List of provosts of Edinburgh

"Provost of Edinburgh" redirects here; not to be confused with the Provost of St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal).

List of Lords Provost in Edinburgh City Chambers

The Right Honourable The Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority. He is elected by the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. He is ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh. He is equivalent in many ways to the institution of Mayor that exists in many other countries.

While some of Scotland's local authorities elect a Provost, only the four main cities (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee) have a Lord Provost. In Edinburgh this position dates from 1667, when Charles II elevated the Provost to the status of Lord Provost, with the same rank and precedence as the Lord Mayor of London. The title of Lord Provost is enshrined in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. The current Lord Provost is Donald Wilson.

The Lord Provost of Edinburgh is ex officio Admiral of the Firth of Forth, the Provost of Leith is Admiral of the port thereof.^[1]

In total, there have been 256 provosts and lord provosts.

Provosts of Edinburgh

(1376) John de Quhitnes
(1381) John de Chambers
(1387) Andrew Yutson
(1391) John de Dalrymple
(1392) John de Camera
(1408) John Rede
(1409) Adam de Farnylie
(1413) Sir George de Lawedre of Haltoun
(1419) Adam de Farnylie
(1422) John de Levingtoun
(1425) Thomas de Cranstoun
(1425) William de Libbertoun
(1434) Sir Henry Preston of Craigmillar
(1435) John de Levingtoun
(1437) Alexander Napier of Merchiston
(1438) Thomas de Cranstoun
(1445) Steven Hunter
(1446) Patrick Cockburn
(1449) Thomas de Cranstoun
(1451) George de Fala
(1453) Sir Alexander Napier of Merchiston
(1455) Thomas Oliphant
(1456) Sir Alexander Napier of Merchiston
(1462) Alexander Ker
(1466) George Bartraham
(1467) Robert Mure of Polkellie
(1469) Sir Alexander Napier of Merchiston
(1477) James Creichton of Ruthven
(1481) Walter or William Bartraham
(1482) Sir John Murray of Tulchad
(1482) Patrick Barron of Spittlefield
(1484) John Napier of Merchiston
(1485) Sir Jamie Swanney
(1486) Sir Patrick Barron of Spittlefield
(1487) John Murray
(1487) Patrick Hepburn, 1st Lord of Hailes
(1488) Thomas Tod
(1490) Alexander Hepburne of Quhitsum
(1491) Sir Thomas Tod
(1492) Richard Lawson of High Riggs
(1494) Walter Barhaham
(1496) Sir Thomas Tod
(1498) Walter Barhaham
(1499) Sir Thomas Tod
(1500) Sir Alexander Lauder of Blyth
(1501) George of Touris
(1502) Sir Alexander Lauder of Blyth
(1504) Richard Lawson of High Riggs
(1505) Sir Alexander Lauder of Blyth (fell at the Battle of Flodden)
(1513) Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
(1514) Alexander Home, 3rd Lord Home
(1515) Sir Patrick Hamilton of Kingavill
(1516) David Melville
(1517) James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran
(1519) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
(1520) Robert Logan of Coitfield
(1521) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
(1522) Allan Stewart
(1522) Adam Otterburne
(1523) Francis Bothwell
(1524) Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell
(1525) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
(1527) Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell
(1528) Adam Otterburne
(1532) James Lawson
(1535) Adam Otterburne
(1535) Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell
(1537) Simon Preston
(1543) Sir Adam Otterburne
(1544) James Hamilton of Stenhouse^[2]
(1544) Simon Preston
(1546) George Henderson of Fordell
(1546) Sir Adam Otterburne
(1546) George Henderson
(1547) Sir Adam Otterburne
(1547) James Hamilton of Stenhouse
(1548) Alexander Ker of Dolphinton
(1549) Alexander Ker of Littledean
(1550) Francis Tennent of Mukraw
(1551) William Craik
(1555) Sir William Hamilton of Sanquhar
(1554) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie (II)
(1557) George Seton, 7th Lord Seton
(1559) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie
(1562) Thomas McCalyeane
(1562) Archibald Douglas of Kilspindie (II)
(1565) Sir Simon Preston of Craigmillar
(1569) Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange
(1570) James MacGill of Nether Rankeillour
(1571) Sir Andrew Ker of Ferniherst
(1571) Patrick Lord Lindesay of Byers
(1576) George Douglas of Parkhead
(1579) Archibald Stewart
(1579) Alexander Clerk of Balbirnie
(1584) James Stewart, Earl of Arran
(1586) William Little
(1587) Sir John Arnot of Birswick
(1591) William Little
(1592) Nicol Uddert
(1593) Alexander Home of North Berwick
(1597) Henry Nisbet
(1598) Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie
(1608) Sir John Arnot
(1616) Sir William Nisbet of Dean
(1619) Alexander Clerk
(1620) David Aikinhead
(1622) Sir William Nisbet of Dean
(1623) Alexander Clerk of Stenton
(1625) David Aikinhead
(1630) Sir Alexander Clerk of Pittencrief
(1634) Adam Hogg
(1637) Sir John Hay of Lands
(1638) Sir William Dick of Braid
(1640) Sir Alexander Clerk
(1643) Sir John Smith of Grothill
(1646) Sir Archibald Tod
(1648) Sir James Steuart, of Coltness
(1652) Sir Archibald Tod
(1654) Sir Andrew Ramsay, Lord Abbotshall
(1658) Sir James Steuart, of Coltness
(1660) Sir Robert Murray
(1662) Sir Andrew Ramsay, Lord Abbotshall, became the first Lord Provost in 1667

