Scotland Business and Occupations: Difference between revisions

In Scotland, the cities and towns, or burghs, were often established by royal charter, in which case they were called royal burghs. Craftsmen and tradesmen who lived and worked within the burghs were called burgesses. The burgesses would often band together into guilds to regulate trade and to protect their members’ interests. A person could become a member of a guild of burgesses by completing an apprenticeship, by being the son of a burgess, or by marrying the daughter of a burgess. The guilds could monopolize business in the burgh and they kept careful records of their members. Records of tradesmen and craftsmen living outside of the burghs generally were not kept.  

In addition to burgess and guild records, the Scottish Record Office also has records of doctors, lawyers, architects, railway men, schoolmasters, coal miners, and other occupations. A guide to the holdings of the Scottish Record Office is found in:  

Research use: Family linkage, apprentice and parentage, succession of father to son is found in freedom records. Movement from birthplace to place of apprenticeship  provides lineage connection.  Court and land records give relationship and movement into city

Record type:  Apprenticeship, freedom, land, court and probate records.

Contents:  Apprenticeship indentures: Dates, name of father, occupation of apprentice, ages and sometimes birthplace, residence, names, addresses and occupation of masters.  Apprenticeship record books: Dates, name of apprentice and master, sometimes residence.  Records of freeman: Dates, name of freeman, father, place of residence, occupation, some lineage linkage. Land/court: Sasines, Service of heirs, deeds, probate and court records giving names and date and relationships.

Location: National Archives of Scotland,  H.M. General Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 3YY and local custody.