Bailie

A bailie or baillie is a civic officer in the local government of Scotland. The position arose in the burghs, where bailies formerly held a post similar to that of an alderman or magistrate (see bailiff). Baillies appointed the High Constables in Edinburgh, Leith and Perth. Modern bailies exist in Scottish local councils, with the position being a courtesy title and appointees often requested to provide support to the Lord Provost or Provost - the ceremonial and civic head of the council - in their various engagements.[1][2]

For the name, see Bailie (name).
"Baillie" redirects here. For the surname, see Baillie (surname).
Not to be confused with Bailiff, Bailli, or Bailo.

History

The name derives from Old French and used to be synonymous with Provost, with several officials holding this role often at the appointment of the Church.[3]

The jurisdiction of a bailie is called a bailiary (alt. bailiery).

The office of bailie was abolished in law in Scotland in 1975, and today the position of bailie is a courtesy title.[2]

Use
  • Aberdeen City Council - appoints five bailies.[4]
  • Dundee City Council - appoints five bailies.[5] The position was reintroduced in 2003.[2]
  • Edinburgh City Council - appoints six bailies.[1] The position was reintroduced in the 2000s following the title falling into disuse after the 1975 reform of local government.[6]
  • Glasgow City Council - appoints eighteen bailies.[7]
  • Stirling District Council - appoints four bailies [8] />
  • West Dunbartonshire Council - revived the title in 2017 to appoint to veteran councillor Denis Agnew.[9]

Notable Scottish bailies

As a title
  • Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair, Bailie of Canna
  • Mary Barbour, Glasgow Corporation's first woman Baillie (1924-1927)
  • Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan, Bailie of Inverie, Knoydart
  • Dr George Coull FRSE, Bailie of Edinburgh
  • Sir John Lauder, 1st Baronet, Bailie of Edinburgh
  • Sir James Steel, 1st Baronet (1829–1904), Bailie of Edinburgh from 1888-1900[10]
  • Thomas Watt, Bailie to the Baron of Cartsburn, grandfather of James Watt
  • Bailie William Landale, winner of the silver cup at the first open championship held at St Andrews Old Course in 1754, see Timeline of golf history (1353-1850)
  • "Baillie Vass" - the Aberdeen Evening Express accidentally used a picture of Sir Alec Douglas-Home over a caption referring to a baillie called Vass. Private Eye then affected to believe that Home was an imposter.

As a surname

Outwith government

Scottish barons often appointed a Bailie as their judicial officer.

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/reports/468-2003.pdf
  3. "Page not found". glasgow.gov.uk. Archived from the original on September 15, 2009.
  4. News Items
  5. "Support for the Lord Provost and Elected Members". dundeecity.gov.uk.
  6. "Bailie suits bill for elbowing out city defector Cardownie". scotsman.com.
  7. glasgow.gov.uk https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/16554/Lord-Provost. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-03-02. Retrieved 2018-03-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Foulds, Jenny (18 May 2017). "New West Dunbartonshire Council administration revealed". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  10. Rodger, Richard (23 September 2004). "Steel, Sir James, baronet (1829–1904)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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