The Raitt Stuff
 
Some illustrious Raitts
Although most of my Raitt and related ancestors apparently led fairly normal (for the time) lives, few seem to have made a real name for themselves and been recorded for posterity. True, several were sea captains, soldiers and speciality master craftsmen (blacksmiths, shoemakers, watchmakers, stone masons) but even their lives have passed unnoticed and unremembered in the main. The majority seem to have worked in the flax and linen industry around Arbroath and the others seem to have been farm labourers in Angus and Banffshire. There are, however, a number of individuals bearing the Raitt name whose careers and exploits have been recorded in earlier times and several of these are listed below. I have come across their names in various documents over time and doubtless there are many others who can be added to this page in due course. Biographies of some closer Raitt relatives are to be found on the page Pillars of Society and stories of other Raitts and relations are to be found on the Religious Raitts and Anecdotes page. The Gravestone inscriptions page also provide additional information, as does the page for Raitt Coats of Arms. It is worth noting that it was expected a couple of centuries ago in Scotland as well as elsewhere that the eldest son would inherit the family estates, while one son would join the army and another would become educated and enter the Church - and the sons would often follow their fathers in the same profession. This is borne out with some of the individuals below. ---------- The Notorious More notorious than illustrious was Sir Alexander Gervaise de Raite (Rathe) who murdered Andrew Calder, 4th Thane of Cawdor, by the the water dam of Raite in 1405. The lands of Raite, in Nairn, Inverness and Moray, including Rait Castle, were seized by the Crown and given to the Thane of Calder's heir, Donald, in consideration of his father's murder. Sir Alexander fled to the Mearns (Kincardineshire) and established himself there, taking possession of Hallgreen Castle (see under Other Raitt locations). His enforced move of abode meant that the Rait name disappeared from Moray at that time; however, all Rait(t)s in the Mearns, Angus (as well as probably those a bit further North in Aberdeenshire) are reputed to be descended from Sir Alexander and his offspring. The villain was a descendent of the old barons of Rait. Sir Gervase de Rathe (Knight) was the constable of Invernairn in 1292, and when, in 1296, King Edward I summoned the Scottish barons to take the oath of fealty, Gervaise was among those who bore arms. His younger brother, Sir Andrew de Rathe (died after 1304), who also swore fealty in 1296 (as did a Roger de Rathe), was a member of Edward I's household in the earlier part of his reign and inherited all his brother’s lands in 1297 by commitment of the king. Another putative relative, Sir Alexander de Rathe was killed at the Battle of Crécy in Northern France in 1346. (See also under Raitt Coats of Arms) ---------- The Civil Servants Alexander Rait was entered as a burgess of Dundee on 11th August 1677, being then apprentice to John Man, merchant. In 1680 he entered the Town Council, and was Bailie in 1681. In 1686 James II repeated the attempt which his predecessors had several times made to obtain control of the burghs by appointing the magistrates. He sent a Royal Warrant before the election in September 1686 directing the Council to appoint the civic officials whom he named. James Fletcher was the Provost by the choice of the Council, and he refused to implement the warrant, protesting the freedom of the burgesses to choose their own representatives. On 2nd December 1686 the King renewed his warrant, and named Alexander Rait as Provost, filling up all the other offices with his own nominees. No attention was paid to this encroachment upon the privileges of the burgh, and a third attempt was later made by the King to accomplish his purpose. Like many other Dundee merchants, Alexander Rait was a subscriber to the ill-fated Darien Scheme in 1696, having contributed £100. Alexander Raitt was the secretary to John Erskine, the 6th Earl of Mar, from 1703 until his death in 1728. Although he owned extensive estates including in Mar, the Earl's home in Scotland was Alloa House, where Alexander was based outside his stints in London. In 1715, the Earl of Mar was the leader of the First Jacobite Rebellion which was put down. Mar subsequently retired to Paris, France, but Alexander remained in the family employ. A separate page is devoted to Alexander Raitt’s biography. John Raitt was Sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, USA from 1755-1757 and one-time armourer for the Province of Maryland. He was also a merchant, selling European and East Indian goods from home. From 1745-1748, he was the Maryland Provincial Agent in England. (More about this John Raitt can be found in the Anecdotes and under Raitt Coats of Arms). Although John Raitt died in 1758, his descendants are alive and well! The Record of Services of The Honourable East India Company's Civil Servants in the Madras Presidency from 1741-1858 show that Charles Raitt was a Writer there in 1763, becoming Factor in 1768. There is no