Notes from Newport Town Council Minutes
These are not full transcripts of the Minutes. They are my own notes.
1887-88 (November 1887 - November 1888) Source: Newport-on-Tay Council Minutes, newspaper reports
| On Saturday 8th October 1887 the householders met to nominate 9 to act as Police Commissioners under the 'Lindsay Act' [The General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act, 1862]. Sheriff Henderson presided. As 21 gentlemen were proposed, a poll will take place between 8 am and 8 pm on Tuesday 11th. [Fife Herald 12 Oct 1887] |
| Poll results: Elected - Alex. Scott bank agent 279; J H Walker merchant 242; J F Millar cashier 220; Michael S Carr warehouseman 218; Lewis McKenzie retired coachbuilder 182; James Thomson retired architect 181; Thomas Scott ironmonger 180; J McLaggan commission agent 180; Robert Hunter architect 176. Unsuccessful - Andrew Leitch 174; James Brown 171; John Welch 151; James Barron 147; George Rollo 144; Alexander Robertson 135; George Watt 135; Matthew Morrison 112; Captain Otto Magnus Lindberg 111; William Gibb 100; James S Jack 91; W M Black 87. [Dundee Weekly News 15 Oct 1887] |
| Newport Police Commission met for the first time yesterday afternoon. Alex. Scott, J H Walker, J F Millar, M S Carr, L McKenzie, James Thomson, Thomas Scott, John McLaggan, Robert Hunter. Alexander Scott, banker, elected Chief Magistrate (unanimous); John H Walker, manufacturer, Senior Magistrate (unanimous); J F Millar, Junior Magistrate (unanimous); Thomas Congleton, presently Clerk to the Parochial Board, & George Watt, solicitor, proposed for the clerkship - Mr Congleton appointed by a majority. Clerk to receive £10-10-0 for attendance at the meetings, writing the minutes, & carrying out general correspondence. Work over and above that to be paid extra. [Dundee Courier 18 Oct 1887] |
| Mr Scott went over the works ahead of the new commissioners: drainage - this will take a long time; a supply of gas for the public lamps (at present supplied under a private guarantee by one or two gentlemen); no extra public lamps meantime; offices - remain in the small Blyth Hall meantime; the cleaning and removal of nuisances - start immediately; improving footpaths - only necessay repairs to be done first; make some road crossings; I hope the proprietors along the main roads, on whom there is an obligation under the Burgh Act to pave or concrete, will commence work now; allow the old and new local authority taxes to harmonise on Whitsunday next. Meetings to be held in the evenings. [Courier 18 Oct 1887] |
| Met in Small Blyth Hall. F G Kemp unanimously appointed treasurer and collector; make arrangements to appoint a Sanitary Inspector, also to act as Inspector of Cleansing & take charge of lighting the gas lamps. [Courier 7 Dec 1887] |
| Drainage under consideration - inviting competitive schemes. Prizes of £20 & £10 for the best two schemes with plans as decided by a competent adjudicator. [Evening Telegraph 9 Dec 1887] |
| Advert calling for drainage schemes and plans to be submitted anonymously by 31st December 1887. [Courier 13 Dec 1887] |
| There are 88 applications for the post of Sanitary Inspector and Inspector of Cleansing. Short leet of 7 drawn up. Appointment likely this week. [Evening Telegraph 9 Jan 1888] |
| Lighting: At present lights are put out at 10.30 but it is the intention to keep the burgh lighted up to 12 midnight. [Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| Cleansing: intended to divide Burgh into districts so that the emptying of ashpits would be done systematically. [Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| Drainage: Schemes & plans sought, remitted to ex-Provost [of Dundee] Robertson to be judged. [Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| Roads: Mr Scott had attended a meeting of the Road Trustees in St Andrews and explained several items of interest. [Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| Boundaries of the Burgh: these have not yet been definitely defined - ask Mr Watson, water engineer, Dundee, to define the boundaries and put up march stones.[Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| Drainage schemes: 4 anonymous entries received and handed to ex-Provost Robertson to judge. He judged 'Noman' to be best, 'Health' to be second. 'Noman' was submitted by Mr Blackadder, engineer, Dundee; 'Health' by Mr John Young, Perth; 'Concrete' by Mr Henderson, Bank St, Dundee; 'Gravitation' by Mr H B Nicols, Birmingham. Estimated costs: Mr Blackadder - £2660, Mr Young - £2681, 'Concrete'- no more than £5000, 'Gravitation - £4682-15-0. Mr Robertson envisaged 3 outfalls into the river - one at the west end, one in the north, and one at the east end. It may be possible to use some of the existing drains in combination with the new scheme. Mr Robertson had asked his partner Mr J G Orchar to look over the schemes, and Mr Watson [water engineer, Dundee] and they too had come to the same conclusions. The commissioners unanimously accepted Mr Robertson's decision. [Courier 10 Jan 1888] |
