John Bethune (poet)

John Bethune (1812–1839) was a short-lived Scottish weaver-poet. He sometimes wrote under the pen-name of the Fifeshire Forester.

Life

He was born in 1812 in a cottage on the estate of Upper (or Over) Rankeilour House (previously known as The Mount) in the parish of Monimail in central Fife. He was the son of Alexander Bethune (d.1838), a farm labourer and weaver, and his wife Alison Christie. He was the younger brother of Alexander Bethune.[1]

In 1813 the family moved to Mains of Woodmill for a few months and then to nearby Lochend Farm near Lindores Loch in the parish of Abdie. He had no school education but was taught to read and write by his mother. His brother Alexander taught him arithmetic.[1]

Around 1822 he was apprenticed as a weaver in Collessie. He was successful at this and in 1825 set up at least two handlooms in buildings adjoining his father's cottage. However, the timing of this was unfortunate as the handloom industry was soon devastated by the widespread use of power-looms.[2]

In 1822 he was employed alongside his brother breaking rocks to create a new toll road in Fife from Lindores to Newburgh. He returned again to labouring after his weaving venture collapsed.

From 1829 he worked as a labourer at Inchture estate near Perth and was promoted to overseer in 1835. He lost this job in 1838 when the estate was sold. He never regained employment and thereafter tried to make a living as a writer.[1]

Bethune died of consumption (tuberculosis) on 1 September 1839. His fame was almost entirely posthumous and largely brought about by the efforts of his brother.[1] Bethune is thought to be buried in Abdie parish churchyard.

Publications
  • "Tales and Sketches of the Scottish Peasantry" (1838) (with Alexander)
  • "Lectures on Practical Economy" (1839) (with Alexander)[3]
  • "Poems by the Late John Bethune" (1841) posthumous publishing

References
  1. "John Bethune". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2308. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Gaskin, B. (1955). "Decline of the hand-loom weaving industry in Scotland during the years 1815-1845" (Thesis). Edinburgh Research Archive. History and Classics PhD thesis collection: University of Edinburgh. hdl:1842/18224. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  3. Alexander Bethune; John Bethune (1839). Practical Economy, Explained and Enforced in a Series of Lectures. A. and C. Black. pp. 1–. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
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