trace of him after 1768. ---------- The Soldiers and Marines Major George Raitt, Ensign, 36th Regiment, May 1795, stationed at Waniore (East Indies); Lieutenant in 72nd Regiment, Ceylon, Jan 1796; captain, June 1803, accompanying his company in the expedition under Sir D. Baird against the Cape of Good Hope, from 1805-1810; Major of brigade (Nov 1810) to the troops, destined to cooperate with those from India in the attack on the island of Mauritius, where he continued until the return of the 72nd Regiment to the Cape of Good Hope in June 1814. Joined 2nd Battalion, 72nd Regiment in Ireland in June 1815, remaining there until Sept 1816, when after 21 years of uninterrupted service in the 72nd Regiment, he was compelled to effect an exchange to the 2nd battalion, 84th Regiment, his private affairs not permitting him to leave Europe. He was placed on half-pay on 12 Apr 1818. Arthur John Rait, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Lieutenant-Colonel {retired) Royal Artillery, Justice of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenant for the county of Forfar, was born in 1839 and was the eldest son of James Rait of Anniston, Captain 15th Hussars and Lieutenant-Colonel 1st Lancers British Auxiliary Legion in Spain, and Knight of St. Ferdinand. He was entitled to wear the Military Cockade. Arthur was present at the capture in 1854 of the fortifications at Bomarsund which the Russians had built on the Aaland Islands in the Baltic during the Crimean War. Having joined the Royal Artillery in 1857, he served in the Rakamundel Field Force in 1859, and as a Lieutenant in the 4th Brigade Royal Artillery he fought during the Maori Wars in New Zealand in 1864-1866, becoming a Captain and earning his Brevet-Major for services against the Ashanti in West Africa. He was one of the first people to use the Gatling gun in 1874 and, while in Africa, he raised a force of native soldiers which became known as Rait’s Artillery. Arthur’s only son, Walter Garnet Rait, was born in November 1878 and was educated at Rugby. He entered the King's Own Scottish Borderers in August 1898 and as a 2nd Lieutenant embarked for South Africa with his battalion in December 1899. He served in the Cape and Orange River Colonies, was present at the battle of Paardeberg and took part in the advance on Bloemfontein. He died of enteric fever at Wynberg on 22 June 1900 and is buried there (see also Raits of Anniston). Lieutenant-Colonel George Edward Raitt was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Raitt, 2nd Regiment and was born on 17 December 1780. As an Ensign, 2nd Regiment of Foot in July 1796, he served with the Queen's Royals in Ireland during the Rebellion of 1798, and was present at the capture of Wexford from the rebels, and at the surrender of the French at Ballinamuck. He accompanied the expedition to the Helder in 1799, and was present at the subsequent battles in September and October. He became a Captain-Lieutenant in 1800 and served as Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Hamilton in the Egyptian campaign of 1801, being present at the siege and capture of Fort Aboukir, battle of the 21st March, siege and capture of Fort St. Julian, affair of Rahmania, and blockade and surrender of Alexandria (Turkish War Medal). He landed in the Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) in August 1808, and was present at the battle of Vimiera, in all the operations of Sir John Moore's army on its retreat, and at the battle of Corunna. He accompanied the expedition to Walcheren in 1809, and was present at the capture of Flushing. In 1810 he proceeded to Portugal as aide-de-camp to Major-General Houstan; he was present during the operations of Massena's retreat, and battle of Fuentes d'Onor. He was Assistant-Adjutant-General in 1813 in the North West District of England. Promoted to brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in 1814, he was appointed Deputy Quarter-Master General to the Forces in Malta in September of that year, subsequently becoming Deputy-Adjutant-General to the forces serving in the Mediterranean in 1816. He exchanged to the half-pay of the 90th Foot in 1817 and served as Barrack Master at Bristol. He received the War Medal with four Clasps. He died in Kensington, London, England on 8 July 1859. His eldest son, Major George Dalhousie Jolliffe Raitt, born in 11 September 1807, followed his father into the 2nd Foot. He was commissioned as an Ensign in 1823, became a Lieutenant in 1825, Captain in 1831 and Major in 1839. Serving with the 2nd (Queen's Royal) Regiment, he was wounded in the assault and capture of the citadel of Ghuznee on 23 August 1839. He died of sunstroke at Mount Aboo, Gujerat, India in 1843. Ernest Robert Raitt, born in 1831, was the fifth but only surviving son of the above Lieutenant-Colonel George Edward Raitt. Unlike his father and elder brother, he does not appear to have been a military man, but his offspring certainly were. They include: George Dalhousie Churchill Raitt, born 1854; Herbert Aveling Raitt, born 1858; Francis Jolliffe Raitt, born 1860; and Arthur Douglas Raitt, born 1869. Major George Dalhousie Churchill Raitt was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Marine Artillery in 1872. He was posted to HMS Achilles in 1875 and served in the Battalion of Royal Marines sent to South Africa for special services in the Zulu War in 1879. During the Egyptian War (1882-1889) he served in HMS Alexandra and was present at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. He became a Major (Instructor of Musketry) in 1893. Major-General Sir Herbert Aveling Raitt, K.C.I.E., C.B. (1858-1935) was commissioned Second Lieutenant, 2nd North Staffordshire or 80th Regiment Foot in 1878. He served with the regiment in the South African War 1878-79, including in the operations against the Sekukuni, and the storming and capture of their stronghold; He was Adjutant to the 2nd Battalion from February 1881-June 1884, then served in Sir Charles Warren’s peaceful expedition into Bechuanaland, 1884-85, where he commanded a troop of Diamonds Field Horse. He served with the Egyptian Army under Lord Kitchener for two years from 1894. Promoted to Major in 1896, he sailded to South Africa on the Briton and served in the Boer War, where he was Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, from December 1900. He was promoted to Colonel in 1904 and commanded the South Midland Division from 1908-11. Becoming a Major-General in 1912, he was posted as Commanding Officer of the Mandalay Brigade during 1913-14; and as General Officer Commanding Burma Division he commanded the troops during the Kachin Rising of January-February 1915, overcoming all opposition encountered, capturing rebel stockades, and destroying implicated villages. He retired from his command in November 1918 and was appointed K.C.I.E in 1919. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Jolliffe Raitt was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1889 and served during the Egyptian War in 1882. He was present at the action at Mallaha Junction and Kassassin, where he served as Acting Adjutant of the R.M.L.I. Battalion present in Egypt during July and August. He became a Major in 1897, but retired and took up an appointment with the Recruiting Staff in 1906. He re-engaged for active service for the Great War and was appointed General Staff Officer, 2nd Grade, War Office, in 1914. He was subsequently appointed Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel Recruiting Service, York District, in 1915. A member of I Zingari and Free Foresters, he died in an Edinburgh nursing home on 29 September 29 1944, aged 84. Very well known at Lord's, he, perhaps, was most popular in Yorkshire, his annual cricket week at Howsham Hall being one of the social events of the season. During many years he took part in Yorkshire Gentlemen matches, country house and regimental cricket, besides appearing occasionally for Hampshire. A senior member of York Race Committee, he acted as steward at many race meetings in the North. Captain Arthur Douglas Raitt was educated at St. Alban’s School and at the United Services College, Westward Ho! in Devon. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in 1890, transferring as Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment the following year. He became a Captain in 1898 and serving with his battalion in South Africa from October 1899 and being present at the battle of Colenso. He was killed in action at Spearman’s Camp, Upper Tugela, with General Hildyard's Brigade in Natal on 21 January 1900. He is buried in Rangeworthy Cemetery, Acton Holmes, Ladysmith, Kwazulu-Natal. His name is inscribed on a memorial in the cemetery as well as on a tablet in his old college at Westward Ho! It is also engraved on a tablet at Guildford, erected by his comrades in memory of all ranks of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment who fell in the Boer war. Like Rifleman Joseph Raitt of Lyttelton, New Zealand (see New Zealand Raitts and under Raitt Anecdotes), two sons of Alexander and Susan Raitt from Barry’s Reef in Victoria, Australia saw action in France during the 1st World War. Private Ernest William Raitt left Australia with the 28th Battalion when he was still 16 and saw service in Gallipoli from where he was evacuated. He was one of the first Australian soldiers to go to France and was reported missing at Pozieres on 29 July 1916 - he was just 18. His brother, Allen, who enlisted at the same time, left Australia with Reinforcements for the 16th Battalion and was only in France for a few months when he was taken prisoner at Bullencourt on 11 April 1917. He was held as a POW in Germany for some twenty months before being repatriated at the end of the war. ---------- The Sailors Captain William Raitt’s exploits as commander of the sloop Scout (18 guns) during the Napoleonic Wars are worthy of note. HMS Scout was a Cruizer-class brig-sloop built by Peter Atkinson & Co. at Hull and launched in 1804. She participated in a number of actions and captured several privateers in the Mediterranean during the Napoleonic Wars. Commander William Raitt assumed command of the Scout in February 1806 and on the morning of 27 March 1807, off Cadiz, Scout, engaged the Spanish felucca privateer Admiral, out of Tarifa, under the command of Sebastian Boralta and with a crew of about 100 men. The Scout saw the ship about an hour before it anchored, but was five hours getting within cannon range. As the Scout approached, the Admiral fired the two 24-pounder guns she carried in her bows, but the crew of Admiral were forced to cut her anchor cable and run her onshore within 10 minutes of the start of return fire. Evidently pierced by the Scout's shots, the Admiral began filling with water. The strong surf prevented the Scout from sending her boats to capture the Admiral, and by the time Captain Raitt sailed in the next day the felucca had wrecked completely. On 10 May the Scout captured a Spanish settee, the San Antonio Abad, of nine men and 20 tons burthen, sailing from Marabella to Ceuta with a cargo of bricks, leather and the like. Two days later, Scout captured a Spanish brig carrying bale goods and loaf sugar. Late on 21 May, Commander Raitt sent his boats and those of Morgiana in pursuit of several vessels spotted sailing past Cape Trafalgar with the aim of clearing the Straits under cover of darkness. Although the ships pursued fired heavily, Raitt’s boats succeeded in capturing one of the privateers. On 13 June the Scout and her sister-ship Redwing chased three vessels into the Barbate river. Commander Raitt sent boats from both the Scout and the Redwing to destroy the vessels, which consisted of a Spanish privateer and a felucca The Spanish privateer was the De Bonne Vassallio,with a crew of 42 men, all but four of whom escaped ashore. The boarding party also captured two signal posts, together with their flags. On 21 June Scout captured the Fair American and that same day, the Scout was off Lagos in the Algarve with Major General Spencer on board. On 11 September Scout captured the Danish ships Gode Haab, Jacob Kielland and Son, and Anna. Then on 20 October the Scout detained the Russian ship Bella Aurora. On 4 April 1808 the Scout captured the American ship Mary Alice, then on 7 December, she joined Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood's squadron off Toulon. Early on 14 June 1809, near Cape Croisette south of Marseilles, Raitt encountered a convoy of 14 Spanish merchant vessels and two gunboats. The Scout set off in pursuit but after the wind dropped in the afternoon Raitt had to continue the pursuit using his boats. The convoy dispersed as seven of the vessels headed for a small nearby harbour. Scout's boats went in under fire from a shore battery; however, a landing party captured the battery, spiking the two 6-pounder guns there. The boats then captured and sailed out the seven Spanish vessels which were carrying wool, grain, leather, flour and cheese. Raitt destroyed two of the vessels after removing their cargoes; the five others he sent to Port Mahon. A landing party from the Scout made a similar attack on a battery at Carry-le-Rouet, some 20 miles west of Marseilles on 14 July. The landing party captured the fort and spiked the guns. In the attack the British killed five enemy soldiers and captured seven, without suffering any loss themselves. At some point in 1809 Commander T. Stamp took temporary command of the Scout, and in October 1809 Commander Alexander Renton Sharpe replaced Raitt. In response to a letter written to William, Duke of Clarence (later William IV), by Vice Admiral Collingwood, William said “I am glad that your Lordship is satisfied with the conduct of our officers and men on this occasion; and am clearly of opinion, that the lieutenants deserve, and ought, to be promoted. I am for liberal rewards: the gallant Raitt, of course, comes within my ideas of promotion and gratuities. I have ever been, and ever shall be, of opinion, that zeal and bravery ought to be the sole causes of promotion.” The gallant William Raitt, here noticed with so much honour, was not long after promoted to the rank of postcaptain. He had received, before this, a flattering mark of his great commander’s approbation, in a letter dated Ville de Paris, 1st August, 1809. “I have seen with satisfaction,” said Lord Collingwood, “the zeal and intrepidity which have distinguished your public services on this and other occasions, and the gallantry with which your enterprises have been executed by the officers and company of the Scout. They have excited my admiration; and I shall have much pleasure in transmitting to the Lords of the Admiralty a detail, in which your merits are so conspicuous.” There is a brief mention of him in the Aberdeen Journal for Wednesday 19 December 1810 when he is counted in the list of subscriptions for enlarging the church of Footdee. He gave £5 5s – a substantial amount (and one of the largest) considering the City of Aberdeen gave £31 10s (the highest). (Footdee was a small fishing village at the mouth of the Dee and Aberdeen harbour, long since swallowed up by the expansion of the city. The village dates back to medieval times but the fascinating present day cluster of cottages was laid out by influential Aberdeen architect John Brown to rehouse the cities fishermen in 1809.) Captain Raitt died at Aberdeen, his native place, on the 4th of February 1816, in the forty-third year of his age. William Raitt was not, however, the only Raitt to be caught up in war. Both master Charles Raitt from Dundee and David Raitt, master of the Adelphi of Aberdeen, were captains of merchant