City and Royal Burgh of Perth financial records

• Reference:GB 252 PE/2
• Dates of Creation:1765-1979
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  21.00 Linear Metres

• Scope and Content

  Perth City Chamberlain’s accounts, 1765-1801, and ledgers, 1826-1831, 1854-1975; Perth Town Council abstracts of accounts, 1832-1974; Perth Corporation redeemable debenture stock registers, 1891-1950, and city bonds and corporation stock registers, 1856-1972; Perth City Chamberlain’s journals, 1812-1816, letter books, 1823-1856, 1935-1936, arrears of assessment book, 1861-1868, and letter file, 1878-1887; Perth Town Council revenue rolls, 1846-1945; Assessment rolls, 1941-1972; Feuduties records, 1862-1920; Local bonds registers, 1925-1963; Records relating to town council loans, 1935-1974; Perth General Improvement Act 1893, debt and sinking fund register, 1894-1902; Register of garden allotments, 1916-1941; Pensions books, 1939-1942; Perth City Hall bookings registers, 1965-1979.; asessment rolls, 1941-1972.

• 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).

  The City Chamberlain was the chief financial officer of the city - his role having developed from the office of the Royal Chamberlain who was in charge of the crown's finances from C.12th until 1705.

• 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.

• Related Material

  PE58: Papers of the city chamberlains, 1804-1904, including private papers of James Brodie, merchant and city chamberlain, 1818-1836B59/25/4: Treasurers’ and chamberlain’s accounts and vouchers, bonds and discharges, 1565-1819B59/20: Perth City Chamberlain’s accounts of charge and discharge, 1801-1806B59/22/20: Treasurer’s and chamberlain’s bad debt book, 1733-1774B59/22/21: Chamberlain’s ledger, 1795-1802,