Place:Friockheim, Angus, Scotland

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NameFriockheim
TypeVillage
Coordinates56.633°N 2.667°W
Located inAngus, Scotland
source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Friockheim is a village in Angus, Scotland dating from 1814. It lies between the towns of Arbroath, Brechin, Forfar and Montrose.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The name 'Friockheim', literally translated, means 'Heather Home', with Friock being a derivative from the Gaelic 'fraoch' (heather) and 'heim' from the German for home. The word 'Friockheim' as a whole, is pronounced 'Free-come'.

The birth of the village took place soon after 1814 when Thomas Gardyne of Middleton succeeded his brother as the laird of the lands of Friock and feued them to Mr John Andson, of Arbroath, who built a flax spinning mill and as proprietor-in-feu attracted many textile workers to come and settle on easy terms in what was at first known as Friock feus.

Mr Andson's son, John Andson added in the 'heim' part of the name.[1] This was at the request of the numerous Flemish weavers who had gone there to develop the flax spinning process. He had to obtain the sanction of Thomas Gardyne as superior and together they agreed on the following advertisement, which is thought of as Friockheim's foundation charter.

Printed in Arbroath and dated May 22, 1824 this read:

"The Spinning Mill and Village of Friock, of which Mr Gardyne of Middleton is the Superior, and Mr John Andson, Proprietor holding in feu, hitherto called 'Friock Feus' from this date henceforward is to be named “FRIOCKHEIM” and of which change of designation this on the part of Mr Gardyne and Mr Andson is notice unto all whom it may concern.”

John Andson died in office in 1814 (?) and his mill was burnt to the ground in 1862.[1]

The naming of Friockheim is an example of the introduced and unusual conjunction of Gaelic and German into the place names of Angus. Friock being simply a derivative from the Gaelic fraoch (heather) and from the German heim (home), i.e. Heather Home. Its pronunciation causes no difficulty to those in the know. They pronounce it 'Free-come'.[1]

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