This letter was copied with permission from the excellent Tain Museum Website

Free Manse Creich By Bonar Bridge 4th Septr 1855

Revd A. Paterson
Perth

My Dear Sir

The object of my troubling you with this letter is respecting a young man from the neighbouring Parish of Kincardine of the name of Peter Ross at present in the General Prison Perth.

The occasion of his having been sent there was in conection with removals at Greenyard Strathcarron Parish of Kincardine in April 1854, he was sentenced at the justiciary court at Inverness in Septr 1854 by the Lord Justice Clerk to 18 months imprisonment, although he was engaged on the day on which the summonses were served, at work at Ardross about 20 miles distant from Greenyard & had nothing to do with the scene which took place there, he was always remarkably quiet & well behaved, the sentence was not only severe but unrighteous.

Soon after his having been sent to Perth Prison I wrote Mr. Gray of the Free West Church about him he saw him frequently & applied to Mr. Kinnaird the city Member to get the period of imprisonment shortened, Mr. Kinnaird succeeded in getting it shortened by six months, so that the period of his imprisonment has nearly expired. It was about the 14th or 16th Septr he was sentenced & therefore the 12 months will expire by the end of next or beginning of the following week.

I had a letter from Mr. Gray dated Perth 8th June 1855, in which he stated that “Mr Kinnaird has succeeded in obtaining a reduction of six months on the term of Peter Ross’s imprisonment & that he sent the Secretary of States letter to the Governor of the Prison”.

As I am told, from indisposition Mr. Gray is not at present in Perth, I have taken the liberty of troubling you with this letter to ask of you the favour of applying to the Governor of the Prison to know the date at which Peter Ross will be liberated, & to give to P. Ross the enclosed pound note for the purpose of defraying his expenses home; his father John Ross called on me today & wished to get the enclosed pound sent to him for the above purpose, as Mr. Gray is unwell I did not know any other Person in Perth but yourself with whom I could use this liberty.

Would you be so good as to mention to Peter Ross that his father wishes him particularly to come home immediately on his being liberated, that he need not remain in the South for work as he will get work at present at home at an embankment which is being erected at Invercarron; & also to say that his brother Donald & his sister Hellen sailed from Liverpool for Melbourne about the 6th of July & that his Parents along with the other Tenants were removed from their houses in January last, & now reside at Langwell in a house near to Malcolm Ross Roy’s where a school was formerly taught.

Would you be so good as to let me know the day on which the lad is to be liberated.

Trusting that you will forgive me this trouble which I have given you & the liberty which I have taken.
I am
My Dear Sir,
Yours very truly
Gustavus Aird

1. Court papers are dated 14 September 1854

2. Remission dated 22 June 1855 - Gustavus Aird states he was advised in a letter dated 8 June 1855 that remission was granted, although the court papers record remission was granted 22 June 1855

3. Peter would have been due for release on 14 September 1855

4. The "Massacare of the Rosses" or "The Slaughter at Greenyards", Gustavus Aird states that Peter Ross was not there on the 31st March 1854 and was working in Ardross. However John Prebbles book suggests that although Donald Ross states that Peter wasn't there on 31st March he was present when attempts were made to serve writs on 7 and 22 March 1854.

FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
High Court of Justiciary processes - main series
CountryCode GB
RepCode 234
Repository National Archives of Scotland
RefNo JC26/1854/76
Title Trial papers relating to Peter Ross, Ann Ross for the crime of mobbing and rioting, breach of the peace, and assault on officers of the Law. Tried at High Court, Inverness
Date 14 Sep 1854
Accused Peter Ross, alias Bain, son of John Ross, Verdict: Guilty, Verdict Comments: Guilty in terms of own confession - breach of the peace, Sentence: Imprisonment - 18 months with hard labour, Petition: Remission of sentence granted under the Great Seal at High Court, Edinburgh, 22 June 1855 (see JC8/63, f.5v). Note: Pannel to serve sentence in the general prison at Perth.
Accused Ann Ross, alias Taylor, Verdict: Guilty, Verdict Comments: Guilty in terms of own confession - breach of the peace, Sentence: Imprisonment - 12 months. Note: Pannel cannot write. Pannel to serve sentence in the prison of Dingwall.


Crown Office precognitions
CountryCode GB
RepCode 234
Repository National Archives of Scotland
RefNo AD14/54/192
Title Precognition against Peter Ross, Ann Ross for the crime of mobbing and rioting, breach of the peace, and assault on officers of the Law
Date 1854
Accused Peter Ross, alias Bain, son of John Ross, Age: 21, Address: Residing with father, Greenyards, Kincardine, Ross County
Accused Ann Ross, alias Taylor, Age: 35, Address: Easter Greenyard, Kincardine, Ross County