William Symington (1764-1831) was a member and office-bearer of the ancient Curling Societies at Wanlockhead and at Leadhills. Several members of his immediate family were also closely involved with the arcane craft of curling: his elder brother George and later his son James were members of the Wanlockhead Society. The following data come from the Journal Books of these Societies. [1]
WANLOCKHEAD
"Wanlockhead 16 Decr 1777 A Copy of the Fundamental articles & by Laws Belonging to the Ice Curling Society Wanlockhead"
Original Members
75. Mr. And.w Symington Dead*
76. Geo. Symington
102. Wm. Symington
134. James Symington Dead*
253. James Symington (entry dated 9 Decr. 1807)
*date of death not recorded but probably prior to 9 December 1807 which is the first date recorded for membership subsequent to the date of foundation in 1777.
When the Society met on February 29, 1780 it was proposed that an amendment be made to the dams and that W. Symington and Geo. Symington adjudge the same. "Mr Symington" (presumably Andrew, the mines overseer) and Geo Symington were in a group appointed to oversee works on the Wanlockhead and Petersdyk dams. At the annual meetings of the Society on December 12 1783 and 9 December 1784, George Symington was one of the members appointed to inspect the dams.
On December 12, 1783, the annual meeting of the Society was held in the schoolhouse: Wm. Symington was elected as Clerk of the society and he was also chosen as a director for the Lads, the team which was comprised of the unmarried men. He was again chosen Clerk at the annual meeting held on December 9, 1784 and at the annual meeting on December 8, 1785, he was again appointed a director of the Lads.
On December 23, 1808, with several others, James Symington was appointed to see that repairs to the Ice Dams were regularly undertaken.
Subscribers for repairs to the Ice Dams recorded on September 4, 1811 included No. 49 James Symington and No. 77 Alexr. McMillan, his step-father.
James Symington was appointed to a committee formed on December 9, 1813 for inspecting and contracting repairs on the dams. James was a paid-up member of the Society in 1814 but is not recorded thereafter in the minutes of the Society.
An Alexander McMillan is in the list of players for 1836 (No. 49) and 1838 (184).
LEADHILLS
The Leadhills Society for Ice Playing was founded in February 1784, when rules were drawn up "so that decency and sobriety may sweeten this our amusement."
"Articles of the Society for Ice playing at Leadhills: Enacted the 18th. Day of Feberuary 1784-
Then the following subscribers entered into Society in order to keep up the sport Of Iceplay for their amusement and …."
The Journal Book 1784 dated Leadhills 14th. Febry. 1784, lists Annual players and Members of this Society which includes Willm. Symington and James Symington. William Symington was elected as an Officer of the Society. Included in the list of those who gave subscriptions for making the dam were James Symington and John Symington.
SUMMARY
WILLIAM SYMINGTON
1777 Foundation Member of the Wanlockhead Curling Society
WILLIAM SYMINGTON (1764-1831)
1783-5 Clerk of the Society and Director of the Lads at Wanlockhead
1784 Officer and Member at Leadhills
GEORGE SYMINGTON, elder brother of William (1764-1831), was Foundation Member No. 76 at Wanlockhead. George was living in Falkirk in 1809 but there is no record of him thereafter.[2]
Foundation Member No. 75 at Wanlockhead was ANDREW SYMINGTON, which would suggest a near relationship with George and the designation “Mr.” implies seniority. Andrew may have been George's brother, or perhaps his uncle. Andrew Symington is recorded as overseer and clerk for the Wanlockhead Mining Company in 1778, 1789.[3]
JAMES SYMINGTON 1777 Foundation Member No. 134 at Wanlockhead is an otherwise unrecorded family member, who also predeceased George.
A James Symington is also in the list of members at Leadhills in 1784.
JOHN SYMINGTON, the putative father of George and William, was a subscriber to the Leadhills Society, yet he is not listed as a player or formal member. The father of William Symington is recorded as a “practical mechanic and superintendent of the Mining Company at Leadhills”.[4]
JAMES SYMINGTON (c.1788-1862), eldest and illegitimate son of William Symington and brought up in Wanlockhead by his mother Ann Millar and stepfather Alexander McMillan, was Member No. 253 at Wanlockhead in 1807.
[1] The late Sheriff David B. Smith of Troon kindly gave access to copies of these Journal books which I examined on his dining table with a refreshing Scottish ale
[2] George and William Symington were residing in Falkirk in 1809: reference to George Symington at Falkirk in 1809 in Wanlockhead Mining Company Day Book 1801-1811, week 27 of 1809, SRO RH 4/116/2; also in Carron Company Letter Books
[3] Letter from Andrew Symington, February 1778, Queensberry Manuscripts, Drumlanrig Charter Room, Bundle 915 and Letter Murdoch-Watt July 1779, Boulton and Watt Manuscripts, Birmingham Reference Library. Cited by Harvey and Downs-Rose.
[4] Rankine, J. and W.H., A Biography of William Symington Civil Engineer. 1862