ships captured by American vessels in the Anglo-American wars. Charles was captured during the American Revolutionary War or War of Independence (1775–1783), while David and the Adelphi were involved in the military conflict between the United States and the British Empire and their Indian allies which was to last nearly three years between 1812-1815. Both David and Charles lived to sail another day and details of their mariner activities can be found on the Other Raitt Mariners page. ---------- The Airman Major William Wallace Raitt, United States Air Force, was awarded the Silver Star (America’s third highest military decoration for valour in the face of the enemy) for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in action on 11 August 1967, over North Vietnam. On that date, he led a flight of four F-105 Thunderchiefs against the Hanoi Railroad/Highway Bridge. Completely disregarding his own personal safety, Major Raitt flew through heavy 85-mm. flak, evaded four SA-2 surface-to-air missiles and delivered his ordnance precisely on target. He was subsequently presented with a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in action on 19 November 1967, near Hanoi, North Vietnam. On that date, he was credited with destroying an actively firing surface-to-air missile site which was a threat to sixteen F-105s targeted against a North Vietnamese concrete manufacturing plant. Although his aircraft's hydraulic system had sustained serious damage from an exploding surface-to-air missile, Major Raitt disregarded his own safety, remaining in defensive formation to assure mission success, and courageously delivered his ordnance directly on target. Besides the Silver Star, William also received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with eight Oakleaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. He ended his career as a Lieutenant Colonel William W. Raitt was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1931 and died in 1993 in Liberty, Utah. He was the great grandson of James Dorward Raitt of Arbroath. ---------- The Academics Of the house of Rait of Hallgreen, David Rait was Principal of King’s College, Old Aberdeen from 1592-1632 and was made Doctor of Divinity about 1620. He died around 1632. In 1636, Andrew Raitt was mentioned as heir to his father David Raitt, Principle of King’s College, Old Aberdeen - but although he married Elizabeth Allardice in 1592, it is recorded that they had not children. James Rait, who was regent of the College Of Aberdeen from 1610-1611, and later minister of Aberluthnot, was probably a brother of David's, not a son. Most of the Raitts who entered the church were highly educated - either at Kings’ College, Aberdeen or St. Andrew’s University. Sir Robert Sangster Rait (1874-1936) was Professor of Scottish History and Literature at Glasgow University from 1913-1930, and Principal there from 1929-1936. He was born in Narborough, Leicestershire, the son of Customs and Excise civil servant David Rait and Elizabeth Sangster Anderson, both from Aberdeen, to where the family later returned. Sir Robert graduated from King's College, Aberdeen in 1894 with an MA, later obtaining a First in Modern History from New College, Oxford where he became a Fellow in 1900. Soon after his appointment to the Glasgow University chair, he served in the War Trade Intelligence Department of the Foreign Office during the First World War, and was awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire). Professor Rait was Historiographer Royal for Scotland from 1919-1929, and from 1932 was Chairman of the National Library of Scotland. He was awarded an LLD (Doctor of Laws) by the University in 1930 and was knighted in 1933. It’s not everyday that surface features (well, two are actually underwater) are named after members of the Raitt family. There is Raitt’s Hill in Eliot, York County, Maine which is named after one of the early residents of the settlement at Kittery (see Maine Raitts). And there are two features named for geophysicist Dr Russell Watson Raitt (1907-1995). Russell was a major figure in the development and shipboard employment of seismic methods to study the Earth’s crust and between 1949 and 1985 he undertook extensive and classic studies in the Indian Ocean as well as the entire Pacific. Raitt Seamount in the North Pacific Ocean is named for him, as is Raitt Rise in the Indian Ocean. However, it transpires that Russell Raitt’s wife, Helen Raitt (1905-1976) sailed across the Pacific Ocean in 1952–1953 on Scripps vessels with her husband. She goes down in history as the first woman to undertake such an extended oceanographic expedition. Inspired this voyage, she wrote a book a few years later entitled “Exploring the Deep Pacific” detailing the story of the expedition for the scientists' wives. Helen (born Hill) was involved in volunteer work and a number of fundraising and cultural activities. During her trip, as a consultant for the National Research Council on "Problems of the Underwater Swimmer in the South Pacific", she interviewed Pacific Islanders on local techniques and hazards of swimming and diving. She also fell in love with the music, language, and culture of Tonga and later undertook projects to