The story of George Rattray, a male resident of Inverness during the early 18th century, unfolds amidst the turbulent backdrop of the Scottish witch trials. Accusations of witchcraft, a crime that elicited deep-seated fear and suspicion throughout the region, became the grim reality that George faced. Records indicate that by late December 1706, George was entangled in one of these notorious trials, with proceedings officially marked on the 28th of that month under case number C/EGD/1798.
The trial of George Rattray transpired on the 25th of June, 1706, and swiftly concluded with a finding of guilt. This verdict was not officially reported to the Privy Council by the stipulated deadline of March 22, 1705, reflecting the procedural irregularities typical of such trials. Despite this administrative oversight, George's sentence—a grim directive for execution—was handed down on the 16th of July, 1706. Although the detailed accusations against George and the specifics of the evidence presented remain absent from surviving records, the severity of the sentence speaks to the pervasive fear of witchcraft in early modern Scotland and how deeply these beliefs could affect individuals like George Rattray.