Barony Burgh of Kirkintilloch
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TitleBarony Burgh of Kirkintilloch
ReferenceBL
Date1427-1966
Archive creatorBarony Burgh of Kirkintilloch
Scope and ContentBurgesses' Minutes, 1772-1908, with Roll of Honorary Burgesses, 1931-1966; Town Council Minutes, 1804-1908; Treasurer's Accounts and Receipts, 1615-1908; Court Books, 1658-1798; Charters and Legal Papers, 1497-1908; Affidavits by Honorary Burgesses, 1931-1966.
Extent0.60m
LanguageEnglish, Latin
Level of descriptionfonds
Admin history/BiographyKirkintilloch was created a burgh of barony in 1211 by William the Lion (1143-1214) in favour of William Comyn. A burgh of barony was presided over by a feudal superior who had authority from the Crown to hold a market, administer justice and to hold barony courts dealing with crimes and matters of good neighbourhood until 1747, and thereafter solely matters of good neighbourhood.
By the seventeenth century burgess right was vested in the proprietors of the 33 and a half 'Newland mailings' which formed the landward parts of the burgh. The burgesses met annually to elect two bailies, one with jurisdiction over the west side of Luggie Water and the other with jurisdiction over the east side. Each bailie had several burgesses to assist him, and bailies and burgesses met regularly as a council, which evolved into the Town Council.
In the 1836 the Police Burgh of Kirkintilloch was created in order that the town could bring in gas lighting. The new Burgh was made up of twelve elected Police Commissioners and three members of the old Town Council. In 1901 under the terms of the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900, the Police Commissioners were renamed Kirkintilloch Town Council and the town continued to effectively have two Town Councils until 1908, when the Lords of Council and Session decreed that the Burgh of Barony had been superseded by the new Town Council. No more burgesses were created, although Secretary of State for Scotland Thomas Johnston became the first of six honorary burgesses elected between 1931 and 1966.
By the seventeenth century burgess right was vested in the proprietors of the 33 and a half 'Newland mailings' which formed the landward parts of the burgh. The burgesses met annually to elect two bailies, one with jurisdiction over the west side of Luggie Water and the other with jurisdiction over the east side. Each bailie had several burgesses to assist him, and bailies and burgesses met regularly as a council, which evolved into the Town Council.
In the 1836 the Police Burgh of Kirkintilloch was created in order that the town could bring in gas lighting. The new Burgh was made up of twelve elected Police Commissioners and three members of the old Town Council. In 1901 under the terms of the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900, the Police Commissioners were renamed Kirkintilloch Town Council and the town continued to effectively have two Town Councils until 1908, when the Lords of Council and Session decreed that the Burgh of Barony had been superseded by the new Town Council. No more burgesses were created, although Secretary of State for Scotland Thomas Johnston became the first of six honorary burgesses elected between 1931 and 1966.
Repository nameEast Dunbartonshire Archives - Kirkintilloch
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