| Description | Council meeting, 10 October 1808
[Sederunt given]
Provost Brebner, Baillie Garden and Robert Jameson qualified themselves for office by swearing and signing the usual oaths. (77v)
The Council resolved to fine any Council member absent at a meeting the sum of 1 shilling, and any member fifteen minutes late or more the sum of 6 pence. (77v)
The Clerk produced the record of the office bearers' tacks for inspection and the Council ordered the following Acts of Council to be observed; the Act of Council of 26 September 1791 against the prolongation of the tack or a feu of the Mill of Gilcomston to the Brewery Company; the Act of Council of 25 June 1798 prohibiting the granting of money from the Funds of the Bridges of Dee and Don except to roads in the vicinity of the Town; the Act of Council of 21 September 1801 respecting the management of the Town's business and prevention of abuses in the expenditure of monies. The Council remitted to the magistrates to examine which tacks were close to expiry. (77v - 78r)
The Council set 26 October 1808 for the Visitation of the Public Schools and 31 October 1808 for the competition for bursaries at Marischal College. Thereafter the Council elected the following gentlemen to be Visitors of the Schools: the Provost, the four Baillies, the Dean of Guild, the Treasurer and Master of Mortifications along with Provost Young, Provost Leys, Provost Hadden, Provost Brebner, the four Town's Ministers and the Professors of the College. The Council also recommended to the magistrates the Act of Council, 31 October 1780, to enable them to secure a list of the vacant bursaries from the Managers of the Trades that they might be competed for at the same time. (78r)
The Council appointed a committe comprising the Provost, four Baillies, Dean of Guild, Treasurer and Provost Brebner, along with the respective office bearers, or any three of them, (the Provost to act as Convener), to attend to the following branches of the Town's business:
First, the state of the harbour and piers, especially the pier situated opposite the Ferry Boatman's house, as well as to consider an effective method of deepening the navigation channel.
Second, the purchase of properties in Footdee situated within the limits of the intended harbour improvements, as included in 37 GEO. III.
Third, the sale and disposal of those feu duties belonging to the various office bearers which had not been bought in terms of former resolutions, particularly that of 5 October 1803.
Fourth, the various processes before the Court of Session concerning the Town; the process with the Fraserfield Trustees respecting the Shore Dues leviable in the River Don; the process of declarator by various of the Incorporated Trades against the Council over the compositions payable by entering Craftsmen to the Dean of Guild; the process of declarator brought by the Council against Mr Menzies of Pitfodels to establish the Town's rights over land in the Commonty, adjacent to Countesswells, Hazelhead and Springfield, claimed by Mr Menzies as part of his Barony of Pitfodels; the advocation brought by Messrs William Forbes and George Hogarth junior concerning the valuation of their property in Footdee under the Act of Parliament 37 GEO.III for the Improvement of the Harbour.
Fifth, the investigation to establish whether any of the Town's quarries operated upon the Freedom Lands, in particular Mr Forbes of Seaton's land at Northfield, in terms of the Act of Council of 18 June 1806.
Sixth, the disposal of the remainder of the Town's Commonty, situated on the south side of the Skene Turnpike Road, near the Lands of Hazlehead.
Seventh, the engraving of the plan and survey of the Marches and Boundaries between the County and the Town's Freedom Lands and Fishings, as made out by Mr Fletcher, together with the Boundaries of the Royalty.
Eighth, to negotiate with those Town's vassals with servitudes upon the Marshes of Whitemyres in the Town's Commonty, for the renunciation of the said servitudes.
Ninth, to investigate the situation as regards the Teinds of the Salmon Fishings on the Water of Dee, the leases of which the Council believed to have expired.
Tenth, to meet with the owners of the Lands of Countesswells in order to have straightened the marches between these lands and the Town's Commonty.
Eleventh, to frame regulations for the government of the coal and lime metters at the Shore and establish the Town's right to enforce payment of fees to the said metters.
(78r - 79v)
The Council set 22 October for the half-yearly Visitation of the Harbour and Piers with Baillie Shepherd as Convener. (79v)
The Council admitted thirteen Craftsmen. (79v)
The Council authorised the Treasurer to grant a bond for £500 for money borrowed in place of the existing bill to John Stuart, residing in Aberdeen, failing whom to Elizabeth Stuart, his daughter, spouse to Jonathan Hosie, baker in Aberdeen, in fee, and after her death to her children in equal portions. The bond to be paid on 20 June 1815 with interest from 20 June 1808. (79v - 80r) |