Records of Stonehaven Harbour Trust

Reference:GB 228 AS/Kstn/6
Former Reference:GB 228 STO/1/6
Dates of Creation:1693-1964
Name of Creator:
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
AS/Kstn/6/1 Minute Books;
AS/Kstn/6/2 Letter Books;
AS/Kstn/6/3 Account Books;
AS/Kstn/6/4 Acts of Parliament;
AS/Kstn/6/5 Reports and Plans
AS/Kstn/6/6 Register of Assignments;
AS/Kstn/6/7 Shore Dues Tables;
AS/Kstn/6/8 Rates and Regulations;
AS/Kstn/6/9 Bundles of papers and correspondence on a range of subjects;
AS/Kstn/6/10 Assignments and Shares;
AS/Kstn/6/11 Registers of Vessels;
AS/Kstn/6/12 Specifications;
AS/Kstn/6/13 Miscellaneous Records;
AS/Kstn/6/14 Collected Materials.
Administrative / Biographical History
Stonehaven Harbour was originally a natural bay to the South of the River Carron, sheltered on the south-east by Downie Point. The old harbour and quay on the north side were created by the 9th Earl Marischal in 1688.
In 1715 there were apparently only 5 fishing boats in Stonehaven, and the use of the harbour was limited by its tendency to become silted up after gales, and the existence of a large mass of rock south of the pier, some 30-50 yards in extent, called the Craig-ma-Cair.
1811: Peter Christian, WS, also a Baillie on the Stonehaven Burgh Council, presided over a meeting of the Feuars and persuaded them to provide funds for the engagement of Robert Stevenson to carry out a survey of the harbour and the surrounding area and to submit estimates for the improvement and deepening of the harbour and provision of breakwaters and piers. Stevenson's report was delivered in 1812 and is available at AS/Kstn/6/5/1-3.
1825: an Act of Parliament was obtained, establishing Harbour Commissioners to run the harbour, and they spent £8000 on carrying out a modified version of Stevenson's plans, with work beginning on the removal of Craig-ma-Cair and the construction of a new South Pier in 1826.
1837: a westward extension of the South Pier was completed, funded by public subscription.
1877: the old pier was extended to form an inner harbour.
1908: completion of breakwater, following the recommendations of James Barron's report of 1901.
In 1961 the Commission was disbanded and the Harbour passed to the jurisdiction of the Town Council of Stonehaven.
Access Information
Open
None
Other Finding Aids
CALM
Custodial History
The main set of records were transferred to the archives with the records of the Burgh of Stonehaven.
Minute books 4 and 5 were originally loaned to Aberdeenshire Heritage in August 2003 by Raeburn Christie who had inherited them from the former firm of Messrs Cunningham and Robertson when Raeburn Christie amalgamated with them in 1989. Ian Robertson, of Cunningham Robertson, was a former Town Clerk of Stonehaven. Mr Rod Macdonald of Raeburn Christie was unable to sign the depositor section of the firm as the documents were not 'owned' as such by Raeburn Christie. They were therefore loaned to Aberdeenshire Heritage. Mr Macdonald confirmed that Raeburn Christie had no further use for the records. In September 2005 the two volumes were transferred to Aberdeenshire Archives, administered by Aberdeen City Archives, to join the records of Stonehaven Burgh where the other volumes of minutes in the Stonehaven Harbour Trust minutes are to be found. (See correspondence in receipt file accession 995).
Accruals
Possible