Banffshire Journal, Tuesday January 23rd. 1855: -

ABRAM CLARK, MINERALOGIST  - The traveller who has gone along the Banff and Fochabers road must, while the coach has stopped at Portsoy, have noticed, immediately opposite the inn, a rather prominent signboard, which indicated that there dealt within a dealer in minerals.  Possibly, he may at the same time have observed in the door-way a thick-set, broad-chested, low-built man, whose grave face my have reminded him of one of those countenances which Rembrandt delighted to portray.

         

          The man is no ordinary individual.  Long a dweller in the town, which derives a species of eclat from his residence, he has not been unobservant of what is around him.  You cannot take up a stone whose geological characteristics he will not describe to you.  You cannot desire to see any peculiar geological strature but, if it exist within ten miles of the spot on which you stand, he will point it out to you.   The personage is indeed no other than Abram Clark the rather celebrated mineralogist of Portsoy, the man who works the beautiful marble which has made the town of Portsoy known throughout the three kingdoms, and even on the continent of Europe.  It is he, who for nearly the last half-century, has executed these beautiful vases which are to be found in many cabinets, those various ornaments made from this marble, which are in the possession of not a few ladies, and those appliances of the writing desk which are in use by many votarics of the pen.  To Abram's ingenuity and to his father's before him, the town of Portsoy owes it that the vein of its beautiful marble has been worked, and that, in consequence, the features which particularly distinguishes the locality has been profitable developed.

         

          The characteristic form of Abram, however, we are sorry to say will no more greet the eye of the passing traveller.  His remains now slumber by the sea-shore, which in life he often traversed.   His call was somewhat sudden.  On Saturday, he was seized with apoplexy, and the following Monday (as our obituary notice describes) he departed this life in the 64th. year of his age. Peace to his ashes!    His life was marked by few incidents; he was not troubled by ambition; for 60 years he had been a resident in Portsoy, and during all that time he had never felt a desire to explore new scenes, but was content to expend his curiosity and energies on the interesting geological field which lay immediately around him.  But Abram was not merely a student of nature, he was deeply read in many subjects, and particularly in the his favourite theme of mineralogy.  The North of Scotland perhaps contained no more thorough practical mineralogist.  His qualifications in this respect, and his knowledge of the district, made his house the resort of numerous visitors, who frequented the district for the purpose of exploring its geological features.  Dr. Hugh Miller never passed through the town without giving Abram a call, and in one of his papers describing such excursions, he alludes in eulogistic terms to the labours of the mineralogist of Portsoy.

         

          We have said that Abram had no ambition.  We may also say that, unlike his famous namesake, he was not "rich in silver or gold".  He sought not wealth, and he died as he lived, a man of moderate means.  His riches lay in his in his mineralogical store and his marble ornaments the results alike of his labour and his skill.  Of these he leaves a large accumulation and we understand they are now for disposal.   He has left behind him an only sister, who depended on him for support, and who has now little to look to have, but for the proceeds of the collection left by her brother.  The collection, we believe, contains many valuable and rare specimens well worthy the attention of those taking an interest in geological studies.  The Banff Institution for Science, we think, might very properly invest a portion of their funds in securing for their Museum some of the fruits of the industry of good old Abram Clark.

         

          We may add that the death of Abram opens the way for another workman in the Portsoy marble. Perhaps some one may find it worth there while to step into the position now left vacant.

 

Note: - In the census taken on 31st. March 1851 is the following entry: - Abraham Clark (age 62) and his sister Elisa Clark (age 45) both born in the Parish of Fordyce reside at Overaird, Portsoy.

