| Administrative History | From 1893 to 1975 the Arbuthnot Museum formed part of Peterhead Public Library. Between 1893 and 1949, four librarians managed the venue serving terms from 1893-98, 1898-1911, and 1911-17, and 1917-1949. In 1898 – 1911 it was a Mr Scott, succeeded by his wife then his daughter. After the First World War there was a period of stagnation that lasted till after the Second World War. From 1949 to 1975, two successive librarian-curators (Richard D Milne and George H Brebner) sought to change the nature of the displays at the Arbuthnot significantly. They focused on local history, particularly whaling, shipping and fishing.
In 1975 the Arbuthnot Museum came under the control of Banff and Buchan District Council. Three of the Grampian Region districts (including B&B) combined to form the North East of Scotland Library Service, which also managed museums. In 1984 a separate North East of Scotland Museums Service was formed, which has subsequently evolved (through further local government re-organisation into the current Aberdeenshire Council Museums Service within Live Life Aberdeenshire. (Bertie, D.M. 1995. A history of museums in Peterhead, Grampian Region, Scotland. The Geological Curator 6(4): 149-155.) |