Lords Provost of Edinburgh

(1667) Sir Andrew Ramsay, Lord Abbotshall
(1673) James Currie
(1675) Sir William Binning
(1677) Francis Kinloch of Gilmerton
(1679) Sir James Dick of Prestonfield
(1681) Sir James Flemming
(1683) Sir George Drummond
(1685) Sir Thomas Kennedy of Kirkhill
(1687) Sir Magnus Prince
(1689) Sir John Hall of Dunglass, 1st Bt.
(1691) Sir Archibald Muir
(1692) Sir John Hall of Dunglass, 1st Bt.
(1694) Sir Robert Chieslie of Dalry
(1696) Sir Archibald Muir
(1698) Sir George Home of Kello
(1700) Sir Patrick Johnston
(1702) Sir Hugh Cunningham of Bonnington
(1704) Sir Patrick Johnston
(1706) Sir Samuel McClellan
(1708) Sir Patrick Johnston
(1710) Adam Brown of Blackford
(1711) Sir Robert Blackwood of Pitreavie
1713–1714 George Warrender, of Lochend
(1715) John Campbell
(1717) William Neilson
(1719) John Campbell
(1721) John Wightman of Mauldslie
(1723) John Campbell
(1725) George Drummond
(1727) Archibald Macauley
(1729) Patrick Lindsay
(1731) John Osburn
(1733) Patrick Lindsay
(1735) Alexander Wilson
(1737) Archibald Macauley
(1738) James Colquhoun
(1740) George Haliburton
(1742) John Coutts
(1744) Archibald Stewart
(1746) George Drummond
(1748) Archibald Macauley
(1750) George Drummond
1752 William Alexander
1754 George Drummond
1756 Robert Montgomery
1758 George Drummond
1760 George Lind
1762 George Drummond
1764 James Stuart of Binend
1766 Gilbert Laurie
1768 Sir James Stuart of Binend
1770 John Dalrymple
1772 Gilbert Laurie
1774 James Stoddart
1776 Alexander Kincaid
1777 John Dalrymple
1778 Walter Hamilton
1780 David Steuart or Stewart
1782 Robert Grieve
1784 Sir James Hunter Blair, 1st Baronet
1788 Thomas Elder of Forneth
1790 James Stirling
1794 Sir James Stirling of Larbert Bt
1798 Sir James Stirling of Larbert Bt
1800 Sir William Fettes, Bt.
1802 Neil Macvicar
1804 Sir William Fettes, Bt.
1808 Donald Smith
1808 William Coulter
1810 William Calder
1811 William Creech
1814 Sir John Marjoribanks, Bt^[3]
1815 Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
1817 Kincaid McKenzie
1819 John Manderston
1821 Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
1823 Alexander Henderson of Press
1825 William Trotter
1827 Walter Brown
1829 William Allan of Glen
1831 John Learmonth of Dean
1833 Sir James Spittal
1837 Sir James Forrest of Comiston, Bt.
1843 Adam Black
1848 Sir William Johnston of Kirkhill
1851 Duncan McLaren (Liberal)
1854 Sir John Melville
1859 Francis Brown Douglas
1862 Charles Lawson of Borthwick Hall
1865 William Chambers of Glenormiston
