Heart of Midlothian Mosaic, 197 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1PE
Commercial rivalry and anger over English involvement in the failure of the Scottish ‘Company Tradeing to Affrica and the Indies’ boiled over into political violence in 1704. The ‘Worcester,’ an English East India company ship was impounded in Leith in retaliation for a Scottish East India ship confiscated near London. In revenge for another Scottish India ship taken by pirates off Madagascar, three members of the Worcester’s crew were incarcerated in the Tolbooth and on little if any evidence convicted of that act of piracy and hanged on Leith Sands. Seven jurors were shareholders of the Scottish India company.
Mosaic of Heart of Midlothian with outline of the condemed men’s cell.
Burial Record for Captain Thomas Green at South Leith Church, 1705.
Find out more