2 VILLAGE OF KETTLE. CHAP. i. 



When the battle of Waterloo had been fought, 

 and peace fell upon Europe, the English array returned 

 from abroad. The militia were no longer needed for 

 garrison duty, and the greater number of them were 

 sent home. The Fifeshire Militia were ordered to 

 Fife, and took up their quarters at Cupar. During 

 that time, John Edward's wife and family resided at 

 the village of Kettle, about six miles south-west of 

 the county town. They lived there, because John 

 was a native of the place, and had many relatives 

 in the village. 



At length the militia were disembodied. Edward 

 returned to Kettle, and resumed his trade of a hand- 

 loom cotton weaver. After remaining there for some 

 time, he resolved to leave for Aberdeen. His wife 

 liked neither the place nor the people. Kettle was 

 a long straggling sleepy village. The people were 

 poor, and employment was difficult to be had. Hence 

 Edward did not require much persuasion to induce 

 him to leave Kettle and settle in Aberdeen, where 

 his wife would be amongst her own people, and where 

 he would be much more likely to find work and wages 

 to enable him to maintain his increasing family. 



Arrived at Aberdeen, John Edward and his wife 

 "took up house" in the Green, one of the oldest 

 quarters of the city. Their house stood at the head 

 of the Green, near Hadden's "Woo mill." The re- 

 mains of the old Green were lower down the hill. 

 The Denburn ran at the foot of the Street. There 



