Who was Lizzie Brice? Traditional Cache
hobgoblinkiteflier: The cache seems have gone missing. It's hiding place (tree) looks to have had a trim recently. Time to make space for something else.
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The cache is a small lock 'n' lock container hidden in the small woodland on Lizzie Brice's strip, near the roundabout which also bears her name. The terrain is flat, but with tree roots and some muddy patches to negotiate.
Lizzie Bryce (or sometimes Brice) was just an ordinary woman who lived in Mid Calder many years ago. She was born Elizabeth Baxter in 1776. Like any other poor child of the time she had a few years of education before leaving school to work on a local farm. She married a local ploughman, Alexander Bryce, in 1799 and lived in a cottage near the present site of the petrol station.
Her husband died in 1861 and she lived on in the cottage with her daughter who was also widowed. The two women kept some cows on the land which became known as Lizzie Bryce's Strip. They also supplemented their income by taking in orphans from nearby Edinburgh. The authorities would pay for their care in foster homes in the country to give them a better environment compared with the polluted slums and workhouses of “Auld Reekie”.
In 1865, Lizzie Bryce died aged 89. She may have grown confused in her unusually old age for the time, and being described as “tall and angular” she sounds quite fearsome. She may have shouted at children, which probably gave rise to her reputation of being a witch!
Although there is litter in some parts of the woodland, there are some fine trees to see and it is a pleasant place for a stroll, hidden from the urban sprawl of Livingston.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
ubyybj orgjrra cngu naq uhz
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures