George Halkett

GEORGE HALKET, of Pitfirrane, he succeeded his father in 1573. He was an officer in the Scots Brigade in Holland and led a rather adventuresome life. In 1575, under the direction of Prince of the House of Orange in England, he bought weapons. A few years later he became a Colonel of a Regiment of Scots in the service of the States (Dutch Alliance and its extended war against he French).

He does not appear to have married until 12 July 1575 when he married Isabel, daughter of Sir Patrick Hepburn of Waughton, and Margaret Lundy, daughter of William Lundy of that Ilk.

George Halkett of Pitfirrane was undoubtedly a supporter of Regent Morton and later the King in the tortuous dealings with rebellious factions in Kirk and state.

In 1579 he becomes cautioner for 1000 merks for James Hamilton of Ruchbak for being implicated in the charges brought against Lord John Hamilton and Lord Claud Hamilton, brothers of the Earl of Arran, when Regent Morton struck at the power of that family and attends the King at court and in his host on several occasions.

He was ordered to fortify the castle of Rosyth and retain all boats on the North side of the Forth in 1585 at a time when James was struggling to master a rebellious Kirk, striving to exempt itself from the King’s authority. As Provost of Dunfermline he was ordered on 18th November 1585 to prevent a meeting in Dunfermline of ministers and the nobles who had returned from England where they had received encouragement from Elizabeth to continue their efforts to reduce James’ power. The story from the point of view of the King is told in Melville’s Diary as quoted by Chalmers (Vol. II p.300): “About the end of November 1585 warning was made according to the order of the Kirk the last Moderator athwart the country to the brethren to convene in General Assembly….at Dunfermline, no other town being free of the pest. The brethren frequently ‘frequentlie furth’ of all parts resorting thither, the parts of the town was closit upon them by the provost for the time. The Laird of Pitfirrane, alleging that he had the King’s express command so to do…. But God within a few years paid that laird and provost for the holding out of his

servants for keeping his Assembly in that town, he made his own house to spew him out. For on a day in the morning he was fallen out of a window of his own house of Pitfirrane, three or four house high, whether by a melancholy despair, or by violence of unkind guests within. God knows, for being taken up, his speech was not so sensible as to declare it, but within a few hours he diet.”

So far as the estates are concerned we now have many more documents relating to the management of the lands, particularly to rents and produce and the use which the laird of the day made of them. The chief importance of land was that it provided a security for mortgage to provide ready cash to pay for the expenses of attending the King's host and person, and the repayment of previous debts. An examination of the charters show the high yield of land in this area, as well as the high rate of interest demanded.

In 1574 George Halket assigns an annual rate of 10 pounds from Pitfirrane to be redeemed by a payment of 218 merks: If this is the sum borrowed the interest is approximately 14 percent. In 1576 he redeems a payment of 12 bolls of meal and 4 bolls from the same lands for 332 merks. During the same period that land is further burdened with a 100 pound obligation to his sister, Margaret, who had been executrix at their father’s death during his absence. There is still a further 6 bolls meal and 2 of bere on an old charter of his father. Other possessions were similarly burdened – 18 bolls oatmeal on Primrose as well as many other smaller burdens on practically all of his property.

Most of these were redeemed within a year or two, and he had sufficient money to acquire the lands of Craigies, adjoining Pitfirrane on the south in the barony of Rosyth, from Henry Stewart of Rosyth in 1587. Earlier he had secured a tack of teinds on his own lands from the Commendator of Dunfermline (W.209), and in addition the Overgrange of Kinghorn as a result of a complicated series of loans and obligations. He had also secured lands in Dunfermline parish by the purchase of the mill and holdings of Burnmouth, in which his cousin George the Conservator had interests. George the Conservator was assisted in redeeming burdens on Burnmouth by George of Pitfirrane assigning an annual rent of £30 from Pitfirrane in security to his cousin John Houston of Lanye, from whom the money had been borrowed by the Conservator, and assigns an annual of £20 to the vendors, also from Pitfirrane. George the Conservator had acquired Burnmouth in security and assigned his rights to his cousin in 1586. He had also acquired in 1575 the lands of Sillietoun Wester alias Halkett to the south of Pitfirrane, along with the eighth of the lands of South Fod from Robert Richardson the Commendator, later confirmed by a charter from James VI when he assumed personal rule (sold in 1604) to Sir Robert Melville of Garvock). All these passed to the Pitfirrane family on the death of the Conservator in March 1588.

