Jeems ‘Pizzie’ Grant ~ Character of Rhinds Court
Another famous character who sometimes worked on the Quay the immortal Jeems Grant, otherwise ‘Pizzie’ Grant. He was a denizen of Rhind’s Court, 64 Gallowgate. His father was a Soldier and had lost a Leg in his Country’s Service, for which he received a Pension. One of his brothers was a Carpet Weaver- for many years at Hadden’s Carpet Works, in Wapping Street, which was merged into the Joint Station Site; another was a Soldier. Both, were men about the usual stature, although Jeems height scarcely reached 4ft-6in. When besides his wife, who was a tall woman, he looked like a little Boy out with his Mother.
Ogg’s Aberdeen Map of 1847
Most contemporaries cannot remember him as other than a wisen faced, cankered-looking carl, yet he was a strong, sinewy little fellow, and could lift weights and carried burdens that many a big man would have sunk under. On one occasion, the late Mr John Webster, a Baker at 43 the Green, was getting some Flour delivered at his Shop Door when Pizzie made his appearance. With his usual pertness, he commenced to criticise the Carter who was delivering the sacks, whereupon Mr Webster said to him “Jeems, ye canna carry a Sack.” – “What’ll ye wager?” says Pizzie. “Weel, Jeems,” said Mr Webster, “if you will carry a sack into the Shop, I‘ll gie you saxpence.” “Done,” said Pizzie and, by hook or crook, he managed to stagger into the Shop with the 280-lbs Sack on his back, but it was all he could manage, which was not bad for a man of his size.
On another occasion, however, in which he, with his usual conceit, wanted to show off his Powers, he came off 2nd best. There used to be Stabling at the foot of Young Street, where the Loch Street Brewery later stood opposite John Street. One day a stout farm servant was delivering some grain, in sacks, and Jeems, being on hand, started to ‘chaff’ the Countrymen, telling him that he did not know the way to carry Grain Sacks, and that he (Jeems) could carry them better himself. “Keep yourself quate,” said the Countryman, “an’ we’ll see fat ye can dae.” Pizzie’ kept arguing away at the man until the Job was completed, when the Countryman deliberately went up to Pizzie and, catching hold of him by the back of the neck, coolly lifted him up and deposited him in the Ash Pit to the uproarious delight of the assembled Urchins, (who assisted in fishing him out in a dilapidated’ condition.
Young Street no longer in existence due to the Construction of Aberdeen College of Further Education. The Brewery Stables were on the bottom left-hand corner of this Street and the William Berry Brewery Building itself was at at 112 Loch Street next to a Dye Works.
Pizzie’s general Attire consisted of a dark velveteen Coat, which reached to his heels, pantaloons about 6-sizes too large, and turned up almost to the Knees; a cap with about 3-Reefs it to bring it down to the size; and an old Muffler, or Handkerchief, about 6-times around his neck. Pizzie and his wife lived for a number of years in Rhind’s Court, (64 Gallowgate). The late Mr Macaldowie, a Brush Maker, owned some of the dilapidated Property there, and Pizzie was a Tenant of, or rather, was a Squatter on the Property, as I believe the Owner was afraid to go down the Court Property’s to look after Rents or anything else, and so numbers of the Residents had leave to do as they liked. In the House in which Pizzie lived, the “Tenants” found it too irksome to go through from one room to another, as they ought to have done, so they simply cut an opening through the Lobby Partition, by which they came in and went out; and nobody ever called them in question about it. How Pizzie lived was a mystery, sometimes did a little work as a Coal-heaver; sometimes he got other Labouring Jobs. He had all his wits about him and there was a number of people he periodically visited, who assisted him. There were several Tailors and other Workshops that he regularly visited, where the men got a bit of fun with him in exchange for a few half-pence. Jeems used to smoke a Cutty (4-inch working men’s pipe with thick Bowl), and he always had a Pipe-top, which he called his ‘Liddie‘.” He used regularly to visit Mr Alexander Gray, Watchmaker, 11-Netherkirkgate, and other Watchmakers, for a bittie chain to his ‘Liddie‘ and if he did not get that he got something else.
Whenever boys wanted to bait Pizzie, they, knowing their man, went about it systematically. One half of them used to rug & tug at him and the other half professed to side with him. Pizzie then commenced to tell his friends his general grievances which were ordinarily very comical until they got out of him all he had to say was when the whole gang began to pull & haul at him. He would get perfectly savage, and then woe betides the unlucky Urchin that fell into his clutches, for Pizzie belaboured him most unmercifully. When we got him perfectly enraged, we generally thought it time to decamp, leaving him Master of the situation until such time as we came across him again, when we attempted the same old game.
