastern star.

THE END

Copyright © 2020 [Stephen Storey]. All Rights Reserved.

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