Border Reivers and Hodgson Clans
For centuries before the unification of England and Scotland in 1707, the remote Anglo-Scottish borderland region had been the lair of unruly clans and gangs of robbers that were largely beyond the reach of the law. A peculiar form of clan organisation grew up in this area. This was the land of the Border Reivers. These clans recognised no legal authority other than the clan itself. They would steal goods, cattle and women from across the nominal border.
Some Hodgsons in Cumberland were themselves a clan organisation (Fraser 1971). The map above shows several clusters of Hodgsons, some of which may have functioned at some time as clans. The border clans were eventually subjection by state authorities. Many were forced or obliged to emigrate to North America in the 18th century (Fischer 1989). Many Hodgsons emigrated in this period.
Read more about this topic: Hodgson
Famous quotes containing the words border, reivers and/or hodgson:
“For my part, I feel that with regard to Nature I live a sort of border life, on the confines of a world into which I make occasional and transient forays only, and my patriotism and allegiance to the state into whose territories I seem to retreat are those of a moss-trooper.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The reivers they stole Fair Annie,
As she walked by the sea;
But a noble knight was her ransom soon,
Wi’ gowd and white monie.”
—Unknown. Fair Annie (l. 1–4)
““Eva!” Each syllable
Light as a flower fell;
“Eva!” he whispered the
Wondering maid;”
—Ralph Hodgson (c. 1871–1962)