Although not a Drunkard in the ordinary sense, Pizzie was always open for a Glass, or as many Glasses (as anyone was inclined to give him) and numbers of people used to take him away and fill him drunk for no other reason than to get fun out of him. Although he was voluble at most times, he was 10-times more so when in that condition and he was not over-particular as to his Liquor. For a long time the Waiters at Ransome’s Coffee Booms, Market Street (later Davidson’s), used to keep a jar of “all-sorts” for Pizzie special delectation, for which he generally called. The “All-sorts” consisted of the “Heel-tape” of all and sundry Liquors consumed on the Premises, and a little of it went a long way, as Pizzie often found in his experience. One day, on coming out of Ransome’s, a young fellow got hold of him by the back of the neck, and started off down the street, pushing Pizzie before him at full Speed, and he never halted with him till he was along the Cross Quay. Pizzie used to say that it was the quickest Race, and he thought it was to be his last one as he got such a fright.
During his latter years, Pizzie Grant took to wandering about the Country. He used to go to Dundee; but whether he had any friends there, or how he lived when he was there, one really cannot tell. On several occasions, he tramped to Dundee & back, and it was after tramping from that City that, weak & exhausted, he was discovered lying at the Roadside, near Aberdeen. He was removed to Oldmachar Poorhouse, and shortly afterwards became an Inmate of St Nicholas Poorhouse East, in Nelson Street where he died, on 4th July, 1870, aged 70-yrs. He was buried in St Peter’s Cemetery.
William Forbes Skene (7 June 1809 – 29 August 1892) 2nd Son of James Skene
East Neuk Chronicles
Mr James Ogg, well known as a Local Poet born in Banchory Ternan wrote an “In Memoriam” Poem on ‘Pizzie‘. It runs as follows:-
Inspire me, I charge you, ye Muses sublime,
Hush! Nature, I pray thee, and List to my Rhyme;
The heart o’ your Minstrel it riven in twa;
I’m thlnkin’ on Pizzie – but Pizzie’s awa
IN MEMORIAM
JAMES GRANT, alias PIZZIE.
Died 4th July, 1870.
“Where much is given, much will he required.”
There’s mony will miss him, we’ll a’ feel a want,
The Toon’s incomplete since we lost Pizzie Grant;
Cauld, cauld are their hearts – oh! they’re nae men ava
Wha think nae on Pizzie since Pizzie’s awa’.
Ah, Laddies! ye’re greetin’; weel greet till ye’re tired,
Ye lost a gweed Playmate when Pissie expired.
Ye ill-trickit Urchins on whom will you fix
Nae humorous as Pizzie, sae up to your tricks
I’m nae to upbraid; ye min’ brawly yersel
Hoo angry he was when ye tittet his tails
Hoo fiercely he glared while ye fearless did chant
“Halloo, little Pizzie! Halloo, Pizzie Grant!”
Ye mine’ how he cursed ye for ill-trickit geets,
An’ chased ye thro’ Alleys, thro’ Bleach Greens an Streets
He ran like a Deer – tho’ his legs were but sma –
When ye shouted “Pizzie” but Pissie’s awa.
Ah. laddies! nae malr he will join In the chase,
He’s sleepin’, puir bodie, in Death’s cauld embrace,
Oor tears to his Memory unstinted will fa’;
A queer Fish was Pizzie but Pizzie’s awa’.
Thou grim, grinnin Spectre, thou death-dealing King;
Why did ye tak’ Pizzie, the puir little thing?
‘I’m sure ye mlcht fa’en on a worthier Prize
At least on a man o’ respectable Size.
But ems’ is yer triumph, grim Monarch, I wot;
His puir little body may moulder and rot
In the dark, clammy grave where his Forefathers lie
But his Soul may have fled to the regions on high.
If landed on high, I will vooch he has seen
Great lots o’ kint folkies frae dear Aberdeen ;
Oh! glorious thocht, they will hail as a Sant
The crabblt bit mannle we ca’d Pizzie Grant.
But noo my Memento I’ll bring to a close.
In peaceful seclusion his Dust shall repose;
Yet I think oor brave Toonsmen, and Baillies ana
Micht raise a bit Statue since Pizzie’s awa
I min’ on the mannie since I was a bairn.
I don’t think my Stane would be last on the Cairn;
Let s rear a nice Monument, polished fu’ braw.
In Mem’ry o’ Pizzie, ’cause Pizzie’s awa.
James Ogg – Local Bard born in Rural Banchory Ternan, Kincardine and moved to the tempting Aberdeen economy as a boy with his parents & siblings to live in a Tall Tenement Attic in Northfield near Jacks Brae, Gilcomston – on his own Prowess as a Poet.
My name is J 0,
I’m a rhymer, you know,
An’ belang tae far-famed Banchory-Ternan;
My knowledge is scant at the ootset I grant,
But pheuch! – what o’ that? – I am learnin’.
When jist a bit loun I was ta’en tae the Toon,
Alang wi’ my Faither an’ Mither;
When still vera young simple Stanzas I strung,
“Oor Willie ” began me – my brither.
I’ve struggled Uphill wi’ a vigorous Will,
At Trials an’ Troubles I laugh aye;
That’s a’ I can tell o’ yer Bardie, mysel’,
Sae accept o’ this brief Biography.
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