Records of the New Spalding Club (1886 - 1928), Aberdeen

GB 231 MS 0485 Minutes of the New Spalding Club, 1886 - 1902 (GB 231 MS 0485/1) and 1903 - 1915 (GB 231 MS 0485/2)

GB 231 MS 0486 Minutes of the editorial committee of the New Spalding Club, 1886 - 1900 (GB 231 MS 0486)

GB 231 MS 0607-0612 Institutional records of the Spalding Club, 1839-73, comprising minute book, 1839 - 1870 (GB 231 MS 0607/1); treasurer's list, 1840 - 1869 (GB 231 MS 0608); letter book no. 1, 1851 - 1872 (GB 231 MS 0609); cash books, 1840 - 1873 (GB 231 MS 0610 - 0612); and correspondence re. the sculptured stones of Scotland, 1858 - 1865 (GB 231 MS 0612/2).

Institutional records of the New Spalding Club, 1886 - 1888, comprising minutes of Topographical and Archaeological Committee, (GB 231 MS 0607/2); minutes of Church Records Committee, 1886 - 1887 (GB 231 MS 607/3); and minutes of Family History Committee, 1886 - 1888 (GB 231 MS 607/4)

GB 231 MS 0613 Correspondence, 1898-1902, relating to A.W. Robertson's Hand-list of Bibliography of the Shires of Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1893) (typescript). Correspondents include J.P. Edmond, P.J. Anderson, A.W. Robertson and J.F. Kellas Johnstone.

GB 231 MS 2257 Papers relating to publications of New Spalding Club (unsorted)

GB 231 MS 2264 Records of the Spalding Club, 1839-71; and of the New Spalding Club, 1882-90. Records of the Spalding Club, 1839-71; and of the New Spalding Club, 1882-90. Collection of manuscripts made in part by John Stuart, LL D, secretary of the Spalding Club, for use in Spalding Club and other publications, mainly concerning the burgh and county of Banff, and persons and places in Northeast Scotland, 1404 - 1858, including Abercromby of Forglen; William Abernethy of Saltoun, sheriffdom of Forfar; Baird of Auchmedden; Lord Deskford and the Earl of Findlater; Duffs of Braco; Lord Macduff and Earl Hay of Echries; Hay of Rannes; Keith, Earl Marischal; Menzies of Pitfodels; Ogilvy of Banff; Rose of Montcoffer; Sir James Sandilands, [? Lord St. John, preceptor of Order of St John of Jerusalem], of Torphichen.

There is also a collection of correspondence and offprints relating to the activities of the New Spalding Club, its secretary, P.J. Anderson, and the Ancient Monuments Commission, 1882 - 1890, including details of the Club's involvement in preservation and scheduling of sculptured stones at Dyce, Aberdeenshire, 1889 - 1890.

GB 231 MS 2529 Papers re. New Spalding Club survey of burgh and sheriff court records, 1887-1890. The collection contains correspondence (principally addressed to P.J. Anderson), inventories and memoranda concerning the burgh and sheriff court records of Shetland, Orkney, Aberdeen, Old Aberdeen, Inverurie, Kintore, Old Meldrum, Banff, Elgin, Forres, Nairn, Inverness, Dingwall, Tain, Dornoch, Forfar, Montrose, Arbroath, and Dundee. There is also a minute of meeting, 10 Dec 1887; report of sub-committee on J.G. Leslie's collections; list of inventories still to be obtained of Sheriff and Burgh court records; and corrected draft report of Committee on Burgh Records, for Business Committee, 1888.

GB 231 MS 3023 New Spalding Club: treasurer's annotated list of club members, 1889 (GB 231 MS 3023/1) New Spalding Club: treasurer's annotated list of club members, 1889 (GB 231 MS 3023/1) Scrapbook containing collection of papers re. local Liberal and Conservative associations, compiled by T.F. Garden, c 1870 (GB 231 MS 3023/2). T. F. Garden is believed to have been a partner in C. and P.H. Chalmers, advocates, Aberdeen. He may also have served as treasurer to the New Spalding Club.

The New Spalding Club (1886 - 1928) was formed in Aberdeen on 11 Nov 1886. Like the Spalding Club (1839 - 1869), it aimed to publish historical records relating to the North-east of Scotland, though with broader ambitions than its predecessor: its area of geographical interest was extended to include not just the immediate counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire and Forfar-shire, but also Inverness, Sutherland, Caithness and Orkney; and its remit to include archaeological, as well as historical matter.

The driving force behind the new club was Peter John Anderson (1852-1926), Aberdeen University Librarian, who acted as secretary from 1894 - 1926, and edited several volumes including Fasti Academie Mariscallanae Aberdonensis. Selections from the records of the Marischal College and University, MDXCIII - MDCCCLX, 3 vols (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1889 - 1898), and Officers and Graduates of the University and King's College, Aberdeen, MVD - MDCCCLX (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1893). The activities of the Club ceased after his death in 1926, though it was not formally wound up until 20 Apr 1928, when the Third Spalding Club was formed, and all assets and liabilities of the New Spalding Club passed thereto.

