Kelso Burgh, records

• Reference:GB 1097 BK
• Dates of Creation:1726-1985
• Name of Creator:
  Burgh of Kelso
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  34 items

• Scope and Content

  This archive comprises Kelso Police Commissioners and Town Council Minutes and Sederunt Books, 1829-1975; registers of the Baillie Court and Town Council grants, 1726-1974; a twinning oath between Kelso and Orchies, 20 Sep 1985; and an abstract of accounts, 15 May 1975. Items are marked with AltRefNos rather than RefNos.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  In the medieval period Kelso was an ecclesiastical burgh under the Abbots of Kelso. By 1634 it had become a free burgh of barony under control of the Ker family and the Earls and Dukes of Roxburghe. In 1853, following the submission of a petition to the Sheriff of Roxburghshire and the passing of a motion at a large meeting at the Town Hall, Kelso became a Police Burgh. Twelve Police Commissioners were elected and the town was divided into four wards. The Police Commissioners changed into a Burgh Council with an elected Provost in 1893 due to the implementation of the Burgh Police Act of 1892. The next change came in 1930 when Kelso became a Small Burgh under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929. When Burghs were abolished in 1975 Kelso became part of Roxburgh District Council in the Borders Region and from 1996 part of the Scottish Borders council area.

  Source: Kelsae: A History of Kelso From Earliest Times by Alistair Moffat (Edinburgh, 2006), pp. 99, 178-179.

• Arrangement

  BK/1 Police Commissioners and Town Council Minutes and Sederunt Books

  BK/2 Registers

  BK/3 Twinning Oath

  BK/4 Abstract of Accounts

• Access Information

  Open

  Scottish Borders Archives operates within Local Authority, Freedom of Information and Data Protection Legislation, whereby some limitations on access may apply.

• Other Finding Aids

  Digital catalogue on CALM, paper catalogue available in the search room.

• Conditions Governing Use

  Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Archive Manager. Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational or private use & condition of documents.

• Custodial History

  Transferred from Scottish Borders Council Hawick Area Office and Hawick Town Hall.

• Accruals

  None expected.

• Related Material

  Other items relating to the Burgh of Kelso are located in the records of the County of Roxburgh.