Burgh of Abernethy
- Reference:GB 252 AN
- Dates of Creation:1628-1976
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:4.00 Linear Metres
Scope and Content
Barony council, burgh court and town council minutes, 1706-1901; Police commissioners’ minutes, 1896-1901; Abernethy Town Council minutes, 1901-1975; Letter books, 1879-1893, 1964-1975; Abstracts of accounts, 1837-1901, 1917-1974; Charter of confirmation of Abernethy burgh by William, 11th Earl of Angus, 1628; Abernethy Barony Council documents, 1674-1882; Police court records, 1889-1901; Ledgers, 1939-1963; Housing registers, 1936-1937, 1960-1967; Files relating to the administration of the burgh, 1967-1975; Papers and plans relating mainly to water supply and sewage, 1903-1976.
Administrative / Biographical History
Abernethy, in Perthshire, was created a burgh of barony in 1476 in favour of Archibald Stewart (d c 1513), fifth Earl of Angus, and confirmed in 1628. A burgh of barony was presided over by a feudal superior, in Abernethy this was the fifth Earl of Angus and his successors. Superiors had authority from the Crown to administer justice and to hold barony courts dealing with crimes and matters of good neighbourhood up to 1747 and thereafter solely matters of good neighbourhood. Abernethy was created a police burgh in 1877 under the terms of the General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act, 1862 (25 & 26 Vict., c.101). Burgh administration was carried out by police commissioners who were responsible for the cleansing, lighting, policing and public health of the burgh. The police commissioners were replaced by Abernethy Town Council in January 1901 under the terms of the Town Council (Scotland) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict., c 49). By 1971 the population of the burgh was 698. Abernethy Town Council was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65). Its powers were assumed by Tayside Regional Council and Perth and Kinross District Council. These in turn were replaced by Perth and Kinross Council in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c.39).
Arrangement
8 series to item level
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.