RAD061

Aberdeen Party of Progress

The central, seated figure represents Provost William Leslie, to whom the image is dedicated. Aberdeen town council at this time were Liberal. The Party of Progress were clearly not as progressive as they wished the town to believe. The image shows that Aberdonians were particularly unhappy with their...

RAD064

West Aberdeenshire, caricature of Robert Farquharson...

Caricature which appeared in the publication Vanity Fair, and also in Farquharson's book, In and Out of Parliament. See RAD076.

RAD073

Johnny Gibb's Political Education

This image of William Alexander (1826 - 1894), the author, comes from an etching by Sir George Reid (1831 - 1913). William Alexander was the editor of the Aberdeen Free Press and his novels, all serialised in the paper, deal with political issues. In this excerpt from Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk, Johnny...

RAD082

John Webster Ll.D., M.P.

Image of John Webster (1810-1891). John Webster was provost of Aberdeen from 1856-59, and Liberal MP for the City of Aberdeen between 1880 and 1885.

RAD083

Lord Provost Esslemont

Image and biography of Peter Esslemont (1834-1894), Lord Provost of Aberdeen between 1880 and 1883 and Liberal MP for Aberdeen from 1885 to 1892.

RAD084

Smart Election Repartee

McCombie of Tillyfour, MP for West Aberdeenshire in 1868, was better known as an originator of the Aberdeen Angus breed of cattle. This little anecdote relates to him being better known as a farmer than a politician.

RAD087

Home Rule for Scotland

The author believes that the Assembly that rules over the British Empire is less capable of coping with its problems than it should be. The solution, the writer believes, would be to give Home Rule to both Ireland and Scotland.

RAD089

Chartist Uproar

Although not entirely in favour of the Chartists demands, The New Shaver was not completely unsympathetic.

RAD099

Assessor's List of persons entitled to vote in the...

This list shows all the women who were entitled to vote in the First Polling Disctrict in Aberdeen, St Clement's Ward.

RAD100

Burgh of Aberdeen Municipal Register 1872-73

Example of pages from the 1872 Municipal Register.

RAD103

To the Liberal Electors of the Burgh of Aberdeen

This election poster asks the Aberdeen electorate to support the Liberal candidate James W Barclay, rather than the other Liberal planning to stand in the city, John Farley Leith. Farley Leith was returned as the Member of Parliament for Aberdeen in the 1872 by-election.

RAD104

The Electors' Lament

This song is addressed to James William Barclay (1833-1907), who represented the 1st ward in Aberdeen town council in from 1864-1867 and the 3rd ward in 1868 to 1871. He was a shipowner, which is referred to in the fourth verse. Barclay stood as a second, but unsuccessful Liberal candidate in the 1872...

RAD105

To the Electors of West Aberdeenshire

Excerpt from an open letter which appears to come from a Tory candidate for West Aberdeenshire in the 1870s.

RAD106

Mr Shaw's Speech on the Hustings Today

James Shaw was the Tory candidate in the 1872 by-election, brought about by the death of the MP Col Sykes. Both John Farley Leith, whom Shaw attacks here, and James Barclay, stood as Liberal candidates. John Farley Leith won.

RAD107

The Epistles of the Acts of the Electors

These five 'epistles' are written in the biblical style relating to the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles, in this case, the apostles being the town councillors. The first epistle is about city council elections, with particular reference to a certain Mr Wallace, a confectioner to trade....