1869 William Law
1872 James Cowan
1874 James Falshaw
1877 Sir Thomas Jamieson Boyd
1882 Sir George Harrison
1885 Sir Thomas Clark, Bt.
1888 Sir John Boyd
1891 Sir James Alexander Russell
1894 Sir Andrew McDonald
1897 Sir Mitchell Mitchell Thomson
1900 Sir James Steel
1903 Sir Robert Cranston
1906 James Puckering Gibson (Liberal)
1909 Sir William Slater Brown
1912 Sir Robert Kirk Inches
1916 Sir John Lorne MacLeod
1919 John William Chesser
1921 Sir Thomas Hutchison, Bt.
1923 Sir William Lowrie Sleigh
1926 Sir Alexander Stevenson
1932 Sir William Johnston
1934 W. J. Thornson
1935 Sir Louis Stewart Gumley
1938 Sir Henry Steel
1941 Sir William Young Darling
1944 Sir John Ireland Falconer
1947 Sir Andrew Hunter Arbuthnot Murray (Liberal)
1951 Sir James Miller
1954 John Garnett Banks
1957 Sir Ian Anderson Johnston-Gilbert
1960 Sir John Greig Dunber
1963 Sir Duncan Mackay, Weatherstone
1966 Sir Herbert Archbold Brechin
1969 Sir James Wilson McKay
1972 Jack Kane (Labour)
1975 John Millar (Conservative)
1977 Kenneth W Borthwick (Conservative)
1980 Thomas Morgan (Conservative)
1984 Dr John McKay (Labour)
1988 Eleanor McLaughlin (Labour)
1992 Dr Norman Irons (Scottish National Party)
1996 Eric Milligan (Labour) ^[4]
2003 Lesley Hinds (Labour)
2007 George Grubb (Liberal Democrat) ^[5]
2012 Donald Wilson (Labour) ^[6]

References

Notes

^ Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh by James Grant
^ Anderson pp 383-384
^ Marjoribanks,Roger (2014) "Edinburgh Portrait, Sir John Marjoribanks , Bart, MP (1763–1833)" The Book of the Edinburgh Club, Volume 10, Pp 151-156, ISBN 0-9517284-9-0
^ "The show's over for Mr Edinburgh". Scotsman.com. 5 May 2003.
^ "Ex-church minister is city's new Provost". Scotsman.com. 16 May 2007.
^ "Computer teacher elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh". Scotsman.com. 17 May 2012.

Sources

Anderson, John (1825). Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton. Edinburgh.

External links

[1] Cassell's Old and New Edinburgh by James Grant

[2] Anderson pp 383-384

[3] Marjoribanks,Roger (2014) "Edinburgh Portrait, Sir John Marjoribanks , Bart, MP (1763–1833)" The Book of the Edinburgh Club, Volume 10, Pp 151-156, ISBN 0-9517284-9-0

[4] "The show's over for Mr Edinburgh". Scotsman.com. 5 May 2003.

[5] "Ex-church minister is city's new Provost". Scotsman.com. 16 May 2007.

[6] "Computer teacher elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh". Scotsman.com. 17 May 2012.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]