| Extent | c. 92.5 linear metres (1,069 volumes, 16 boxes, 970 files, 7 envelopes, 156 documents, 78 booklets, 7 bundles, 3 maps and plans) |
| Administrative History | County councils were elected bodies established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict., c. 50). They inherited almost all the functions of commissioners of supply, and those of county road trusts and local authorities set up under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Acts. They also took over some administrative powers from the justices of the peace, but not their licensing or judicial functions. The responsibilities of the commissioners of supply for police matters were transferred to standing joint committees made up of commissioners of supply and county councillors.
County councils were required to appoint full-time county medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors, and the local public health functions of parochial boards in landward areas were transferred to district committees of the county councils.
Aberdeen County Council covered the districts of Aberdeen, Alford, Deer, Deeside, Ellon, Garioch, Huntly and Turriff, containing 82 civil parishes.
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. V, c. 25) abolished district committees, standing joint committees, commissioners of supply, parish councils, education authorities and other bodies, and transferred all or most of their functions to county councils.
The main impact was in the areas of the poor law and education. County councils were now responsible for education everywhere except in the four counties of cities, and for the poor law and public health except in the counties of cities and large burghs.
The act also required the councils to prepare a scheme for coverage of their areas by district councils which might have certain functions delegated to them by the county council.
County councils were abolished in 1975 under the terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, c.65. Their powers were transferred to regional, islands and district councils.
Aberdeen County Council's successors were Grampian Regional Council, and the councils of the districts into which the Region was divided.
Chairmen of the County Council
Alexander Morison Gordon of Newton (1890 - 1910)
Garden A. Duff (1910 - 1919)
Henry D. McCombie (1919 - 1928)
Right Hon The Earl of Caithness (1928 - 1942)
Dr Charles W. Sleigh CBE LLD (1942 - 1945)
Dr James Cruikshank (1945 - 1949)
Frederick Martin CBE DL (1949 - 1950)
Sir Alan McLean MBE DL of Alford (1950 - 1955)
Sir R.I.A. Forbes-Leith Bart. MBE DL JP of Fyvie Castle (1955 - 1958)
John A. Dickie of Peterhead (1958 - 1961)
Rev. P. Craik MacQuoid of Turriff (1961 - 1970)
Maitland Mackie (1970 - 1975) |