| William Walker, late farm grieve, presently residing at Birkhill Feus, Liff has been appointed Sanitary Inspector & Inspector of Cleansing, with charge of gas lighting. Expected to start next week. [Courier 12 Jan 1888] |
| General meeting of the Police Commission to consider the rate at which the Burgh should be assessed. Originally intended to do without assessment until Whitsunday but expenses dictated otherwise: arranging the gas supply, making footpaths, etc. Rate of 4d in the £ on the annual value of lands & premises valued at over £4; for properties let at a rent under £4 a discount of one quarter to cover the period 13 Sep 1887 - 15 May 1888; rates due to be paid 2nd April. Main item of expenditure is the lighting. [Courier 28 Feb 1888] |
| Drainage: agreed to appoint Robert Blackadder & John Young jointly as engineers for the drainage works, to be paid 5% on the total cost, plus outlays not to exceed £10. [Courier 28 Feb 1888] |
| Expenditure on formation of Burgh: £226-17-11 (excluding £42 costs of election). This is £100 more than it would have been had it not been for the opposition received from Mr Berry. [Courier 28 Feb 1888] |
| Since the formation of the Burgh, improvement to the footpaths (applause); a large amount of ashpit manure has been removed; have now removed Seamills manure depot (applause). [Courier 28 Feb 1888] |
| Joint meeting of Newport Police Commission & Dundee Water Commission - agreed that the works constructed by the Newport Local Authority be taken over by the Dundee Water Commission, cost £2560. [Courier 13 Mar 1888] [There may be confusion here, because the Newport works (i.e. water pipes) had been constructed by the Forgan Parochial Board but some of their responsibilities were taken over by the Police Commission. Mr Scott chaired both. The money was paid to the Parochial Board - see Courier 24 Apr 1888.] |
| Drainage: Report from engineers Mr Blackadder, Dundee & Mr Young, Perth making certain suggestions. The engineers expect to have plans ready in the next 3 weeks.[Evening Telegraph 10 Apr 1888] |
| County Road Board were to pay half, up to £30, costs of removing a portion of ground which projects into the turnpike road near the staircase beside the Episcopal Chapel, Newport. But decision deferred due to arguments over maintenance of roads outside the Burgh. [Courier 11 Apr 1888] |
| Drainage: A system of drainage for the burgh devised by Mr Blackadder, Dundee & Mr Young, Perth has now been adopted by the Police Commissioners. Tenders for the construction are to be invited and it is expected that operations will be begun at an early date. [Fifeshire Journal 17 May 1888] |
| Advert calling for tenders for executing the sewerage works in Newport.[Courier 25 May 1888] |
| Quarterly meeting of the Commissioners held last night. Agreed that the drainage scheme should go ahead. Expected to be able to brrow money repayable in 50 years. If no unforeseen obstacles (cutting through rock) then £2500 or £2600 would be sufficient to cover costs. Mackison, Dundee & Young, Perth appointed surveyors. Assessment required is 3.5d. per £ on proprietors. Advertise for tenders, expect work to commence at beginning of July, expecting to take 4 or 5 months. Plans to be available for public inspection in Parochial Board Office. [Courier 5 Jun 1888] |
| Should Chief Magistrate be ex officio a Justice of the Peace & Commissioner of Supply? See about inserting into Police Bill presently before Parliament. [Courier 5 Jun 1888] |
| The estimated cost of the drainage scheme is £4500 or £4600, and not £2500 or £2600 as stated yesterday. [Courier 6 Jun 1888] |
| Commission met to consider any objections to the drainage scheme. Robert Tait stated Mr Gibb wanted the drains in front of his property in Union St & Tay St deepened. This is perfectly easy to arrange. Agreed to go ahead with the drainage scheme. The cases of parties with private drains would be considered fully and such drains will be brought into connection with the main system of drainage wherever possible. [Evening Telegraph 19 Jun 1888] |
| Accepted the offer of Messrs G Mackay & Sons, contractors, Barnhill, Broughty Ferry for the constuction of the sewerage works. Contract price £4140. [Fife Herald 20 Jun 1888] |
| Considered amended tenders by the four lowest offerers and accepted the tender of Messrs G Strachan & Son, Broughty Ferry amounting to £4140, depending on rock cutting. The two lowest offers were very nearly similar. [Courier 20 Jun 1888] |
| The successful contractors for the drainage works are Messrs G Mackay & Son, Broughty Ferry and not as stated in yesterday's paper. [Courier 21 Jun 1888] |
| [Comment Piece] The new causewayed crossings are now nearly all laid & the remainder will be put down without additional taxation being levied. [Evening Telegraph 18 Jul 1888] |
| [Comment Piece] First large pipes for the drainage scheme have arrived. Mr Berry, despite his somewhat hostile attitude regarding the formation of the Burgh has proved very obliging regarding the drainage scheme, having given the commissioners considerable facilities for carrying out the scheme. [Evening Telegraph 18 Jul 1888] |
