Discovering Edinburgh...
By Bob McCulloch ©
The Edinburgh Lord Provost
unknown 23-year-old son of an Edinburgh and a half eaten pizza in her hand and had
merchant, he received a gold medal, the obviously done her bit to keep the licensed trade
freedom of the city and overnight fame. George in profi t. The second woman was Lesley Hynds
William de Dederyk is generally Drummond who became known as the father of in 2003. A great supporter of the Edinburghʼs
accepted as Edinburghʼs fi rst Provost the city was also responsible for the building of Taxi Trade Childrenʼs Outing, she arranged a
in 1296, this is because he signed an
the fi rst Infi rmary. He appealed to the citizens civic reception in the City Chambers for past
agreement with Edward 1 of England on
for help and they donated the money, quarries and present committee members, helpers
behalf of the citizens. The fi rst person
donated the stone and slate, landowners and supporters. Probably the most popular in
donated the timber, English companies donated
to be called ʻProvostʼ was John De
modern times was Eric Milligan (1996-2003)
the 5glass for the windows and tradesmen who would do anything to promote the city
Quhitness in 1376; the name comes
worked one day a month without wages. The of Edinburgh and was responsible for the
from the Latin Praepositus. The title
building, with six beds opened in 1727 in what introduction of the Winter Festival held during
Lord Provost was bestowed by Charles today is named Infi rmary Street. December.
11 in 1667.
William Chambers the publisher who was It was the custom for the Lord Provosts to
With the introduction of the regional government
elected in 1865 will be remembered for giving be knighted after their term in offi ce but the
reorganization of 1975 Edinburgh was the only
ʻGreyfriars Bobbyʼ Edinburghʼs most famous practice ceased when Jack Kane refused the
Scottish City legally permitted to retain this
dog the freedom of the City in 1867. Chambers Honour in 1972. Anyone elected to the council
title. Enshrined in the 1994 Local Government
was also responsible for the introduction in 1867 has the right to have an ornamental lamppost
(Scotland) Act each of 32 local authorities elect
of the Old Town Improvement Act, which saw outside their home with the Lord Provost being
a Provost, only the four main cities of Aberdeen,
the appointment of Dr Henry Littlejohn (1826- allowed two; these are erected at the expense
Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow elect a Lord
914) as Public Health Offi cer responsible for of the person requesting them. To honour
Provost.
the cleanliness of the City and the reporting ex Lord Provosts a number of streets and
of infectious diseases. Littlejohn would hold housing areas have been named after them, for
The emblems of offi ce are the Mace and the
the post until the ripe old age of 82. The Act example: Hutchison, Chesser, Sleigh, Whitson,
Sword and date respectively from 1617 and
also made provision for the widening and Stevenson, Murieston and Learmonth, with
1627 - the chain of offi ce dates from 1899. The
construction of new streets. This led to the individual streets such as Chambers Street,
Lady Provost wears a chain of garnets and
construction of Howden Street, Lady Lawson Spittal Street, McLaren Road, Melville Drive and
Scottish pearls presented by the women citizens
Street, Guthrie Street, Chambers Street, Market
Terrace named after others and Forrest Road
of Edinburgh in 1935. Candidates are selected
Street, Cranston Street, Jeffrey Street, St.
named after James Forrest who offi ciated over
from the senior councilors, although in the 16
th
the fi asco that was Queen Victoriaʼs fi rst offi cial
century the Monarch regarded the choice as visit to the City as reigning Monarch. James
their prerogative. Falshaw (1874-1877) the only Englishman to
hold the post had a bridge over the Water of
In 1561 Mary Queen of Scots dismissed the Leith at Glenogle Road named after him.
Provost and Bailies on religious grounds. Over Red fur trimmed gowns for the Lord Provost and
the years the position has not been without its Bailies to wear on ceremonial occasions was
dangers, Provost Sir Alexander Lauder was introduced in 1886 but their use was stopped
killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513; Adam when Edinburgh District Council became
Otterburne was assassinated in offi ce. Provost Edinburgh City Council in 1995. The last Lord
Archibald Stewart was seen by the Government Provost to wear the gown was Norman Irons.
as too closely tied to the Jacobite cause and The Lord Provostʼs present badge and chain
was tried for treason - his acquittal in 1746 was was fi rst worn by Lord Provost Sir Mitchell
the cause for much rejoicing. Thomson in 1899 on the occasion of the
freedom of the city to HRH the Prince of Wales
Provost Andrew Ramsey has served the (afterwards King Edward V11). Designed by
longest, a total of fourteen years, eleven W.S. Black, it was made by Messrs Brook and
consecutively and was appointed on 12
separate occasions, his time in offi ce has
“Millenium Link”
son, George Street. Suspended from the chain
is the jewel, which has the owl loop the bird of
been described by historians as a career of Minerva - symbolizing wisdom and referring
time serving and corruption. He was the fi rst
Maryʼs Street and Blackfriars Street. The fi rst
to the old connection between the town and
appointee to be called Lord Provost - his
tenement to be built under the Act was on the
university. There are 470 brilliants and 22 rose
political opponents who did not want him in the
corner of St Maryʼs Street and the Canongate
diamonds, in all 492, and they weigh between
position fi nally got rid of him when he stepped
and this bears a plaque commemorating the Act.
23 and 24 carats. The jewel weighs 4 ounces
down in 1673 and the post was to be of two
Edinburgh was the fi rst City in Britain to make
and has in blue and white enamel the city crest
yearsʼ duration for the next 150 years.
such an appointment.
of arms and the motto: Nisi Dominus Frustra the
interpretation being “except the Lord in vain”.
Sir George Drummond was elected six times
Sir James Millar founder of the building fi rm of
The full meaning is except the Lord build the
during which time he pushed through his
that name is the only man to have held both
house, they labour in vain that build it, except
vision for a ʻNew Townʼ. In 1752 he published
positions of Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord
the Lord keep the city, the watcher waketh but in
his “Proposals for carrying out certain public
Mayor of London, (the City of London) albeit at
vain taken from the 127
th
psalm.
works in Edinburgh”. Then as nowadays,
different times. The fi rst woman to be elected
nothing moves slower than council decisions
was Eleanor McLaughlin (1988-92), and most
In 2000 the Incorporation of Goldsmiths gifted
and it was ten years later that he persuaded
of the citizens saw her as an embarrassment to
a new link to commemorate the Millenium. The
the council to hold a competition to design a
the city with a cringe factor completely off the
“Millenium Link” symbolizes a one-world theme
ʻNew Townʼ on the far side of the Nor Loch
scale. Indeed, no friend to the Taxi Trade she
and features a hand engraved 18-carat white gold
(today Princes Street Gardens). Despite many
found it impossible to get a taxi after an offi cial
globe set within a yellow gold circular border.
eminent architects of the day submitting plans
engagement with the Queen when standing
the competition was won by an inexperienced
on a street corner, hat on the back of her head
Copyright Bob McCulloch 2009
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