Bird Bird

Paisley's Enchanted Threads

Bargarran servants

Bargarran servants

Bargarran servants


The Commission took a number of statements from people who worked or used to work for the Bargarran household. These statements ranged from claiming to hear Christian Shaw name the accused as her tormentors, to witnessing supernatural events that were believed to be the result of witchcraft. One eighteen year old servant named Margaret Campbell swore that she witnessed the young girl suffer fits and torments, and that she named all of the accused as her tormentors except James Lindsay. This maid claimed to have been present when Christian Shaw rushed about the room while her feet appeared to be not touching the ground. She was also present when John Lindsay in Barloch reduced Christian Shaw to violent fits when the girl approached him and touched him. 

A former servant also testified, called Joan Kerr, who was aged twenty three and resided in Paisley. Joan remembered that Katherine Campbell, the maid who had cursed the laird's daughter, was "ane ill natured person and rushed frequently whenever anything angered her." Joan also swore that she saw Katherine Campbell in possession of a charm that she was using against the young girl, and that she heard Campbell curse the child. Another servant, twenty nine year old Katherine Deans, testified that she saw Campbell with this charm as well. Joan Kerr also remembered the morning that Agnes Naismith had arrived to enquire after Christian Shaw. Apparently, Naismith had said that she would not enter the house given that she had only been given a small fish and a piece of bread during her last visit. A grudge on the part of Naismith was implied.