Apart from the sentiments so agreeably expressed this note does indicate that the extension to the house noted earlier was in occupation by 1590 at least. Certainly at this time a considerable amount of ready cash was being raised by mortgaging portions of Pitfirrane, often to Dunfermline merchants, for this was the only way that land holders could raise money. Sometimes they overdid it and ended up with their lands in the Halketts of the lawyers, but not so in the case of the Halketts. Much of this was on account of the building of the extensions to the square keep which was already nearly two hundred years old, but the payments went on well into the middle of the 17th century, under George's son Robert, who was knighted, the first of the family to be so honoured.

A Renunciation said, Mr George Halkheid (Conservator) to George Halkett of Pitfirrane, assignee of John Stevenson of Burnmouth, of an annual-rent of £30 from lands of Burnmouth, 2nd September 1586. This George Halket, was in favour with James IV as Special Ambassador to Queen Elizabeth, and Traded with Spain. he died 1588. was married to Margaret Hepburn daughter of Sir John Hepburn of Dalry. His Father was David Halkett of Broughton, Linlithgow married to Katherine Danielston of Pitliver. and David's Father was Henry Halkett of Pitliver, with a sister Katherine, who married Charles Danielston. Their Father David Adam Halkett was killed at Flodden Field, mother Helen Mason. All descendants of William Halkett and Margaret Cunningham.

As we shall see later George the Conservator had interests in and around Dunfermline and acquired land there, which was inherited by Robert of Pitfirrane as heir of provision of George Halket Conservator of the privileges of the Scots at Flanders, in the lands of Sillietoun Wester called Halkheid Sillietoun and eighth part of the lands of Southfoid, 2nd June 1589.

The first members of the family that were knighted, were two sons of George Halket, who lived in the reign of Queen Mary and King James V, and a younger son John was knighted by the same prince. George Halket of Pitfirrane and Isabel Hepburn had issue:

1) Sir Robert Halkett his heir (bapt. 2nd September 1576). His eldest son, Robert, received the honour to be knighted from King James VI., and a served her to his father in the lands of Pitfirrane, in 1595, m. 20 Jun 1595 Margaret Murray.

2) Patrick Halkett (bapt. 28th July 1577) who got from his father Lumphinnans having apparently been assigned that part of the family lands. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Murray of Blackbarony, and is the ancestor of the Halkets whose seat is Moxhall England. Patrick’s son, also Patrick married Isabel, daughter of Sir John Boswell of Balmuto, and had at least two sons, the second of whom George being designated 'of Parkhall' and was a merchant in Dysart, whose testament is recorded in the Edinburgh Commissariot Register.

3) George Halkett (bapt. 13th July 1579) but nothing is known of him.

4) Sir John Halkett (bapt. 13th November 1580) was knighted by James VI and attaching himself to a military life, he entered the service of the States of Holland, rose to the rank of a colonel, and had the command of a Scots regiment in the Dutch service. He was likewise President of the Grand Court Marishall, in Holland. He married a Dutch lady, Maria van Loon, his descendants in Holland had a distinguished military service there and was the progenitor of the Halkets in Holland, as well as in the British Army in the 18th and 19th centuries. Now represented by Charles Halkett the great-great grandson of Sir John Halkett married in 1767, Ann, daughter of and heiress of John Craigie of Halhill and Dumbarnie in Fife, and was the ancestor of the Halket-Craigie or Craigie-Halkets of Dumbarney Cramond and Hall-Hill Esquire, the former seat in Perthshire, and the latter in Fifeshire. John Halkett, was killed at he siege of Bois-le-Due, Netherlands on 3 August 1629 at the age of 48. He was buried at Huesden, Netherlands on 7 August 1629.

5) James Halkett bapt. 21 January 1581.

6) Andrew Halkett (bapt 26th July 1584) disappears from the record, heleft half of the lands of Brotherton by his grandmother, and shared the legacy with James.

7) William Halkett (bapt.13 February1585) of whom nothing more is known.

1) Margaret Halkett, b. 15 May 1583, m. Mungo Murray from Craigie, son of Robert Murray from Abercairney and Catherine Murray from Tulliebardine. George of Pitfirrane died before 7th August 1588, and his widow Isabel Hepburn married at Holyrood on 7th June 1590 Sir William Stewart, Prior or Commendator of Pittenweem, formerly a Colonel in the Scots Brigade. George was succeeded by his eldest son Robert Halkett -

Eighth Laird of Pitfirrane