| Administrative History | Alexander Downie was a house painter in Laurencekirk, later in London, and then in Montrose, who died in Laurencekirk on 21 June 1870.
The trust was set up according to a trust deed set up 30 May 1870. Trust Disposition was recorded in Sheriff Court Books 26 Jun 1879: "J. Alexander Downie, House Painter, sometime residing in Laurencekirk, thereafter in London and presently in Montrose, for settling my affairs, do hereby give, grant, assign and dispose to and in favour of William Alexander, Farmer, Bent of Haulkerton, David Dickson, bank Agent, Laurencekirk, Alexander Don, Bank Agent, Fettercairn, Alexander Taylor, Farmer, Cushnit, and John Keppie Farmer, Pitskelly, and to the acceptors of the, and their successors to be appointed as after written as trustees for the ends, to be appointed as after written as trustees ... I bequeath the sum of six hundred pounds to be applied for the purposes of education as after specified, which I direct my trustees to invest in such a manner as they think best, in their own names, and to apply the free annual proceeds thereof as my Trustees may select in the parishes of Laurencekirk, Fordoun, Fettercairn, Marykirk, Garvock and Arbuthnott, exclusive of any religious teaching."
At a meeting of the Trustees on the 26 April 1873 they "resolved to establish three Bursaries of £6 per annum each to be called the Downie Bursaries" to 2 boys and 1 girl aged between 13 and 15 years, of a years' duration, based on a competitive exam held in Laurencekirk. In October 1874 it was resolved that the first exam would be held on the 28 March 1874, and only one boy and one girl would be selected. In March 1878 the Trustees resolved to provide £6 to the second-best boy in the competition every alternative year. |