George Cranstoun Being Carried in a Creel

Category

Library Item

Item no

13462

Title

Captain Mingay, with a porter carrying George Cranstoun in his creel

Description

Captain Mingay (the figure on the right in military dress) walking ahead of a porter who is carrying George Cranstoun in a creel (the large wicker basket) on his back.

Artist / maker

Kay, John

Date

1784

Size

10 x 6.5 cm

Type

Etching

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The accompanying text in the volume states as follows:
"CAPTAIN MINGAY, the principal figure in this Print, was a native of Ireland. When in Edinburgh with his regiment, now about forty-five years since, he paid his addresses, and was subsequently married to the amiable Miss Webster, by whom he had several children, some of whom are still alive.

GEORGE CRANSTOUN, the little lachrymose-looking creature in the porter's creel, was a well-known character in the city, and must be remembered by many of its inhabitants, as it is not much more than thirty years since his death. He was of remarkably small stature, deformed in the legs, and possessed of
a singularly long, grave, and lugubrious countenance.

George, who was endowed with a powerful voice (notwithstanding his diminutive size) and a good ear, was originally a teacher of music, but latterly subsisted chiefly on charity, and was to be found constantly hanging about the door of the Parliament House.

He was a shrewd and intelligent little personage, an excellent singer of comic songs, and possessed of some humour, qualifications which procured him considerable patronage from " the choice spirits" of the day, and were the cause of his being frequently invited to their festive meetings. It was not unusual, on such occasions, to place Geordie on the sideboard. He was accustomed to receive a trifling pecuniary gratuity for the amusement he afforded, and in addition he was supplied with a liberal share of the good things that were going, particularly liquor, to which he was devotedly attached. When the little man got too drunk at such meetings—no uncommon occurrence—to be able to walk home, a porter was generally sent for, who, putting him into his creel, as represented in the Print, conveyed him safely and comfortably to his residence, which was in a house with an outer side-stair, and a wooden railing on it, in a small court off the Shoemaker's Close, Canongate. It was on one of these occasions that the porter, when resting the bottom of his creel on the wooden railing until the door was opened to him, allowed George to tumble out of the creel, the effects of which caused his death."

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images

Related subjects

Agriculture and fisheries > Equipment > Creels

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Bonnets

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Boots

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Hats

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Hosiery

Clothing and dress > Garments > Breeches

Clothing and dress > Garments > Waistcoats

People > Adults > Men

Read how our collections have inspired people taking part in events, visits and community groups. Use the slider or navigation arrows to see more responses.

George Cranstoun being carried in a creel