| [Comment Piece] Lack of bathing site has always been felt, especially since the boatshed was erected in the only bay available. Now a bathing shed for ladies & children has been erected a few yards to the west of the boatshed. For this, as for many other good things, Newport is indebted to Chief Magistrate Scott who will deserve all the praise should the village blossom out into a favourite bathing resort. [Evening Telegraph 18 Jul 1888] |
| A properly-constructed footpath to be made through Gowrie Woods from the top of James Street to the southmost street next to East Newport Station [Courier 3 Aug 1888] |
| Notice to proprietors that contractors are authorised to connect all branch drains to main drains free of expense. [Courier 3 Aug 1888] |
| Fifeshire County Road Board to pay £30 for the widening of the road at the Episcopal Chapel but whether to pay half the £65 for the removal of the embankment and remove all sources of danger was left over. [Courier 8 Aug 1888] |
| Public Notice: Commissioners intend to borrow £4800 for the purpose of sewerage works within the burgh. [Courier 21 Sep 1888] |
| [Comment Piece] For some weeks now the drainage works have been pushed vigorously forward. The large mains have been nearly all laid & considerable progress made in laying the pipes in the back streets. A great deal of rock has been encountered and the horn warning before a shot is fired has been frequently heard. The engineers & contractors are to be congratulated on the rapid progress they have made and the immunity from accidents so far. [Fifeshire Journal 27 Sep 1888] |
| The subject of a recent letter to the Courier [juvenile offences, stealing apples, breaking windows, etc, and no interest being shown in tackling them] was mentioned at a meeting of the Police Commissioners - write to Chief Constable with a view to preventing a recurrence. [Courier 27 Sep 1888] |
| Road Board give a further £20 for removal of the obstructions and widening the road in front of the Episcopal Church. [Fifeshire Journal 11 Oct 1888] |
| The 3 councillors who had stood lowest at the last election [i.e. received the fewest votes] were due to retire: John McLaggan, Thomas Scott and Robert Hunter. Retiring speeches - drainage schenme carried through very efficiently and is now nearly completed; lighting is better; paving will come in due course. [Courier 23 Oct 1888] |
| At a meeting of electors a deputation was appointed to request Mr James Brown, builder, Alex Robertson, plasterer, and William Gibb, architect, to be nominated for vacancies; believed to be 2 other interested parties; Mr Gibb requested time to consider. [Courier 26 Oct 1888] |
| Public meeting held by the 3 retiring commissioners (McLaggan, T Scott & Hunter) only, and chaired by Chief Magistrate Scott. The Chief Magistrate gave a summary of the work done by the Commssioners this year: (1) removal of the nuisance at the dairy near the pier; (2) arrange for emptying of ashpits and cleansing of the burgh; (3) considerable attention given to footpaths but these could not be improved until the disturbance caused by the drainage works is completed, however a new footpath had been opened up by the railway leading to West Station, considerable improvements being made in the lower part of the burgh - the kerb opposite Kinbrae, Westwood & Balmore, kerbing in Kerr St and Bank St and in several other streets plus crossings in several places; most recently the removal of the mound of earth projecting into the High St.; next year, after the drainage work is done more footpaths can be improved; (4) after a careful inspection a number of new lamps have been added, especially in the west where some steeets were in absolute darkness; (5) a tax of 6d. per £ on tenants will cover charges in setting up the burgh, lighting, new lamps, etc. [Courier 30 Oct 1888] |
| Public meeting (continued): (6) greatest improvement was the drainage scheme - a matter for proprietors only, the tenants having nothing to do with this tax. Contract price was £4140, plus expenses; Commissioners arranged to borrow £4800, hoping the whole loan would not be required, a tax of 2.5d. per £ upon proprietors would cover redemption plus interest for the current year, this would drop in succeeding years (increased housing and decreased redemption payments). Work is well advanced, then the matter of seeing to proper drainage from private houses and connections to the main drains. No questions from the floor. Only improvement suggested is to keep the lamps burning after 11.30 at night to allow people to get home from the last boat. Retiring members were thanked by the chair and all stated that they would be standing again. [Courier 30 Oct 1888] |
| Public notice: Alexander Robertson, following the meeting where the retiring members were encouraged to stand for re-election and continue their work, does not wish to cause the expense of an election and will not stand for the Commission on this occasion. [Courier 1 Nov 1888] |
| [Comment Piece] In addition to the 3 retiring Commissioners (John McLaggan, Thomas Scott & Robert Hunter) there are 2 further candidates - James Brown, builder, and William Anderson, builder and contractor. Poll in the Blyth Hall on Tuesday 6th Nov. [Courier 2 Nov 1888] |