List of Baillies, Provosts & Lord Provosts of the Burgh of Dundee

The minutes of the Town Council of Dundee which are still in existence do not bear an earlier date than 1552, but as the names of Provosts and Baillies were usually entered in the 'Lockit-Book' over every name of an admitted Burgess, it is thus possible to form a more complete historical list of Office Holders for the City. Where dates before 1482 omit any mention of a Provost, the name of the Principal Baillie has been listed.

2001 - To date

Date	Name	Title
2001-2003	John Letford	Lord Provost
2003-2007	John Letford	Lord Provost
2007-2009	John Letford	Lord Provost
2009-2012	John Letford	Lord Provost
2012-2017	Bob Duncan	Lord Provost
2017-2022	Ian Borthwick	Lord Provost
2022	Bill Campbell	Lord Provost

1902 - 2001

Date	Name	Title
1902-1905	Charles Barrie *	Lord Provost
1905-1908	William Longair	Lord Provost
1908-1914	Sir James Urquhart	Lord Provost
1914-1920	Sir William Don	Lord Provost
1920-1923	Sir Alexander Spence	Lord Provost
1923-1929	Sir William High	Lord Provost
1929-1932	George Anderson Johnston	Lord Provost
1932-1935	William Huntley Buist	Lord Provost
1935-1940	Sir John Phin	Lord Provost
1940-1946	Sir Garnet Wilson	Lord Provost
1946-1949	Archibald Powrie	Lord Provost
1949	John Campsie Adamson	Lord Provost
1949-1952	Richard Fenton	Lord Provost
1952-1954	William Black	Lord Provost
1954-1960	William Hughes	Lord Provost
1960-1968	Maurice McManus	Lord Provost
1968-1970	Alexander MacKenzie	Lord Provost
1970-1973	William K. Fitzgerald	Lord Provost
1973-1975	Thomas W. Moore	Lord Provost
1975-1977	Charles D. P. Farquhar	Lord Provost
1977-1980	Henry W. C. Vaughan	Lord Provost
1980-1984	James P. Gowans	Lord Provost
1984-1992	Thomas Mitchell	Lord Provost
1992-1995	Thomas M. McDonald	Lord Provost
1995-1996	Norman A. McGowan	Lord Provost
1996-1999	Mervyn J. Rolfe	Lord Provost
1999-2001	Helen Wright (12)	Lord Provost

1800 - 1902

Date	Name	Title
1800-1802	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1802-1804	John Guild	Provost
1804-1807	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1807-1808	John Guild	Provost
1808-1810	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1810-1812	John Guild	Provost
1812-1814	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1814-1816	John Guild	Provost
1816-1818	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1818-1820	Patrick Anderson	Provost
1820-1822	David Brown	Provost
1822-1824	Patrick Anderson	Provost
1824-1826	David Brown	Provost
1826-1828	Alexander Balfour	Provost
1828-1830	Thomas Bell	Provost
1831	Robert Jobson	Provost
1831-1833	William Lindsay	Provost
1833-1839	Alexander Kay	Provost
1839-1841	William Hackney	Provost
1841	William Johnstone	Provost
1841-1844	Alexander Lawson	Provost
1844-1847	James Brown	Provost
1847-1853	Patrick Hunter Thoms	Provost
1853-1856	George Rough	Provost
1856-1858	John Ewan	Provost
1858	David Rollo	Provost
1858-1861	David Jobson	Provost
1861-1867	Charles Parker	Provost
1867-1869	William Hay	Provost
1869-1872	James Yeaman (10)	Provost
1872-1875	James Cox	Provost
1875-1878	William Robertson	Provost
1878-1881	William Brownlee	Provost
1881-1884	Alexander Hay Moncur	Provost
1884-1887	Hugh Ballingall	Provost
1887-1890	William Hunter	Provost
1890-1893	Alexander Mathewson (11)	Lord Provost
1893-1896	Sir James Low, Bart	Lord Provost
1896-1899	Henry McGrady	Lord Provost
1899-1902	William Hunter	Lord Provost

