Author Topic: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?  (Read 3678 times)

Offline AncesStory

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Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« on: Saturday 11 April 15 01:20 BST (UK) »
An ancestor was given the right of Burgess, Edinburgh in 1696 per his association with Archibald Hope, Lord Rankeillour:

Duffe, John, B. and G.; servt. To Lord Rankeillour. Gratis 28 Aug. 1686

Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses and Guild Brethren 1406 - 1700.

From what I can understand, would this mean that John Duffe, as Servitor to Lord Rankeillour,  gained the freedom of the city of Edinburgh and the license to conduct business there through the largesse of Lord Rankeillour or because John  served a term of "  apprenticeship" to Lord Rankeillour? On his marriage registration three years later,  John's occupation  was termed "writer", but he does not appear on the 1666-1700 Register of Apprentices for Edinburgh.

Could use some pointers on where to start searching for information on writers (not Writers to Signet) in Edinburgh, late 17th and early 18th century. Thanks all.
DUFFUS of Edinburgh, Scotland/Murray/Coulter/Anderson/Cauvin/McGillivray/Carstairs
FALLEN, /Dunbartonshire & Partick /Cherry/Main/Gallacher
SCOTT of Gladsmuir/Pencaitland East Lothian
STEVEN of  Caithness, Edinburgh, Scotland/Campbell/Calder/McManus/Waugh/Hoy/Cadzian
McKENZIE of Glenisla, Forfarshire/Farquharson/Robertson/Jack/McNicol/Tosh

Offline Hibee

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #1 on: Monday 13 April 15 15:36 BST (UK) »
I understood that Writers were Writers to the Signet (as opposed to Authors), at this time.

Hibee
Midlothian: Adam(s), Meikle/Muckle
Leith: Bridges
Edinburgh: Brown
Prestonpans: Bird, Inglis
Fife: Wemyss
Orkney: Brock
Ireland: Sweeney

Offline GR2

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #2 on: Monday 13 April 15 16:21 BST (UK) »
A writer was a kind of lawyer or notary.

The entry from the burgess roll tells us he was made Burgess and Guildbrother at no cost. Usually there was a fee to be paid. Usually people became burgesses by right of their father who was a burgess, or by marrying the daughter of a burgess. Someone who had served an apprenticeship to a burgess could also apply to become a burgess. Sometimes people with none of these connections were admitted as burgesses.

Have you looked him up in the online catalogue of the National Records of Scotland or the catalogue of private records also available there?

Offline AncesStory

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #3 on: Monday 13 April 15 17:12 BST (UK) »
A writer was a kind of lawyer or notary.
Have you looked him up in the online catalogue of the National Records of Scotland or the catalogue of private records also available there?

Thanks for this - I will when the online resources at NRS and SCAN are up and running again.

I attach  his marriage record which shows his wife was from Byerhills (Boarhills, Fife ?)
DUFFUS of Edinburgh, Scotland/Murray/Coulter/Anderson/Cauvin/McGillivray/Carstairs
FALLEN, /Dunbartonshire & Partick /Cherry/Main/Gallacher
SCOTT of Gladsmuir/Pencaitland East Lothian
STEVEN of  Caithness, Edinburgh, Scotland/Campbell/Calder/McManus/Waugh/Hoy/Cadzian
McKENZIE of Glenisla, Forfarshire/Farquharson/Robertson/Jack/McNicol/Tosh


Offline AncesStory

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #4 on: Monday 13 April 15 17:26 BST (UK) »
I understood that Writers were Writers to the Signet (as opposed to Authors), at this time.

I did not see his entry in the index for Writers to the Signet - I think he may have been  a writer (lawyer) but not a W.S as per his work as "servitour" to Archibald Hope of Rankeillour when he was  Lord of Session?
DUFFUS of Edinburgh, Scotland/Murray/Coulter/Anderson/Cauvin/McGillivray/Carstairs
FALLEN, /Dunbartonshire & Partick /Cherry/Main/Gallacher
SCOTT of Gladsmuir/Pencaitland East Lothian
STEVEN of  Caithness, Edinburgh, Scotland/Campbell/Calder/McManus/Waugh/Hoy/Cadzian
McKENZIE of Glenisla, Forfarshire/Farquharson/Robertson/Jack/McNicol/Tosh

Offline GR2

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #5 on: Monday 13 April 15 17:52 BST (UK) »
The marriage record describes the bride's father as "umqll" (= umquhile = late), so he was dead at the time. He is described as a portioner of Byrehills, so he owned a part or portion of the land. That means there should be a record of his getting the land and it being passed on in the Register of Sasines. That, even the index to it, can be very useful genealogically.

Offline AncesStory

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #6 on: Monday 13 April 15 19:30 BST (UK) »
The marriage record describes the bride's father as "umqll"........ portioner of Byrehills, so he owned a part or portion of the land. That means there should be a record of his getting the land and it being passed on in the Register of Sasines. That, even the index to it, can be very useful genealogically.
Thank you GR2 - I will check for this online (searching from USA) - much appreciated.
DUFFUS of Edinburgh, Scotland/Murray/Coulter/Anderson/Cauvin/McGillivray/Carstairs
FALLEN, /Dunbartonshire & Partick /Cherry/Main/Gallacher
SCOTT of Gladsmuir/Pencaitland East Lothian
STEVEN of  Caithness, Edinburgh, Scotland/Campbell/Calder/McManus/Waugh/Hoy/Cadzian
McKENZIE of Glenisla, Forfarshire/Farquharson/Robertson/Jack/McNicol/Tosh

Offline Skoosh

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Re: Edinburgh Burgess - what kind?
« Reply #7 on: Monday 13 April 15 19:39 BST (UK) »
Your man would need a Burgess Ticket to join one of the Trade Guilds. In Glasgow each trade has a printed history, often with a list of guild-brothers. It is still necessary to obtain a Burgess Ticket first in order to join the Trades House Guilds, these are charitable concerns nowadays and if I remember right the tickets are sold by the taxi licensing office.

Check also if he appears in the records of the National Archive of Scotland.

Skoosh.