LL-L "History" 2009.06.27 (07) [EN]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 27 June 2009 - Volume 07
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R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com> wrote
Subject: History

Our Tom (Mc Rae) wrote:

One was set up outside a church in Edinburgh's High Street, probably after
1603 for market prodice to be weighed prior to selling at the market
adjacent to St Giles High Church.
Scots referred to the device as a "TRON" and the church where it was
situated is still called The Tron Church. Long abandoned an enterprising
local gained access in Vistorin Times
and established an illicit whisky still. He ran the vent up into the steeple
so the smells op distilling wafted well above the city.
I recall steelyards being used in Edinburgh butchers' shops in the 1940's.

The *Oxford English Dictionary* says among other things:

*tron, trone** n.*
Sc. and north. dial.
[ME. a. OF. trone (Godef.) -- L. *trulina*, a. Gr. *τρυτάνη *balance, pair
of scales.]
1. (Chiefly Sc.) A weighing machine; a pair of scales or other machine for
weighing merchandise; a public weighing apparatus in a city or (burgh) town;
also called ‘the king's trone’. Now *Hist*.
  b. The post of this was used as a pillory, or place of public exposure and
punishment of offenders.
  c. Contextually, The place where the tron was set up; a market-place,
market; in quot. 1821 *fig*.
  d. Short for *tron weight*
2. (*pl.*) *north. dial.* A weighing-machine; a pair of scales, a steelyard
or spring balance.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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