 

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Banffshire Reporter, June 10th. 1870: -

PORTSOY MARBLE - That our marble quarry is both a remarkable and a valuable acquisition to the quarter is a fact which has long ago been noticed, perhaps by others more than ourselves.  The Gazetteer of Scotland, published in 1832, notices the "beautiful serpentine" as one of the things for which Portsoy is famous, and the remark is also made that it is more suitable for small ornaments than for works of great dimensions.  Experience has fully proved the truth of the remark, and those who try their hand at marble cutting are numerous.  Mr. Peter Leitch, Aird Street, however, has set about the work practically, and the number of articles, useful and ornamental, now on exhibition in his shop windows, are well worth a visit.   Of all the articles, and they are various, and well worthy of individual comment - we think the most noticeable is an exquisite watch stand, with two finely formed pillars supporting in relief.   There are other two or three stands which are perhaps more finely polished, but the beauty of design in that we have mentioned is most conspicuous.  There are a variety of other things such as reelstands, sugar basins, vases, and brooches, all worthy of notice.

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Banffshire Reporter, June 28th 1871: -

PORTSOY MARBLE - At the present time, when visitors are beginning to make their appearance, it is but right that we should direct their attention to the large and really elegant collection of ornaments in "Portsoy Marble" which are now in possession of our self taught lapidary, Mr. P. Leitch, Aird Street.   Besides no end of beads, brooches, studs, pins, crosses, and so on, there are a number of more pretentious articles, such as large and small obelisks, sugar basins, watch-stands, etc., to say nothing of a very elegant bowl to serve as a font for baptisms in the New Free Church.   There is also a very handsome marble fountain of three basins, which would form a very tasteful ornament in a small greenhouse or conservatory.  But his chief effort, or at least the one, on which he has bestowed most labour, is a lady's work table, which is well worth looking at.   It is round, 26 inches in diameter, and the leaf of it is formed of a great many different pieces of the marble, finely embossed, and displaying the endless variety of shades and colours for which our native production is so celebrated.   No stranger should leave the town until he has first seen these very elegant ornaments, more especially as the prices asked for many of the smaller ones are so very trifling as to bear no proportion to their rare elegance.

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Banffshire Reporter, Friday, May 17th, 1872:  -

PORTSOY MARBLE - Having occasion to visit our local lapidary, Mr. P. Leitch, we were quite surprised at the accumulation of really beautiful articles he has manufactured out of our world famed serpentine.  To say nothing of crosses, brooches, sleeve-links, and such like ornaments as have usually been manufactured out of really beautiful marble, he has many articles of greater utility, such as egg cups, snuff boxes, ladies' reels for holding their sewing and knitting gear, and such like.  Within these few days past George McDonald, LL.D., along with his lady, paid a visit to Mr. Leitch's studio, and was so delighted with the beauty and variety of the various ornaments that he became an extensive purchaser, ordering the articles to be sent to his address in London.  To say nothing of the rich field for study which the district affords to the students of geology, very few tourists visit it without carrying away with them choice specimens of these marble ornaments.   The tourist season will soon commence, and on no previous occasion has Mr. Leitch been better prepared for it.

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Banffshire Reporter, Friday, July 24, 1874: -

PORTSOY SERPENTINE - Our local marble cutter, Mr. P. Leitch, has not been so well for some time, and consequently his stock of marble goods is not so large; but being in his place the other day we were much struck with the beauty of a mantelpiece clock case, in which a valuable clock has been placed.   The stone out of which it has been cut is of rare beauty, and altogether it is just sort of an article as the best in the land might wish to see in their drawing room, and the price of both case and clock - a 14-day one - is only about £6 10s.  There are several other handsome cases, and some ornaments, but none of them approaches the one referred to in point of beauty and elegance.   Those visiting the town should make a point of seeing these clock cases, and they will be welcome to do so whether they purchase or otherwise.

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Banffshire Reporter, Friday, October 13th, 1876: -

PORTSOY MARBLE WORKS - It has been known locally for some time that Messrs. McDonald, London, has become the lessees of the Serpentine quarries here, and not of these only, but also of the whole of the minerals of the Seafield property in the parish.   But we delayed to notice the matter publicly in order not to hamper these gentlemen in their arrangements.   Now, however, that they are about to commence operations in good earnest in an enterprise in which all must wish them success, there is no need for any further reticence in the matter.

