Records of the Burgh of Peterhead
- Reference:GB 228 AS/Aphd
- Former Reference:GB 228 BH14
- Dates of Creation:1820 - 1975
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:c. 29 linear metres (298 volumes, 55 bundles, 45 files, 5 envelopes, 11 boxes, 19 booklets, 85 documents, 816 sets of plans)
Scope and Content
This collection consists of:
AS/Aphd/1: Council Minutes, 1833 - 1972
AS/Aphd/2: Records of the Police Commissioners, 1820 - 1898
AS/Aphd/3: Records of the Local Authority, 1874 - 1898
AS/Aphd/4: Committee Minute Books, 1889 - 1975
AS/Aphd/5: Records of the Dean of Guild, 1907 - 1965
AS/Aphd/6: Records of Peterhead Police Court, 1895 - 1975
AS/Aphd/7: Records of Peterhead Licensing Court, 1906 - 1975
AS/Aphd/8: Abstracts of Accounts, 1931 - 1974
AS/Aphd/9: Registers
AS/Aphd/10: Peterhead Harbour Trustees
AS/Aphd/11: Register of Voters, 1832 - 1838
AS/Aphd/12: Assessment Rolls, 1936 - 1975
AS/Aphd/13: War Memorial Fund
AS/Aphd/14: Bye-Laws, 1934 - 1954
AS/Aphd/15: Letter Books, 1916 - 1961
AS/Aphd/16: Material relating to WW2
AS/Aphd/17: Sanitary Inspector's Records
AS/Aphd/18: Old Age Pension Committee
AS/Aphd/19: Town Clerk's Files
AS/Aphd/20: Gas Department
AS/Aphd/21: Miscellaneous
AS/Aphd/22: Burgh Surveyor's Records
Administrative / Biographical History
On the 29th of July 1587 James VI erected the lands of Peterhead into a burgh of barony in order to preserve the succession to these lands for the House of Keith. In 1590 George Keith 5th Earl Marischal became the first feudal baron of Peterhead and on 1st June 1593 he granted a feu contract to certain feuars of the town whereby for certain personal services and obligations, they were given rights of pasturage and commonty and became responsible for the government and administration of the town and harbour. Immediately the town came under the patronage of a powerful baron, the population increased, harbours were constructed, trade developed, and by the beginning of the 18th Century the town was a thriving industrious community. In 1715 George Keith 9th Earl Marischal was attainted for his part in the Jacobite rebellion and his estates were forfeited. The lands of Peterhead were sold by the Crown and ultimately purchased by the Merchant Maiden Hospital of Edinburgh, latterly the Merchant Company Education Board of Edinburgh.
The Peterhead Water Supply etc Act 1820 (1 Geo IV, ch. lxxxvii) instituted the election of commissioners to oversee the burgh administration in conjunction with the Hospital representatives. By the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1833 (2 & 3 Will. IV, c.65) Peterhead and five other burghs were combined within the Elgin District of Burghs to elect an MP. As a consequence of that, the passage of the Parliamentary Burghs (Scotland) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. IV, c.77) permitted the burgh to elect 12 Councillors including a Provost who would administer the town's affairs. In 1862 the burgh adopted 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 main industries in the town were whale and seal fishing, and later herring and white fish, before the discovery of North Sea oil. Under the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict., c.49) the police commissioners were replaced by Peterhead Town Council in January 1901.
Peterhead Town Council was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65). Its powers were assumed by Grampian Regional Council and Banff and Buchan District Council. These in turn were replaced by Aberdeenshire Council in 1996 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39).
List of Provosts
1833-34 George Arbuthnot of Invernettie
1834-1843 Thomas Arbuthnot of Meethill, afterwards of Nether Kinmundy
1843-1857 Roderick Gray, Writer in Peterhead
1857-60 Alexander Anderson, Shipowner
1860-84 William Alexander, Solicitor and Bank Agent
1885-88 John Henderson Will, Fish Curer
1888-99 John Smith, Manufacturer
1899-1918 William Hutchison Leask, Commission Agent
1918-27 James Hutchison Catto, Commission Agent
1927-30 James Milne, Coal Merchant
1930-36 John B. Dickie, Timber Merchant
1936-1940 Max J.L. Schultze, Herring Exporter
1940-46 Robert Simpson Dingwall, gentleman's outfitter
1946–1950: William McD. Gordon, cabinet maker
1950–56: John A. Dickie, timber merchant
1956–1965: Robert Forman, company director, boat owner
1965–1971: Edward A. Duncan, grocer
1971–75: Thomas L. Smith, headmaster
Access Information
Open
Open for consultation at Old Aberdeen House, open Mon-Wed 9:30-12:30 and 13:30-16:30. It is advisable to make an appointment.
Other Finding Aids
Please see the Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives catalogue at https://archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CalmView/
Custodial History
From the erection of the town into a burgh of barony until the advent of a Town Council under the Burgh Reform Act of 1833, municipal records were kept by the clerk to the community of feuars. From 1833 onwards all burgh records were kept by the Town Clerk.
Initial deposit with Grampian Regional Archives by Banff & Buchan District Council, 1976.
Additional records received in 1996 (accessions 043, 044 and parts of accessions 061 and 1059). Accessions 065, 069 and 106, received in 1996 and 1997, comprising building plans and other records. Accession 1341 received in 2007.
Accession 1460 received in 2012 from Aberdeenshire Libraries (AS/Aphd/12/40).
Subjects