| Description | COUNCIL REGISTER, VOLUME 71, FOLIOS 180r - 187v
Council meeting, 5 December 1826
[Sederunt given]
Baillie Milne reported that, in consequence of the additional weight now in use under the new Act of Parliament for the Regulation of the Weights and Measures, their Committee thought it proper to revise the rates of fare and regulations at present established in Aberdeen for governing the carters and backmen of coals within the City and Royalty. The said rates of fare having been read over by the Council, they ratified and approved thereof and appointed the same to be engrossed in the Council Register [rates of fare and regulations engrossed]. (180r - 183v)
It was further reported that, as a consequence of an application by the contractor for paving Union Street, west of the Denburn Bridge, a Sub- Committee had been dispatched to inspect certain quarries on the Freedom Lands reserved to the Town by the charters granted to the vassals. The Sub-Committee, being Baillies Robert Brown, Alexander Duthie and James Brebner, Mr Duncan, Dean of Guild, and Mr Catto, Treasurer, as well as Mr Gibb, engineer, and Mr Smith, architect, laid before the Council a copy of their report, [report engrossed], in which the following comments were made:
Firstly, an open quarry was noted on unfeued waste ground between the lands of Forresterhill and that part of Cairncry which was originally subfeued from Sir Archibald Grant by the late Mr David Morice. It was believed to have been opened and formerly worked by Mr Williams, the contractor for paving Union Street east of the Bridge. The Sub- Committee stated that some stones might be got from it, still more were an opening to be made on the lands of Cornhill.
Secondly, another unoccupied quarry was noted on part of one of the feus of Sir William Johnston, formerly called Starchfield, now Rosehill, lately occupied by Mr Alexander Fraser, and also worked by Williams. Upon considering a reservation contained in Mr Johnston's feu charter of 1784, the Sub-Committee recommended that the Council could resume occupation of the said quarry without asking leave of the feuar.
Thirdly, the Sub-Committee visited what is called the Backhill of Hilton, or, more properly, the north side of the Hill of Cairncry, being the seventh lot of the Common Muirs of the Town. It had been feued in 1764 to Sir William Johnston under a similar reservation and was composed of three working quarries: one worked by William Chree, another by Alexander Acton (both lately opened), and a third by William and John Campbell at the westmost extremity. All, it was reported, produced granite of the best quality and in great abundance. It was recommended that should the contractor fail to secure a sufficient supply from the Starchfield or Rosehill quarry, that he should be allowed to open ground here.
Fourthly, the Sub-Committee reported three lots of the Common Muirs, feued to Sir Archibald Grant in 1764, part of which was subfeued by his son, the last Sir Archibald, to Andrew Youngson and worked as a quarry by the latter. To the west of that, on what remains with Sir Archibald's family, were two further worked quarries; the first, on ground recently occupied by Provost More, is worked by Alexander Aden; the second, located on the summit of the hill, is worked by William Wishart, quarrier, in terms of a fifty year lease obtained from the late Sir Archibald. All the afore-mentioned quarries were reported to produce stone of a high quality.
The Sub-Committee recommended that the Council give earnest and immediate consideration to the legal position of the Town with regards these quarries, especially in light of the forthcoming public works programmes, such as the new Jail House and the Bridge over the River Don. It was advised that legal opinion be sought as to the best way to profit from these quarries, either by pressing the Town's interest in them, or, as in the case of the Rubislaw Quarries, by disposing these interests for an adequate consideration. It was also brought to the Council's attention that similar reservations of quarries existed in other feus granted by the Town, although these quarries were not at present worked. They were David Young's at Cornhill, Mr Robertson's at Hazlehead, Mr Forbes of Seaton's at Northfield, the Earl of Fife and others at Forresterhill, Mr Gammell's at Countesswells, various persons' lots at Shettocksley, Whitemyres and Upper Stocket, Alexander Jaffray's at Kingswells, Patrick Kilgour's at Woodside and George Symmers's at Westfield.
Upon considering this report, the Council remitted to the Standing Committee to vindicate the Town's right to the quarries mentioned in the foregoing report as well as all others situated within the bounds of the Freedom Lands which are subjected to the same reservation.
(180r - 187r)
The Council authorised the sale by public roup in way of feu two pieces of ground, the first on the south side of Union Street, being the whole space between the property of Mr Gordon of Newton on the east and the new street lately made out by the Incorporation of Hammermen called Crown Street on the west and extending back to Windmill Brae, [measurements given], at seven shillings per foot of front, the second on the west side of King Street, being the corner stance on the north side of Meal Market Street with the benefit of a back lane between the same and the property of Mrs Vass, [measurements given], at £22 10 shillings yearly feu duty. (187r - 187v)
The Council admitted four Burgesses of Guild. (187v) |