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           They have chosen as the site of their works, in order, doubtless, to obtain a plentiful supply of water, and at the same time to be near the railway, the piece of ground at the dam-side, reaching down from near the Station Hotel stables, to the westward of the premises of Mr. C. Ritchie, engineer, and, to begin with, are immediately to erect thereon a workshop, which will be about 70 feet square.

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          They are also about to erect a powerful crane on the high ground above the quarry, for the purpose of raising the blocks of marble as they are cut from the rock; and they have purchased a wooden house which was used at the Soapstone Quarry, which will also be erected at the quarry, at which operations on their account are to be commenced by Mr. A. Horne, West Bar.  A powerful steam-engine will be used in the polishing shed for driving the saws and other necessary machinery. 

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           It may thus be seen that they are going into the enterprise in a manner which ought to command success, and which can hardly fail to do so.  Nor is it too much to suppose that these marble works, by the development of a portion of the mineral wealth with which our locality has been so richly endowed, may yet prove one of our most important industries.  Our Serpentine is known to be of unsurpassed beauty, the supply of it is without limit in extent, and in this refined age there is no end of the ornamental uses to which it may be turned.   We say then, success to the Portsoy Marble Works.

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(Note: - This proposed enterprise never materialised)

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Banffshire Journal, Tuesday, October 8th. 1878: -

PORTSOY - NATURAL SCIENCE  - The people of Portsoy have been luxuriating in science the last week.  Dr. Heddle, Professor of Chemistry in St. Andrew's University, was on a visit to the Rev. Mr. Peyton, and was induced to give three lectures.   Professor Heddle has made a special study of mineralogy and geology, and is Vice-President of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and formerly President of the Geological Society of Edinburgh.  We understand the Professor is engaged on a work on the Geology and Mineralogy of Scotland, and has with this object visited many parts of Scotland.  He spent three summers in Portsoy, and acquainted himself with the rocks of the district.

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          On Wednesday (Oct. 2nd.) he gave a lecture on the Rocks of Portsoy, which he described as metamorphic, and altogether as unique, presenting a combination which starts problems for science and puzzles for the geologist.  He showed in an interesting way, how solid worlds may be formed from a nebulous condition.  The lecture was delivered in the new Public School, which was crowded, and many left, not being able to get admission.

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          On Thursday, Professor Heddle invited all who wished to come, to an open-air lecture on the shore, and he went over a quarter of a mile of the headlands, describing each rock as it cropped out on the shore.  He began with a headland composed of a rock spotted over by crystals like crawling worms, and said that this rock had puzzled him for years, but that on the occasion of his last visit he had fixed its place among the rocks as Chiastolite slate, and that it does not exist in any other part of Britain.   He then described the singular forms of the crystals as they appeared under the microscope.    Then he passed to the clay-slate, which is the principal quarry from which building stones are taken.   He had analysed it and pronounced it as a bad stone for building, because of the lime with which the slate was penetrated, which in course of time would be washed out, leaving interstices in the stone.   The he came to the serpentine, and said that the variegated colours of the stone were not in the rock as it existed in the depths of the earth, but that the colours were brought out by the sea and the sun; and added that it requires time and exposure to give colour and interest to human character also.   In this way he went over the headlands, each of which is composed of a different rock.  Of one mass of a felspar, called Labradorite, he said that was the only spot in Britain in which such a large mass occurs, which was first discovered at Labrador.    At this open-air lecture there were present, among others, Mr. Bryson, Cullen House; Col. and Mrs. Moir, Captain and Mrs. McKenzie, Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer, Messrs Irving, Andrew Matthew, Tarland, Hay, Dr. Robb and Miss Ann Reid.

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          On Friday, Professor Heddle gave a lecture on "The Air which we Breathe" in the Public School, which was crowded.  Dr. Robb in moving a vote of thanks to Professor Heddle, said that he had read much in his lifetime about the air, but Professor Heddle had taught him some things unknown to him.  Our towns and parishes would be the better if men like Professor Heddle could be induced to visit them, and point out the wealth of natural science which abound in them.   A fine Christian tone and a happy vein of humour ran through the Professor's teaching, which were highly relished by the people.

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