City and Royal Burgh of Perth administrative records

Reference:GB 252 PE/1
Dates of Creation:1752-1994
Language of Material:English
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
Perth Town Council:Minutes, 1752-1975; Committee minutes, 1878-1885; magistrates minute books, 1765-1805, 1862-1910; Memorandum books, 1826-1875, Loans registers, 1856-1975; Declarations of oath and statutory disclosures, 1860-1977; Cemetery records, 1794-1977; Lists of tradesmen, 1876-1964; Proclamation, press cutting and advertisement books, 1688-1798, 1865-1975; Opinions of counsel, 1877-1903; Commissioners and committees lists and diaries, 1878-1969; Cartularies, 1762-1975; Inventories and related papers, 1681-1970; Official guide books, 1921-1973; Photographic albums, c1879-1975.Perth Courts:Dean of Guild court records, 1877-1975; Police court and juvenile court records, 1956-1975; Licensing court records, 1828-1977; Court receipt books, 1812-1833Perth Town Council Registers:Explosives, 1876-1970; Petroleum, 1876-1972; Poisons and pharmacy, 1909-1952; Animal, 1879-1974; Cinema, 1913-1958; Places of public refreshment and entertainment, 1908-1976; Charity and residential home, 1940-1968; Porters, brokers, hawlers, carters, chimney sweeps and hackney carriage drivers, 1840-1978; Betting, gaming and lotteries, 1956-1977.Perth Town Clerk: Receipt book, 1897-1935; Account books, 1848-1887; Dues book, 1845-1848; Fee fund records, 1899-1952; letter books, 1803-1806, 1818-1824, 1946-1952; Copy deeds book, 1792-1802; Miscellanea, 1832-1975.General:Parliamentary and municipal voters records, burgh of Perth, 1832-1915; Bridges benefaction minutes, 1924-1972; Graham trust minutes, 1882-1971; Fraser mortification minutes, 1875-1966; Melville trust records, 1825-1963; Walker trust minutes, 1854-1971; George Bruce trust minutes, 1880-1891; Stormont House trust records/Crichton fund minutes, 1920-1972; National Registration Act records, Perth, 1915-1919; Perth local pensions committee letter books, 1908-1922; Perth registrar's census note books, 1860-1891; Perth registrar's report on vital statistics, 1895
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).
By 1891 the population of Perth had reached 30,000 and it was already an important centre for blended whisky and textiles. For much of the 20th century firms such as Pullars, cleaners and dyers; John Shields and Company., textile manufacturers; whisky producers, Arthur Bell and Sons and John Dewar and Company., and later in the century the insurance firm General Accident, combined to insure the continued prosperity of the city. At the census of 1971 - the last before abolition of the town council - Perth's population stood at 43,030.
Arrangement
58 series to file and item level
Access Information
Generally open although some records may be closed, please contact the Perth and Kinross Archivist for details
Alternative Form Available
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.
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.
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.