Public Record Office of Scotland

Public Record Office of Scotland
Name	Public Record Office of Scotland
Established	1948
Location	Edinburgh, Scotland

Public Record Office of Scotland

The Public Record Office of Scotland was the national archive institution responsible for the custody, preservation, and public accessibility of official records relating to Scotland, holding documents spanning medieval charters to twentieth-century governmental papers. It operated alongside institutions such as National Records of Scotland, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh University Library, Advocates Library, Scottish Parliament, and worked with bodies like Historic Environment Scotland, British Library, National Archives (UK), Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

History

Founded in the mid twentieth century following recommendations from inquiries including reports by the Scottish Law Commission, the Public Record Office of Scotland succeeded earlier record-keeping arrangements associated with the Register House, Edinburgh, Court of Session, Parliament of Scotland, Exchequer of Scotland, and the Privy Council of Scotland. Its establishment intersected with events such as the aftermath of World War II, administrative reforms under the Attlee ministry, and legislative changes influenced by the Public Records Act 1958 and discussions in the House of Commons. Over decades the office engaged with archival debates involving figures and institutions like Sir John Sinclair, Sir Walter Scott, Lord Elgin, Sir Robert Peel, and later interacted with modern inquiries such as the Scottish Law Commission report and the administrative reforms associated with the creation of the Scottish Parliament and the devolution settlements of the Scotland Act 1998. The office’s history is connected to archival movements exemplified by the work of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the cultural programmes of the British Council.

Functions and Collections

The office’s functions included custodianship of records from the Court of Session, High Court of Justiciary, Sheriff Courts, Exchequer Rolls, Register of Sasines, and documents from departments such as the Scottish Office, Board of Ordnance, Admiralty, and the Home Office where Scottish matters were recorded. Collections encompassed medieval cartularies, royal charters referring to Robert the Bruce, Mary, Queen of Scots, documents linked to the Union of Crowns, treaties like the Treaty of Union, legal texts relating to cases presided over by figures such as Lord President Dundas and Sir George Mackenzie, municipal records from Glasgow City Chambers, Aberdeen City Council, and ecclesiastical registers from the Church of Scotland and Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. Holdings included maps associated with Ordnance Survey, estate papers connected to families like the Campbell family, Douglas family, Gordon family, and papers of administrators such as John Clerk of Penicuik and Adam Smith.

Organisation and Administration

Administratively, the office operated under oversight arrangements involving the Secretary of State for Scotland, later liaised with the Scottish Government and advisory bodies such as the National Records of Scotland, Scottish Advisory Committee on Archives, and professional associations like Society of American Archivists and the International Council on Archives. Senior officials included Keepers and Deputy Keepers comparable to positions in the Public Record Office (England and Wales) and analogous to roles at the National Archives (UK). Its staffing and operational policies were influenced by legislation debated alongside the Public Records Act 1958 and guidance from committees including the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and legal opinions from institutions such as the Faculty of Advocates.

Records Access and Services

Public services provided reading rooms, catalogue access, and guidance for researchers investigating materials related to personalities such as David Hume, Adam Smith, James Watt, Alexander Graham Bell, and institutions including University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, and University of St Andrews. The office supported access for legal inquiries involving the Court of Session, genealogical research using Registers of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and scholarly projects on events like the Battle of Culloden, the Darien scheme, and the Highland Clearances. It collaborated with organisations such as the General Register Office for Scotland, ScotlandsPeople Centre, Historic Scotland, and academic presses like the Edinburgh University Press to provide reference services, exhibitions, and educational programmes.

Digitisation and Preservation

Preservation programmes addressed paper degradation, conservation of parchment and vellum, and microfilm initiatives in partnership with entities such as the British Film Institute, National Library of Scotland, and technological suppliers influenced by standards from the International Organization for Standardization and the Digital Preservation Coalition. Digitisation projects encompassed parish registers, maps, and legal records in cooperation with platforms like the ScotlandsPeople service and initiatives supported by funding bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The office engaged with digital archiving practices informed by work at the National Archives (UK), the Internet Archive, and research from universities including University of Stirling and Heriot-Watt University.

Notable Holdings and Publications

Noteworthy holdings included medieval royal charters associated with William I of Scotland, legal cases involving James Boswell, estate collections from the Earls of Argyll, cartographic resources from the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, and records connected to events such as the Act of Union 1707 and the Jacobite rising of 1745. The office produced catalogues, indexes, and publications in series reminiscent of works by the Scottish Records Society, editions used by scholars like A. J. G. Mackay and publishers such as Birlinn Limited and Tuckwell Press. Its research output informed biographies of figures including Robert Burns, Walter Scott, David Livingstone, and legal histories referencing judges like Lord Stair and Lord Moncrieff.

Category:Archives in Scotland Category:History of Scotland