Other personalities associated with the club include John Malcolm Bulloch (1867 - 1938), James Fowler Kellas Johnstone (d 1928) and John Alexander Henderson (fl 1890 - 1928). From 1898 the club had become increasingly consumed by John Malcolm Bulloch's ambitions to produce a comprehensive history of all known branches of the Gordon family; his statement in the Club's 12th Report (20th Dec 1898) that the story of the Gordons is practically the story of northern Scotland for 500 years provided the starting point for this work, which culminated some years later in The House of Gordon, 3 vols (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, 1903 - 1912), a more modest work than originally envisaged, but still providing detailed histories of the principal family lines. James Fowler Kellas Johnstone edited several publications for the Club, but his greatest contribution was the work which he did with Alexander Webster Robertson, Aberdeen City Librarian, in compiling Bibliographia Aberdonensis: being an account of books relating to or printed in the shires of Aberdeen, Banff, Kincardine or written by natives or residents or by officers, graduates or alumni of the universities of Aberdeen, a project conceived in the Club's infancy, but beset by many difficulties and finally published by the Third Spalding Club in 1929. John Alexander Henderson, editor of History of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1912), has been credited with the late revival of interest in the Club's activities after Anderson's death, which led to its reconstitution as the Third Spalding Club in 1928.

During its 42 years, the Club published 45 works. For bibliographical details see David Stevenson and Wendy B. Stevenson, Scottish Texts and Calendars: an Analytical Guide to Serial Publications (London: Royal Historical Society; Edinburgh: Scottish History Society, 1987).

For further details see also, W. Douglas Simpson, The Three Spalding Clubs: a Century in Retrospect, in Third Spalding Club Miscellany, vol. 2 (Aberdeen: Third Spalding Club, 1940), pp.xiii-xxxii; and Donald J. Witherington, Aberdeen Antiquaries: the Founding of the Spalding Club in 1839, Aberdeen University Review, 44 (1971 - 1972), 42 - 55.

GB 231 MS 2264: Interim box list, with personal and place-name index appended. For other deposits described above listing is in progress.

Open, subject to signature accepting conditions of use at reader registration sheet

GB 231 MS 0485 - 0486: date and source not recorded; GB 231 MS 0485 - 0486: date and source not recorded; GB 231 MS 0607-0612: gifted to the University in 1912. See Aberdeen University Library Bulletin, 1 (1912), pp 415; GB 231 MS 0607-0612: gifted to the University in 1912. See Aberdeen University Library Bulletin, 1 (1912), pp 415; GB 231 MS 0613: gifted to the University in 1912. See Aberdeen University Library Bulletin, 1 (1912), pp 290; GB 231 MS 0613: gifted to the University in 1912. See Aberdeen University Library Bulletin, 1 (1912), pp 290; GB 231 MS 2257: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 2257: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 2264: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 2264: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 2529: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 2529: date and source not recorded. Deposited in the University before 1969; GB 231 MS 3023: gifted to the University by C. and P.H. Chalmers, advocates, Aberdeen, in Dec 1979.

Very brief collection level description available on Aberdeen University Library Catalogue, accessible online http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/library/

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Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of Special Libraries and Archives (e-mail: speclib@abdn.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

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GB 231 MS 2264: Some of these papers may have been at one time in the Advocates' Library, Aberdeen; in the possession of William Rose of Montcoffer or his son, Patrick Rose; and had been made available to William Cramond, schoolmaster, Cullen, being referred to in certain of his publications relating to Banff and Banffshire.

No accruals expected

Records of the Spalding Club (1839 - 1869) and of the Third Spalding Club (1928 - 1956). Separate collection level descriptions are available on the Archives Hub.

Personal papers members of the New Spalding Club, relating to the work of the Club

Calendar of deeds registered in Sheriff Court in Aberdeenshire, 1606 - 1658, compiled by David Littlejohn (c 1841 - 1924), Sheriff Clerk, 1909 - 1920 (GB 231 MS 0487 - 0498). David Littlejohn LL D (1903) edited the Records of the Sheriff Court of Aberdeenshire, 3 vols. (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1904-1907). A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub.

Papers of P.J. Anderson. A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub.

Papers of John Malcolm Bulloch. A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub.

Papers of James Fowler Kellas Johnstone. A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub.

Papers of John Alexander Henderson. A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub

Original papers published by the New Spalding Club

Papers re. the house and family of Gordon (GB 231 MS 0900 - 0909), comprising papers re. funerals of Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke, and George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon, 1827 and post-1877 (GB 231 MS 0907); extracts from genealogical account of Gordon family, 1644 (GB 231 MS 0908); and genealogical account of Gordon family, Tilfoudie, Aberdeenshire, 1788, transcribed by John Stuart (GB 231 MS 0909). See The House of Gordon, vol. 1 (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1903), pp.xxxiv - xxxviii. See also Northern Scotland 3 (1977-78), p. 96

Procuratory of resignation, 25 Mar 1643, by Alexander Robertson, of annual rents and duties from properties and superiorities in Aberdeen and neighbourhood into the hands of the crown, for new investment in favour of the minister, elders and deacons of the parish Kirk of Auld St Machar, to be used for the upkeep of the fabric of the Kirk and other pious uses (GB 231 MS 2638) (4 leaves) Published in Charters and Other Writs illustrating the History of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen MCLXXI-MDCCCIV, ed. by P.J. Anderson (Aberdeen: Aberdeen Town Council, 1890), sponsored by New Spalding Club.

GB 231 MS 2529 published in Records of the Sheriff Court of Aberdeenshire, ed. by David Littlejohn (Aberdeen: New Spalding Club, 1904)

This material is original