Papers of the Leith-Ross family of Arnage, Aberdeenshire

This material is held atUniversity of Aberdeen Collections

Scope and Content

Five boxes contain writs, 1489 - 1806, inventories, 1489 - 1806, wills and marriage contracts, 1641 - 1803, and associated papers of the lands and Baronies of Arnage and Auchlossin and other lands belonging to the families of Ross of Arnage and Ross of Clochan, viz. Clochan, Colp, Kinnermit, Foresterhill, etc. Related estate papers include Acts of Baron Court, 1702 - 1748; rentals, 1702 - 1798, 1810 - 1821; estate tenants' valuation book, 1685 - 1784; tacks and other estate papers, 1694 - 1843; estate ledger, 1768 - 1801; and meal accounts, 1764 - 1765.

Also relating principally to estate matters, are six boxes containing accounts, discharges and receipts (personal, household, legal and estate), 17th c - 19th c; correspondence, 18th c - 19th c; and miscellaneous papers, 17th c - 19th c. The correspondence is largely unsorted, and amongst it are photographs, family mementoes, and newspaper cuttings containing references to family members, 19th c. Topics of interest identified thus far include letters from Turnerhall re. marches, 1785; letters re. Martha Ross's marriage and death, 1776 - 1777; and business correspondence and papers of J. Leith Ross, W.S., 1799 - 1804. Miscellaneous items include an 18th c almanac, The Shepherd's Kalendar, or ,The Citizen's and Country Man's Daily Companion; note by John Ross of Clochan, burgess of Aberdeen, of his expenses of attendance as a member of the Scots Parliament, 1664; and map by A. Gibb, lithographer, Aberdeen, of the north eastern districts of Aberdeen, showing the lines of the Great North of Scotland Railway, Alford Valley Railway, Old Meldrum Railway, Banff, Macduff and Turriff Railway and proposed Formartine and Buchan Railway, with estates of proprietors supporting, opposing and neutral to the said proposed line, Mar 1858.

A variety of personal papers are included in this collection. Items of interest include account books kept by Christian Howieson, widow of John Ross of Clochan, during her son's minority, 1668 - 1686; and by Christina Ross, 1791 - 1803 (this volume also contains the accounts of Walter Robinson, 1686 - 1687 and of John Ross, 1714, some of which relate to trading in the Netherlands). The papers of George Ross of Clochan, merchant in Aberdeen, comprise book of tacks granted of town property, 1673 - 1714, with accounts, 1673 - 1699; account books, 1679 - 1705 (including entries relating to the Netherlands) and 1691 - 1697; and merchant's pocket reference book on weights, measures and coinage, entitled Specie Boeck , (Amsterdam, 1675). Also of interest are papers, correspondence and accounts of John Ross, of Arnage, relating to his residence in East Florida as plantation factor, and claim made against him (including land grant and manumission of a slave), 1775 - 1790. There are additionally some twentieth century papers belonging to Major Leith Ross and Mrs Leith Ross, including items relating to India and to the United States army.

A single box contains records of the lands and Barony of Bourtie, belonging to the family of Anderson of Bourtie, 1387 - 1832. This include writs, 1570 - 1825, inventories, 1387 - 1832, Acts of Baron Court (with Aberdeen fiars' prices, etc.), 1608 - 1702; and wills, marriage contracts, passports, etc., 1570 - 1832.

Administrative / Biographical History

No information available at this time.

Arrangement

None observed - bundle-listed only at present

Access Information

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

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Scottish Record Office, Edinburgh, in Jun 1990, with permission of Mrs Leith Ross.

Other Finding Aids

Interim summary list available in the Reading Room, Special Libraries and Archives.

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

Alternative Form Available

No copies known

Conditions Governing Use

Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation.

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.

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

Accruals

No accruals expected

Related Material

GB 231 MS 848/6 Papers relating to history and genealogy of Ross family, Arnage, Aberdeenshire, ca 1845, 4 leaves

Bibliography

No known publications using this material

Additional Information

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