MUAT, Thomas Shoemaker ¹

   Other names for Thomas were MUAT, Tom,² MUATT, Thomas ¹ and MUOAT, Thomas.¹

   User ID: R200

  General Notes:

"MUOAT
THOMAS
THOMAS MUOAT/FRANCIS
M
08/09/1771
709
40 / 216
Haddington"

from Births and Baptisms


Old Parish Registers
Haddington parish East Lothian
Baptisms

"1771
Muoat Thomas and Francis Livingston had a son bo(rn) the 6th of Sept^r: 1771 and Baptised the 8^th D^o (ditto) calle(d) Thomas Wittnesses Thomas & Alex^r: Muoat's [sic]" ¹

  Research Notes:

UK GENERAL ELECTION OF 1831

"The time for the election had now arrived. It could not be postponed. The voting 'took place, and Robert Stewart was declared elected by a majority of one - again the glorious majority of one ! '

The procession again re-formed and marched off to Haddington, elated with their victory. I did not return until the following day, when I again crossed the mountains ; but I was informed that on the arrival of the procession at Haddington, they were headed by several men with blazing tar-barrels on their heads; and in the darkness of the night, the scene had been very startling. The people were perfectly frantic with joy and excitement.

A few days later, the new member made his entry into the town. He was enthusiastically received at Laurencehouse, about a mile out of the town, by men, women, and boys - for boys are always on the winning side. They are a perspiring phalanx in the van of all public movements. During the Reform era every boy was a reformer. To please the boys and the people generally, and perhaps to show the general enthusiasm, an extempore band was got up and headed the procession. It consisted principally of a splendid big drum, which used to belong to the Haddington Militia. It was lent by Peter Martine, who, though a Tory, showed his liberality by lending the drum, which was beaten by a lame Radical weaver, who in his early days had been a big drummer. There were, however, other instruments. There were two key buglers, one Hugh Shields, the parish precentor, who played very well; the other, a carpenter, who played very badly. There was also Tom Muat, the shoemaker, who played the clarionet. The music was shockingly bad ; but it didn't matter. The crowd made up for it by their enthusiasm. Then there were speeches, made by the orators, and received with immense applause by the multitude."

from The Autobiography of Samuel Smiles LLD

Note:

Robert Steuart (1806-1843) was a Whig politician who "declared that he would stand for election at Haddington Burghs at the 1831 general election, during which there were riotous protest and the kidnapping of the Lauder baillie. An election petition was lodged and was ultimately successful with no contest from Steuart, leading to the return of the Tory, Adolphus Dalrymple. During this short tenure in parliament, Steuart voted for the second reading of the reintroduced English reform bill." (Wikipedia) ^{2 3}

Thomas married Jean REID on 13 June 1790 in Haddington parish, East Lothian, Scotland. (Jean REID was born about 1771.)

  Marriage Notes:

"MUATT
THOMAS
JEAN REID/FR2129 (FR2129)
13/06/1790
709
60 / 350
Haddington"

from Index of Marriages