It’s rare that you see a nickname appearing in Ancestry.com. So when we saw 12th Great Grandfather Alexander irvine listed as Alexander “Little Breeches” irvine, we had to find out more.
By all accounts, Sir Alexander sounds like a good chap. He was certainly well off – in fact, he loaned money to the King, he was so rich. He was a noted local philanthropist, known for his generosity to the University of Aberdeen, the poor of Drumoak, and other charitable causes. His gift of £10,000 for a scholarship at Aberdeen University survives today as the Drum Bursary. While it’s hard to be exact about what that would be worth today, it seems that it would be more than three million pounds today. The bursary’s original intention was to support students with the surname Irvine, but it also included a more general fund for other students.
Today, to win the University of Aberdeen’s Drum Bursary, you need to demonstrate strong recent sporting performance, especially if you’re involved in a team sport.
He is probably most remembered for commissioning the Jacobean mansion at Drum Castle in 1619. This addition significantly altered the castle’s appearance and remains a notable feature. He served as Sheriff of Aberdeen and was involved in various local affairs. His wife, Marion Douglas, also founded a hospital for spinsters in Aberdeen. This home was known as “Lady Drum’s Hospital” was built around 1677 in what became known as Drum’s Lane, just off Upperkirkgate and today a plaque marks its site (left).
Sir Samuel Forbes in his “Description of Aberdeenshire”, written about 1715, alludes to the “Laird of Drum who lived in our grandfather’s time (who) can in no wise be omitted (and) for his benignity and sample bounty to the poor deserves to be remembered and praised. He lived decently, was a plain man, nick named little breeches; increased in wealth, bequeathed lands for maintenance of poor widows, poor maids and for the education of several children at schools and of young men to be taught philosophy and theology.
So what’s with the Little Breeches? In the 17th century, men’s fashion in Europe featured short trousers called breeches, which evolved significantly throughout the century. Initially, breeches were often tight-fitting and worn with a codpiece. Later, styles became fuller, including petticoat breeches and rhinegraves, often adorned with ribbons and lace. These styles were paired with doublets, waistcoats, and long coats, especially after the mid-17th century, as part of a more formal court attire. The fine gentleman on the right is wearing a pair of early 17th century breeches such as might have been worn by Sir Alexander. At this time in history, the standard garment worn in the Highlands was the belted plaid or breacan an fhéilidh, also called the feileadh mòr or ‘great plaid’. This was a huge strip of woollen cloth, typically 1.5 metres wide and from 4 to 6 metres long. The plaid was draped over the shoulders like a cloak, wrapped around the torso, then allowed to drape down below the waist; it was held in place by a belt fastened over it. To be honest, breeches sound a good deal easier tp manage.
And it turns out Sir Alexander also was not afraid to use his money for a few creature comforts as well. He received a dispensation to eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays, along with other days. This dispensation was likely a result of his wealth. In the Catholic Church, all Fridays of the year are designated as days of penance, with abstinence from meat being the traditional practice. This is in remembrance of Jesus’s crucifixion on a Friday. Some Christians, fast on both Wednesdays and Fridays, but this isn’t universal. A dispensation is the exemption from the strict application of a Church law in a particular case. It’s a way for the Church to address situations where the literal application of a law might cause undue hardship or conflict with the law’s purpose, which is the salvation of souls. I’m not entirely sure what hardship Sir Alexander might have faced – but he got away with it anyway.