A Historical Dilemma

Greyfriars Bobby

A few days ago, I was strolling the foggy, cobbled streets of Edinburgh, wondering if I should take out my umbrella to shield myself from the approaching rain, when I saw a small bronze statue on the corner of the road. Upon closer inspection, I recognized it to be Greyfriars Bobby, the famous Skye Terrier. Greyfriars Bobby is a well known dog from 19th century Edinburgh, memorable for his loyalty to his master, John Gray. According to the story, John Gray was a night watchman for the Edinburgh City Police who, when he died, was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in the Old Town of Edinburgh. It was in that graveyard that Greyfriars Bobby became known, for it is said that he sat by John Gray's grave for the rest of his life – fourteen years. His devotion to his master, unbroken even by death, is what earned him his fame.

Many people have questioned the story. Books, movies, and articles have been written by those wondering if there is any truth in the tale of Greyfriars Bobby. A particular area of trouble stems from actual accounts from two men who claimed to know John Gray and Bobby, one of whom said that Gray was a nightwatchman, as the story said, while the other claimed Gray was a farmer. Another point of issue comes from the fact that there were many “cemetery dogs”: stray dogs who lived near or in the cemetery because visitors would feed them. It is likely, some say, that Greyfriars Bobby was in fact many different dogs with similar appearances who all frequented the cemetery where John Gray was buried, creating the illusion that the same, single, dog was constantly there.

In the past few years, a scholar published an article with his answer to the question of whether the story is true or not. He claimed that it was a hoax kept alive in order to fuel the local economy. According to him, a stray dog walked into the cemetery one day, and the cemetery caretaker took such good care of him that the dog stayed there. Since the dog was hanging around near John Gray's grave, the idea that he was Greyfriars Bobby mourning his dead master spread. As this touching story reached people far and wide, they were attracted to the cemetery in droves. More visitors meant more monetary donations. Further, the visitors often finished off their tour of the cemetery with a visit to the next door restaurant. The increase in business that the dog brought to both the restaurant and the cemetery was so great that, when the dog died, the cemetery caretaker replaced him with another dog of a similar size and color. The result was that people thought the same dog visited John Gray's grave day after day for fourteen years in mourning.

This confusion about the verity of the story, coupled with the multiple interpretations of what 'really' happened, is a common issue for historians. Often, historians are faced with conflicting accounts or evidence that seems contradictory to what was stated by earlier historians in previous years. They have to file through all of this evidence and make educated decisions on what is most likely to be the truth. I find it interesting that this type of conflict is visible not only in human history, but also in animal history. When I first heard the story of Greyfriars Bobby, I though that it was only that: a story, a legend of some sort, that did contain grains of truth but wasn't entirely true. Apparently, so did others, and they, like countless historians before them, sought to test the story to discover the truth of it. I also find it interesting to read the many interpretations of the truth behind the story, and so decided to share some of the more thought provoking ones here.