John Maitland Thomson Collection

The John Maitland Thomson Collection includes circa 90 full plates of Scottish Charters granted to towns, regiments, and individuals between the 12th century and the 18th century. There are also unnumbered Coldstream charters and various Inchaffray Kinnoull Dupplin charters and seals with signatures of Lord Oliphant.

Between 1895 and 1906, John Maitland Thomson was Curator of the Historical Department at HM General Register House, the Scottish Records Office, in Edinburgh (this title later becoming Curator of Historical Records, and then Deputy Keeper of the Records). In 1903 he received an honorary LLD - Doctor of Laws - from Edinburgh University. Thomson was actively publishing and editing between 1904 and 1922. He was involved as an editor in the multi-volumedRegistrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum(1904) -Register of the Great Seal- succeeding Sir James Balfour Paul. He published theCharters, bulls and other documents relating to the Abbey of Inchaffray, chiefly from the originals in the charter chest of the Earl of Kinnoull(1908), as well asThe bishops of Scotland: being notes on the lives of all bishops, under each of the sees, prior to the Reformation(1912). He was also responsible forThe public records of Scotland(1922). John Maitland Thomson died in 1923 when out walking in the Pentland Hills, near Edinburgh.

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