Perth burgh records

• Reference:GB 252 B59
• Dates of Creation:c1205-1926
• Language of Material:English Latin
• Physical Description:
  Mixed

• Scope and Content

  Registers of deeds, 1566-1879; Registers of deeds minute books, 1703-1879; Registers of protests, 1809-1849; Court books and court minute books, 1507-1847; Registers of acts and decreets, services and cognitions, and judicial ratifications, 1577-1847; Minute books of processes and decreets, 1688-1803; Registers of arrestments, lawburrows, judicial warnings, hornings and incarcerations, 1608-1816; Register of acts of Town Council, 1601-1752 and indexes to Council minutes, 1500-1797; Perth burgh letter books, 1793-1821; Treasurer’s accounts, 1670-1765; Chamberlain's accounts, 1801-1806; Burgh cess and stent rolls, 1710-1855; Miscellaneous Perth volumes, 17th century-1906; Royal charters to the burgh of Perth, c 1205-1777; Documents relating to the administration of the burgh of Perth, 1421-1902; Documents relating to the financial affairs of Perth burgh, 1424-1871; Documents relating to the legal affairs of the burgh of Perth, 1442-1902; Documents relating to committees and conventions of royal burghs, 1658-1926; Documents relating to ecclesiastical affairs, 1316-1863; Documents relating to guilds and incorporations, 1591-1860; Documents relating to Jacobites, 1715-1895; Documents relating to the Perthshire Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Supply, 1681-1887; Documents relating to military affairs, 1662-1866; Documents relating to the monarchy, 1680-1887; Documents relating to parliamentary affairs, 1669-1895; Documents relating to roads, bridges, ferries, railways , posts and carriers, 1444-1878; Documents relating to the River Tay fishings and navigation and to Perth Harbour, 1437-1866; Business papers of Perth firms, 1650-1890; Papers of Perth lawyers who held burgh appointments, 1594-1868; Papers of Perthshire families, 1642-1857; Writs and other papers relating to property in Perth and surrounding areas, 1421-1946; Miscellaneous papers, 1697-19th century; Plans of Perth and Perth area, 1716-1866

• Administrative / Biographical History

  Perth, or Sanct Johnstoun of Perth, in the parish and county of Perth, and by 1975 also occupying parts of the parishes of Kinnoull, Scone, and Tibbermore, was created a royal burgh David I between 1124 and 1127. In 1600 a charter of James VI (1566-1625), in which Perth is referred to as a city, confirmed all the previous charters granted in favour of the burgh and the whole rights and privileges of the burgh. The city was governed by a council which included representatives from the trades and the guildry. This system of government was abolished in 1832 and from then on the council was made up of elected councillors with much of the day to day administration of the burgh being carried out by the town clerk. In 1811 the first of several local police acts was passed appointing police commissioners who had various duties including the cleansing, lighting, policing and public health of the burgh. The adoption of the General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act 1862, (25 & 26 Vict., c.101) in 1865 and the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict., c.55) went some way towards resolving the confusion that sometimes arose over the jurisdiction of the councillors and commissioners. Under the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict., c. 49) the police commissioners were replaced by Perth Town Council in January 1901. From 1930 until 1975 Perth had the status of a large burgh, as defined by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. V c.25)Perth Town Council was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65). Its powers were assumed by the newly created Tayside Regional Council and Perth and Kinross District Council. These in turn were replaced by the new unitary authority of Perth and Kinross Council in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39).

• Arrangement

  Roughly chronological within subjects

• Access Information

  Subject to physical condition

• Other Finding Aids

  Hard copy list available at Perth & Kinross Archive

• Conditions Governing Use

  Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements, copyright and data protection restrictions. Charges are made for this service. Applications should be made to Archive staff.

• Appraisal Information

  Nothing destroyed

• Custodial History

  In the 1960s records of Perth town council and burgh prior to 1750 were transferred to the Scottish Record Office for safekeeping. They were catalogued by the SRO and given the prefix B59. The later records remained in Perth and were subsequently listed and given the prefix PE. In 1981 the B59 records were returned to Perth and Kinross archive but remain a separate collection. Both the B59 series and the PE series include material before and after 1750. In March 2007 the Keeper of the Records of Scotland transferred ownership of sections 8 to 42 to Perth and Kinross District Archive.

• Accruals

  None expected