help Tongans gain access to books or pictures about their own history. ---------- The Clergy Many of the cadets and offspring of the Raits of Hallgreen, as well as Pitforthy became ministers and clearly, particularly in the diocese of Brechin, Angus, the Reverend Raitts lived in interesting times – often being driven from their churches, prosecuted, fined and deprived of their living for not praying for an English king or supporting the Jacobite cause. Since there are a rather large number of these men of the cloth, I have dedicated a separate page to them and included some information about the religious upheavals of the times. ---------- The Grantees Several Raitts were granted lands by charter from various monarchs in early history. Equally their lands were subsequently disbursed just as often it seems. On 28 Aug 1296 at Berwick-on-Tweed, Gervays Rathe del counte de Innerauryn, paid homage to King Edward I along with his brother Andreu de Rat knight del counte de Innernay and Roger de Rathe of Ayrshire. Sir Andrew de Rathe was the subject of several letters to the King asking him to give credence to Sir Andrew’s accounts regarding insurrections. Probably because of this (and possibly the death of Gervase) on 11 June 1297, the King signified that he had committed to his liege Andrew Rate all the lands of Gervase Rate his brother in Scotland, presently in the King's hand. In the book published in 1798 and lengthily entitled “An index, drawn up about the year 1629, of many records of charters, granted by the different sovereigns of Scotland between the years 1309 and 1413, most of which records have been long missing. With an introduction, giving a state, founded on authentic documents still preserved, of the ancient records of Scotland, which were in that kingdom in the year 1292. To which is subjoined, indexes of the persons and places mentioned in those charters ..”, mention is made of several charters granted by King David II (1324-1371) and his succeeding nephew King Robert II (1316-1390) as well as the latter’s son King Robert III (c1337-1406). Different spellings were used at various times for both the names of the grantees as well as the lands conveyed. David II granted charters to Thomas Rait, of the Barony of Ureeis, in vic; Andrew Rait, burgess of Edr (Edinburgh); and Robert Bruce, of the lands of Rate, in vicecom de Perth. Thomas Rait was the shield bearer of King David II (in ancient times, a scutifer or shield bearer was usually a lightly armoured soldier who often accompanied a soldier of a higher rank into battle with a protective shield). The records relate how David II twice visited Kincardine and in January 1338 he gave, among other grants a confirmation charter of the lands of Uris in the Mearns (Kincardineshire) to his shield bearer, Thomas of Rait. He also gave him the territory of Balgillachy in vic. de Forfar in October 1369. In another record it is stated that Sir Duncan Wallace resigned the lands of Ures or Oures, in Kincardineshire, which were on 3 May 1370 granted by David II to Thomas de Rate. For his part Robert II (son of Marjorie Bruce, a daughter of King Robert I, and Walter the 6th High Steward of Scotland and the founder of the Stewart dynasty) in the fifth year of his reign (1376), granted a charter to Thomas de Rate of the barony of Oures in Kincardine upon the resignation of Matthew de Eychles This was reconfirmed the same year. At the same time another charter was granted to him of the other half of the said barony of Oures on the resignation of Duncan Walays. In another document, Dunottar was acquired by Matthew of Gloucester in 1333, but he was afterwards forfeited and about the year 1341 Rait of Uras, who was the king’s shield bearer, acquired a certain portion of the property, becoming a large proprietor inthe Mearns. In the seventh Roll of Royal Charters, Charter 4 in the twelfth year (1383) of the reign of King Robert II states “Carta to Thomas de Rate, of the lands of Ures, Clathok, Hiltoun, and Katerlyne, the brewhouse of Denhouse, Lumgerr, the miln of Dunnotter, and part of the lands of Dunnotter, whilk Matthew de Glacefter forisfecit”. Furthermore, as early as 1378, it appears that Thomas de Rait of Owres in the Mearns, had a confirmation charter of at least a portion of the lands of David de Arrat in the parish of Brechin, from Margaret, daughter and heiress of David Barclay of Brechin. Robert II confirmed this charter granted by Walter Stewart, a son of the king’s, and Margaret his spouse, daughter and heir of David de Barclay of Brechin, to Thomas Raite, Domino de Ouvres, of the half lands of Arroch, in the barony of Brechyn, vicecom. de Forfar. The style of the charter confirmed is particular. It is dated at Scone, in plena parliamento Domini Regis, held there 19th October 1378, the 8th year of the reign of King Robert II. The original charter has been authenticated by the seals of the Queen and of John Earl of Carrick, as well as by the seals of Walter Stewart and his wife. In the seventh Roll of Royal Charters, Charter 14 in the twelfth year (1383) of Robert II’s reign conveys to “James Stewart, gotten betwixt the King and Marion Cardny, the lands of Rate.” In the ninth Roll, in the 19th year of Robert II’s