Tron-men


The tron-men of Edinburgh were an organization of chimney-sweepers named after the Tron, a weighing-beam which was also used as a pillory, that stood outside the Tron Kirk.
They effectively acted as a trade guild or trade union for chimney-sweeping in Edinburgh. Their activities are described in Volume II of Kay's Edinburgh Portraits. They are also depicted in a drawing by David Allen, and mentioned in an 1811 regulation made by Edinburgh Town Council.
The authors of Kay's Edinburgh Portraits describe the tron-men's appearance thus: "They wore flat bonnetsa coat peculiarly formedand knee-breeches and buckleswith a short apron, A laddera besomwith a coil of ropes and a ball, completed their equipment."
The name "trone-men" was in use as early as 1705, in the work Observator; or, A dialogue between a country-man, & a landwart school-master. The tron-men are also referred to in Maitland's The History of Edinburgh, published in 1753.
In 1795, one of their members was expelled for assisting in a hanging. They were effectively disbanded by 1811.