Copy estate papers of Skene family of Halyards.

The papers range in date from ca. 1380 to 1921, with the main concentration being in the period 1630-1750. The election of John Sobieski as King of Poland is referred to (102), and in a group of continental letters, 1795-1832 to James Skene of Rubislaw, (297-313), there are references to Lady Hamilton. Other small groups of documents relate to Spens of Lathallan, 1480-1813 (1-38), Seton of Lathrisk, Sandilands of St Monance and Kinloch of Luthrie, 1558-1611 (67-70) and Hope in Stockstruther, 1588-1773 (71-84).

The Skene papers were used by William Forbes Skene in his Memorials of the family of Skene of Skene, (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1887), by which time the charter chests of the Rubislaw, Curriehill and Halyards branches of the Skenes had come together in the Rubislaw family. These documents are a small survival from that collection and include titles and correspondence with financial and other documents of mainly family interest.

Lathallan Papers, 1-38 (ca.1380-1813); Skene, 39-66 (1575-1662); Sandilands, 67-70 (1558-1611); Bundle, 71-79 (1588-1773); Charter bag, 80-84 (1588-1641); Folder labelled Skene, general, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, mss ALS etc., 85-143 (1597-1803); Folder labelled Skene, 18th century mss, petitions etc., inventories, memos, ALS, printed, 144-194 (1700-1752); Folder labelled Skene, 17th century mss, 1630 on, Halyards?, 195-227 (1630-1638); Folder labelled Skene 17th century mss, 1620 on, ?Halyards, 228-255 (1610-1628); Folder labelled Skene, 17thcentury mss, 1639 on ?Halyards, 256-295 (1636-1704); Folder labelled Skene 16thcentury mss, 1575-1634, 296-313 (acually foreign letters, 1791-1856); Bundle labelled: Skene, 314-318.

By appointment with the Archivist. Access to unpublished records less than 30 years old and other records containing confidential information may be restricted.

318 original documents were seen and listed but not all were copied before return to the owner who was later discovered to be a dealer.

Description compiled by Rachel Hart, Archives Hub Project Archivist.

Hardcopy list, version of which is available on prototype departmental Manuscripts Database.

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist. Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents.

The collection was deposited for listing in 1972.

GB233 mss20475-6 Skene of Hallyards, correspondence and financial papers, inventories of writs, 1608-1843 GB233 see Summary Catalogue of Advocates Mss, p. 32: Skene of Hallyards family and estate papers, 1563-1710 NRA(S) list 897: Skene of Hallyards, writs letters and papers, ca. 1420-1875.

William Forbes Skene, Memorials of the family of Skene of Skene (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1887)

This material is not original.