reign (1390) a charter was given to “Alexander de Lindsay, of the superioritie of Ourcs, of Lumgerr, and of Hiltoun, in vic. Kincardineshire, and Balgillow, in Forfarshire, which had belonged to Thomas de Rate.” Robert Bruce, tenth of the name, son of King Robert Bruce, was created (fourth) Earl of Ross by his elder half-brother, King David II. He was killed at the battle of Dupplin on 11 August 1332. His son, Robert Bruce, eleventh of the name, is on record as having received the castle and manor of Clackmannan and other lands from King David II., the charter being dated 9 December 1359. In January 1369, Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan, and the lawful heirs-male of his body, received a charter from King David II under the great seal, of the lands of Rait in the Sheriffdom of Perthshire. In both charters Robert Bruce of Rait is called the King’s beloved cousin. His son, Robert Bruce, twelfth of the name, and the second baron of Clackmannan received in 1393 the lands and castle of Rait or Raith by charter from King Robert Bruce III. His eldest son, David Bruce, third baron of Clackmannan, received a charter to the lands of Rate in Perth from King Robert III. However a later Charter from King Robert III conveyed to John de Weemes, Knight, of the lands of Rires, and all others which he holds of the Earl of Fife, in the barony of Rires; the lands of Myrcarny….. conveyed to John de Wemys, Knight, grandfather of said John; and likewise the lands of Rate…conveyed by… [three] Knights, to said John de Wemys. David Rait of Drumnagair had Hall Green confirmed to him by a charter from James III in 1478. The King was not the only one, it seems, who could dispose of lands. In 1491, the seal of Alexander Blair of Balthyock was appended to Sasine of a rig of land in the barony of Rait,in Perthshire. In 1503 a charter was sealed by G. Ogilvy of Geddes, son and apparent heir of Sir Walter Ogilvy of Boyn, in favour of his brother-german, William Ogilvy, of the lands of Geddes and Rait, in Nairnshire. In 1555 a charted was sealed by Thomas Menzies in favour of John Cawdor {Campbell) as heir to his father, Archibald Cawdor, in the lands of Geddes and Rait. In 1586, the seal of Alexander Dunbar, Dean of Moray, was appended to Tack to John Campbell of Cawdor, of the teind-sheaves of the lands of Rait and Geddes. ---------- The Entertainers John Emmett Raitt (1917 – 2005) was an American actor and singer best known for his performances in stage musicals such as Carousel, Oklahoma and The Pyjama Game. The latter was made into a motion picture in 1957 in which he co-starred with Doris Day. The same year he made a television version of Annie Get Your Gun. He was born in Santa Ana, California of Scottish ancestry (he wrote to my uncle in Glasgow many years back in an effort to discover his Scottish links). In 1945, he was one of the recipients of the first Theatre World Award for his debut performance in Carousel. In 1981, having recently divorced from his second wife, he married his widowed high school sweetheart. He made a cameo appearance in 1996 in one of the first episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun in which he sang part of the title song from Oklahoma. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre. He died in 2005 in Pacific Palisades, California, from complications due to pneumonia, aged 88. Bonnie Lynn Raitt was born in Burbank, California in November 1949, the daughter of John Raitt by his first wife Marjorie Haydock, herself a pianist and singer. Bonnie started playing a guitar at the age of eight, later becoming famous for her unique style. A singer-songwriter with a long series of hits and nine Grammy Awards, Bonnie was influenced by blues, rock, folk and country, with some of her best known recordings including Nick of Time, Something to Talk About, Love Sneakin' Up on You, and I Can't Make You Love Me. Her second album Give it Up released in 1972, on which she played the bottleneck and twelve-stringed guitars associated with her, is reckoned to be her best by many. Her latest (18th) album is called Souls Alike. In March 2000, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A lifelong activist, she is a founding member of Musicians United for Safe Energy. David Raitt is one of two sons of John Raitt by his first wife and is a musician in his own right, although he has appeared onstage with his sister from time to time. He is the lead singer, guitarist and song-writer with the New Mendocino All-Stars based in northern California. His elder brother Stephen Raitt was also a singer as well as a sound engineer, well-known in the music scene in the twin cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. He died of brain cancer in 2009. (See my blog entry for some preliminary ancestry of this family.) ---------- The Craftsmen The Marchmont or St Ronan's Arrow was the prize at an archery competition held from 1830-1844 at the St Ronan's Border Games at Innerleithen, Peebles-shire (now Tweeddale). The Arrow – a realistic representation of a real arrow - was made by the Edinburgh silversmith William Cunningham in 1830. The winner of the Arrow was entitled to add a medal to the trophy (at his own expense – so not all did). In 1842 the winner was William Steuart from Groynynogin in North Wales and the medal he commissioned was made by David Crighton Rait (see also under Raitt Coats of Arms). Rait was admitted to the Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow as a goldsmith and jeweller on 31 August 1832, when his essay was a plain gold ring. He seems, however, to have been in business before this date, as two earlier items with his mark are known: a lemon strainer dated 1827 and a punch ladle of 1828. when his business address was in Glasgow, although he also had a clientele in Edinburgh. Born in 1796 in Largo, Fife, he registered marks in Glasgow in 1822 and in Edinburgh in 1844, though in the 1841 census he seems to have been working in Kilbride on the island of Bute. By 1851, however, he was in Glasgow at 34 Buchanan Street. He sent a name punch to be recorded at Edinburgh Assay Office in 1864. A prolific craftsman, he produced a considerable number of sporting medals, including ones for the Fairywell Curling Club, St Quivox, in 1846-7, and the Ayr Curling Club in 1857. Between 1832 and 1863 Rait made 10 of the medals attached to the Kilwinning Arrow (another archery competition). He also made the gold medal presented by the 13th Earl of Eglinton to Kilwinning Bowling Club and was Medallist to the County Archery and Rifle Club for the West of Scotland in 1846. His mark is also on a silver spoon made in 1845 (at right). The medal made by David Crighton Rait in 1842 for the Marchmont Arrow winner is described as follows: Circular, reeded rim, suspension loop, free swivel ring. Diameter 33 mm. Obv: Gained / by / William Steuart Esqr / of Glenormiston / Aug 1 1842 Rev: Crossed laurel branches, above them on a banner Pax Copia Virtus. Marks: King's head right in oval punch; DCR in rectangular punch, thistle. The above is based on: The Marchmont or St Ronan's Arrow. By John Burnett & George R. Dalgleish. Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot, 125 (1995), 1175-1186 The Edinburgh silvermaker’s mark for D. C. Rait & Son appears on a tea service for 1869 in Glasgow. In fact, David’s younger brother Robert was also a silversmith. Robert Rait served his apprenticeship under James Muir and appears on the Incorporation of Edinburgh's Apprentice Register as from the 5th October 1818 (when he would have been aged only 11). Robert chose to seek his fortune in the USA arriving there in 1833. He was a silver smith, jeweller and retailer in New York City from 1833-1866 and is listed in the 1854 and 1856 NY City Directories as well as on tax rolls as late as 1866 at his business address at 261 Broadway. He had his own firm - Robert Rait & Co. - from 1835-1855. In the 1860 New York Census he is shown as a merchant, aged 50, and apparently not married or head of household, with an estimated worth of $50.000. He died in New York City on 1 February 1869. (See also under Scottish Raitts for family details.) Another Rait, almost certainly of the same family and possibly the above mentioned David himself or his son, was a partner in the silver and goldsmith firm of Smith & Rait active in Glasgow in the early 1900s at the address of 34 Buchanan Street - the same as that of David Rait. The firm advertized in the Post Office Annual Glasgow Directory for 1901-1902 (see below). And these were not the only Raitts to be silversmiths. James Reat (1782-1815) was a prominent silversmith in partnership with Reuben Johnson from 1804-1815 in Richmond, Virginia. Two silver cream pots dated 1805 and 1810 belonged to Thomas Jefferson and are in the Monticello collection. Pillars%20of%20Society.htmlReligious%20Raitts.htmlRaitt%20anecdotes.htmlGravestone%20MIs.htmlRaitt%20arms.htmlRaitt%20residences.htmlRaitt%20context.htmlAndrew%20de%20Rathe%20letters.htmlRaitt%20arms.htmlAlexander%20Raitt%20-%20secretary.htmlRaitt%20anecdotes.htmlRaitt%20arms.htmlMaryland%20Raitts.htmlAnniston%20Raits.htmlGravestone%20MIs.htmlAnniston%20Raits.htmlGravestone%20MIs.htmlNZ%20Raitts.htmlRaitt%20anecdotes.htmlOther%20Raitt%20Mariners.htmlJames%20Dorward%20Raitt.htmlReligious%20Raitts.htmlMaine%20Raitts.htmlhttp://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/biogr/Raitt_Helen_Biogr.pdfRaits%20of%20Hallgreen.htmlHallgreen%20Raits%20of%20Angus.htmlReligious%20Raitts.htmlAndrew%20de%20Rathe%20letters.htmlRaitt%20blog/FA95C23B-771A-4C9F-BC62-F5A05BB0E407.htmlRaitt%20arms.htmlhttp://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_125/125_1175_1186.pdfScottish%20Raitts.htmlhttp://livepage.apple.com/shapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1shapeimage_4_link_2shapeimage_4_link_3shapeimage_4_link_4shapeimage_4_link_5shapeimage_4_link_6shapeimage_4_link_7shapeimage_4_link_8shapeimage_4_link_9shapeimage_4_link_10shapeimage_4_link_11shapeimage_4_link_12shapeimage_4_link_13shapeimage_4_link_14shapeimage_4_link_15shapeimage_4_link_16shapeimage_4_link_17shapeimage_4_link_18shapeimage_4_link_19shapeimage_4_link_20shapeimage_4_link_21shapeimage_4_link_22shapeimage_4_link_23shapeimage_4_link_24shapeimage_4_link_25shapeimage_4_link_26shapeimage_4_link_27shapeimage_4_link_28shapeimage_4_link_29shapeimage_4_link_30shapeimage_4_link_31shapeimage_4_link_32
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