| Description | Annual election, 23 September 1818
Sederunt - all members of the Town Council for the year preceding 24 September 1817
Alexander Fraser read an Act and Warrant from the Prince Regent of 3 August 1818 which ordered that members of the Council who had demitted office in September 1817 should meet on 23 September 1818 to elect the magistrates, Council and office bearers for the year 1818 to 1819; and that henceforth elections should be held according to constitution and custom of the burgh. [Act of Privy Council engrossed. The Act rehearses a report by a committee of the Privy Council which considered the following decree, petitions and report.
First, a Court of Session decree of 10 March 1818 stating that the Council election held in September 1817 was void as William Rae was not a Burgess of Guild and therefore was not entitled to vote. The decree ruled that the election was illegal and void, and that the Council must cease consideration of all new civil and criminal business.
The Privy Council report found that, since 1688, Aberdeen had had irregular elections on three occasions: 1697, when the election was void as it was not made by a quorum, and a new election was made by the preceding Council; 1716, when no Council had been elected at Michaelmas 1715, and the last Council made a new election in April 1716; and 1745 when the election was interrupted by a party of the Rebels, and the election was completed in July 1746.
Second, petitions from Burgesses of Guild and heritors requesting authority to conduct a new election.
Third, a petition from certain Burgesses, heritors and householders stating that only six of the nineteen councillors elected in September 1817 had accepted their office and, as this did not constitute a quorum, there was no competent majority to administer municipal government. The petition requested the restoration of the electoral franchise, with the following changes to the constitution: the Guildry should be allowed to elect the Dean of Guild and his Court; and, instead of the old Council electing the new Council, a majority of the Council should be elected by the suffrage of the Burgesses of Guild and of the Incorporated Trades.
Fourth, a petition from the Incorporated Trades, transmitted by Viscount Sidmouth, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State to the Lord President of the Council. The petition argued that there was an imbalance in the constitution of the Council, as the Incorporated Trades had only two representatives on the Council, in comparison to seventeen members elected from the Guildry; and that representatives of the Incorporated Trades constituted only ten of the forty Burgesses who elected the office bearers. The petition requested a restoration of the burgh franchise, and that a majority of the Council be elected by the Burgesses of Guild and the Incorporated Trades.
Fifth, a report by the Attorney General, Lord Advocate of Scotland, Solicitor General for England and Solicitor General for Scotland who had considered the above petitions and decree and decided that the Council which demitted office in September 1817 should elect the magistrates, Council and office bearers for the year 1818 to 1819.]
(162r - 170v)
The preceding Council elected the following thirteen Burgesses to be members of the new Council for the year 1818 to 1819: John Young, Charles Walker, Alexander Brebner, John Collison, Alexander Hadden, William Johnston, James Hadden junior, James Smith, Alexander Mackie, Charles Fyfe, Alexander Duthie junior, William Duguid junior and Andrew Duncan, all merchants in Aberdeen. (170v - 171r)
The preceding Council elected the following four members of the preceding Council to be members of the new Council: Alexander Fraser, Alexander Brown, James Milne and Alexander Galen. (171r)
The preceding Council elected Deacon David Marshall, painter and glazier in Aberdeen, Deacon of the Hammermen Trade, and George Gibb, cooper in Aberdeen, Deacon of the Wright and Cooper Trade, as trades councillors. (171v)
Alexander Fraser produced a precept from the Sheriff Depute of 8 September 1818 intimating to George Booth, watchmaker, in Aberdeen, Deacon of the Hammermen, James Cobban, wright, Deacon of the Wrights and Coopers, Adam Low, baker, Deacon of the Bakers, John Dunn, tailor, Deacon of the Tailors, Francis Tough, shoemaker, Deacon of the Shoemakers, and James Collie, weaver, Deacon of the Weavers, to assemble with the other electors to elect the magistrates and office bearers from among the members of the new Council.
George Turreff produced a precept from the Sheriff depute of 22 September 1818 intimating to members of the new Council to assemble for the election of magistrates and office bearers.
The Council (and William Cruickshank and George Gray, Burgesses of Guild and James Williams, cooper, as Assistants) elected the following office bearers for the year 1818 to 1819:
Alexander Brebner - Provost
Alexander Galen - Eldest Baillie
Charles Walker - Second Baillie
James Milne - Third Baillie
John Young - Youngest Baillie
Alexander Brown - Dean of Guild
Alexander Duthie junior - Treasurer
Alexander Mackie - Master of Shoreworks
John Collison - Master of Kirk and Bridge Works
Charles Fyfe - Master of Mortifications
Andrew Duncan - Master of Guild Brethren's Hospital
(171v - 173r)
The Council elected Provost Alexander Brebner, Baillie Alexander Galen and Baillie Charles Walker to be Keepers of the Keys of the Town's Charter Chest for the year 1818 to 1819. (173r)
The Council elected the Provost and the four Baillies, the Dean of Guild, Alexander Fraser, William Johnston, William Duguid junior and James Hadden junior as Commissioners of Infeftments for the year 1818 to 1819; and them and the two Trades councillors as Auditors of the Town's Accounts. (173r - 173v) |