Old Edinburgh Worthies 2: The violent, volatile and energetic Walking Dick

Georgian and Victorian Edinburgh​ boasted a considerable population of street characters. The Victorian artist Ned Holt made it his business to record the doings of these ‘street worthies’, shedding much-needed light on the dark underbelly of the Capital of the time.

Edinburgh worthy, Walking Dick

In his old age, Walking Dick was described as a tall, energetic fellow, with the appearance of a former​ ​soldier. He is said to have worked at a rubber factory while still young and agile, but only when he​ ​felt like it; his main interest in life, apart from drinking whisky, was pedestrianism.

Just for the fun of​ ​it, he would throw down his coat at Register House and compete with the Leith omnibus travelling​ ​up Leith Walk, with the impudent street urchins in hot pursuit, screaming, ​"​Walking Dick!​"​ and​ ​imitating his athletic mannerisms.

It was said that​,​ ​"​Every movement of his was made in a most​ ​masterly and sporting style, and although ‘a wee bit off’ was always regarded as ‘a good sport’.”In 1876 came Walking Dick’s first newsworthy exploit: a walking duel against the Londoner W​ ​Perkins. ​T​he outcome is not known.

Walking Dick

Dick was described as a well-known​ ​Edinburgh street character. ​​When he was drunk, Dick had a very short temper. In June 1876, he faced​ ​the Sheriff Criminal Court for assaulting the boy David Lisle: at the Fishmarket, he had kicked and​ ​beaten this impudent lad severely. For no apparent reason, he then beat up the widow Margaret​ ​Walker near the arch of the North British Railway bridge, Low Calton. Having several previous​ ​convictions for assault, he was sentenced to imprisonment for nine months.

In its report of the court​ ​proceedings, ​T​he Scotsman​ ​describes him as ​'​a young man named James Dick, better​ ​known in Edinburgh as Walking Dick.​'​ The artist Ned Holt, who had a liking for Edinburgh​ ​outcasts, made a drawing of Walking Dick, and the poet Donald Campbell celebrated him in a felicitous poem:

From Bristo Square to Waterloo PlaceOr any challenge you might pick,He’ll surprise you with his pace,The way he covers ground so quick,No matter how poor the odds you getIt’s better to bet on Walking Dick

S​p​ending the remainder of 1876 and early 1877 in prison, Walking Dick was released to continue his​ ​life of pedestrianism and petty crime. In June 1877, he assaulted a publican in Leith Street and was​ ​rewarded with 15 more days in prison, with hard labour. In October 1878, he took part in a pedestrian​ ​event at the Royal Gymnasium in Edinburgh.

The following month, he was sentenced to ten days’ imprisonment after having been caught begging on top of a tramway car in Princes Street. Dick​ ​pleaded not guilty, saying that he had just asked 3d from his brother, to enable him to pay the fare to​ ​Portobello, but two policemen said they had often seen Dick begging on the tramcars at the Register​ ​House.

A few weeks later, he pleaded guilty to being riotous and disorderly in Castle Street and​ ​Princes Street, and being well known to the police, he was sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment.

In​ ​October 1879, James Dick was convicted of begging and disorderly conduct in Leith Street, and being​ ​an old offender, he was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment.In June 1883, a labourer named James Dick was fined 10/- with the option of seven days​ ​imprisonment, for swearing in the Kirkgate, Leith, on June 8. He said that he was putting away boys​ ​who were calling him Walking Dick. In October the same year, he was sentenced to 20 days in​ ​prison for behaving riotously in Clyde Street.

This was the final newspaper mention of this​ ​extraordinary old Edinburgh character, however, and we can only speculate what happened to him in the end. If he died in the 1880s, he would hardly have been described as an old man in 1919. It may​ ​be presumed that he was born between 1845 and 1855, since he was described as a young man in​ ​1876, while yet having several previous convictions.

Two James Dicks were born in the City of Edinburgh between 1840 and 1860, namely in 1858 and 1859, making them too young to appear in​ ​court in 1876. Thus it would appear that Walking Dick was born an out-of-towner, leaving far too​ ​many candidates to choose between. Likewise, it is strange that his newspaper appearances, common​ ​in the 1870s, suddenly cease after 1883, but no promising James Dick died in the Capital during the​ ​mid​ ​or late 1880s.

Wholly unimpeded by the genealogists, professional and amateur alike, James​ ​Dick walks off into the sunset; a spectral Edinburgh​ worthy.

Jan Bondeson is author of Phillimore's Edinburgh, published by Amberley Books and Murder Houses of Edinburgh

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