GB 0096 MS 506 - Memorandum on the administration of Orkney

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0096 MS 506

Title

Memorandum on the administration of Orkney

Date(s)

  • 1760 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 leaves

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

A royal grant of Orkney and Shetland was made to the Earls of Morton in 1643, and the earls became hereditary stewards and justiciaries of the islands. There was often conflict with the thirty-some Orkney lairds who ruled over Orkney on behalf (and sometimes contrary to the will) of the Earls, as this was a time of strong Jacobite sentiment which culminated in the last Orkney Jacobite uprising of 1745. The uprising was, in part, due to the great discontent with the Earls of Morton which was felt by the lairds and Orcadians.

Archival history

GB 0096 MS 506 1760 Collection (fonds) 3 leaves Possibly: Douglas , James , 1702-1768 , 14th Earl of Morton
A royal grant of Orkney and Shetland was made to the Earls of Morton in 1643, and the earls became hereditary stewards and justiciaries of the islands. There was often conflict with the thirty-some Orkney lairds who ruled over Orkney on behalf (and sometimes contrary to the will) of the Earls, as this was a time of strong Jacobite sentiment which culminated in the last Orkney Jacobite uprising of 1745. The uprising was, in part, due to the great discontent with the Earls of Morton which was felt by the lairds and Orcadians.

Enclosed with a copy of the pamphlet in question, a Goldsmiths' Library volume lettered 'A Letter from Orkney with MS', 1760, which also includes a copy of A letter to a gentleman from his friend in Orkney containing the true causes of the poverty of that country (1760; G.L. Cat. 9543).

Memorandum, dated 1760 and probably by James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, on a pamphlet [by the Reverend Thomas Hepburn, Minister of Bursay] entitled A letter to a gentleman from his friend in Orkney containing the true causes of the poverty of that country, [dated 4 March 1757], which had defended Morton against charges of illegally increasing rents and other duties brought against him by the lairds of Orkney. The writer had advised against publication, but the pamphlet was in fact published in 1760.

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
English
9" x 4¾"

Collection level description.

Further material relating to James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, may be found at Nottingham University Library, the British Library, and the national Archives of Scotland.

Namer and Brooke, The House of Commons, 1754-90 (HMSO 1964).

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Aug 2001 Agricultural economics Douglas , James , 1702-1768 , 14th Earl of Morton x Morton , 14th Earl of Europe Hepburn , Thomas , 1726-1777 , minister Land economics Land tenure Orkney Scotland Social problems UK Western Europe London England

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Enclosed with a copy of the pamphlet in question, a Goldsmiths' Library volume lettered 'A Letter from Orkney with MS', 1760, which also includes a copy of A letter to a gentleman from his friend in Orkney containing the true causes of the poverty of that country (1760; G.L. Cat. 9543).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Memorandum, dated 1760 and probably by James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, on a pamphlet [by the Reverend Thomas Hepburn, Minister of Bursay] entitled A letter to a gentleman from his friend in Orkney containing the true causes of the poverty of that country, [dated 4 March 1757], which had defended Morton against charges of illegally increasing rents and other duties brought against him by the lairds of Orkney. The writer had advised against publication, but the pamphlet was in fact published in 1760.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Collection level description.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Further material relating to James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton, may be found at Nottingham University Library, the British Library, and the national Archives of Scotland.

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

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Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Senate House Library, University of London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area