1700 - 1800

Date	Name	Title
1700-02	John Scrymgeour	Provost
1702-04	John Duncan	Provost
1704-06	Alexander Blair	Provost
1706-08	George Yeaman	Provost
1708-10	Alexander Blair	Provost
1710-12	George Yeaman	Provost
1712-14	Magister Henry Guthrie	Provost
1714-16	Alexander Ballingall	Provost
1716-17	John Scrymgeour (9)	Provost
1717-19	Magister Alexander Duncan of Lundie	Provost
1719-21	John Scrymgeour	Provost
1721-23	Thomas Bower	Provost
1723-25	David Maxwell	Provost
1725-27	George Ramsay	Provost
1727-28	Alexander Ferrier	Provost
1728-31	James Fairweather	Provost
1731-32	Alexander Robertson	Provost
1732-35	James Fairweather	Provost
1735-36	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1736-38	Andrew Wardropper	Provost
1738-41	John Donaldson	Provost
1741-42	Alexander Robertson	Provost
1742-44	Patrick Yeaman of Blacklaw	Provost
1744-47	Alexander Duncan of Lundie	Provost
1747-48	Patrick Yeaman of Blacklaw	Provost
1748-50	George Yeaman of Balbeuchly	Provost
1750-53	Patrick Yeaman of Blacklaw	Provost
1753-54	Andrew Wardropper	Provost
1754-57	Patrick Yeaman	Provost
1757-58	Andrew Wardropper	Provost
1758-61	George Yeaman	Provost
1761-62	Patrick Yeaman	Provost
1762-64	John Halyburton	Provost
1764-66	John Barclay	Provost
1766-68	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1768-70	George Maxwell	Provost
1770-72	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1772-74	Henry Geekie	Provost
1774-76	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1776-78	George Maxwell of Balmyle	Provost
1778-80	Henry Geekie	Provost
1780-82	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1782-84	John Pitcairn	Provost
1784-86	Patrick Maxwell	Provost
1786-88	John Pitcairn	Provost
1788-90	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1790-92	James Johnston	Provost
1792-94	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1794-96	Alexander Thoms	Provost
1796-98	Alexander Riddoch	Provost
1798-1800	Alexander Thoms	Provost

1609 - 1700

Date	Name	Title
1609-14	William Duncan	Provost
1614-26	William Auchinlek	Provost
1626-31	Thomas Halyburton	Provost
1631-33	Thomas Auchinlek	Provost
1633-37	Thomas Davidson	Provost
1637-43	James Fletcher	Provost
1643-46	James Piersoun	Provost
1646-50	William Kinneris (7)	Provost
1650-58	Thomas Mudy	Provost
1658-59	Sir Thomas Mudy	Provost
1659-66	Alexander Wedderburn	Provost
1666-67	George Fletcher	Provost
1667-69	George Brown	Provost
1669-70	John Tarbet	Provost
1670-72	Alexander Watson	Provost
1672-77	George Brown	Provost
1677-81	Alexander Wedderburn of Easter Powrie	Provost
1681-85	Alexander Duncan	Provost
1685-86	James Fletcher	Provost
1686	Election of Magistrates Prohibited by the King	Provost
1686-87	Major General John Graham of Claverhouse (Appointed by Royal Warrant) (8)	Provost
1687-88	James Fletcher	Provost
1688-89	Major General John Graham of Claverhouse	Provost
1689-98	James Fletcher	Provost
1698-1700	Alexander Blair	Provost

1504 - 1609

Provost

Date	Name	Title
1504	James Rollok	Provost
1509	Alexander Ogilvie	Provost
1513	Lord Gray	Provost
1513	Andrew Abercrombie	Provost
1513-14	Earl of Crauford	Provost
1514-16	James Rollok	Provost
1516-20	James Scrymgeour, Constable of Dundee	Provost
1520-23	Alexander Ogilvie	Provost
1523-25	William Carmichael of Carpow	Provost
1526-28	John Scrymgeour of Glaister	Provost
1528-30	James Scrymgeour, Constable of Dundee	Provost
1531-32	John Barrie	Provost
1543-44	Walter Scrymgeour of Glaswell	Provost
1544-45	Robert Myln	Provost
1550	James Dog of Dunrobbene	Provost
1551-65	James Halyburton (6)	Provost
1565-66	Earl of Crauford	Provost
1566-86	James Halyburton	provost
1586-90	James Scrymgeour of Dudhop	Provost
1590-92	James Forrester	Provost
1592-93	James Auchinlek	Provost
1593-1609	Sir James Scrymgeour	Provost

1401 - 1498

Date	Name	Title
1401	John de Lyndesei	Baillie
1402	Richard Scott	Baillie
1403	Robert de Guthry (3)	Baillie
1404	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1405	Richard Scott	Baillie
1406-07	Adam Clerk	Baillie
1409	Richard Scott	Baillie
1410	John Mortuo Mari	Baillie
1410	John Andrewson	Baillie
1412-14	Richard Scott	Baillie & Clerk of Coquet
1415-18	James Elgy	Baillie
1420	Galfrid de Disart	Baillie
1421	Duncan Parcare	Baillie
1421	Thomas Clerk	Baillie
1421	William de Blare	Baillie
1422-24	Duncan Parcare	Baillie
1425-28	Galfrid de Disart	Baillie
1429	William de Strathechyn	Provost
1429	William Plater	Baillie
1431	William Playfair	Baillie
1434	Simon de Ferne	Baillie
1435	Alexander de Blare	Baillie
1435	David de Aberkirdor	Baillie
1435	David de Spalding	Baillie
1438	Simon de Ferne	Baillie
1442	David Spalding	Baillie
1443	William de Straithain	Provost
1444-45	Walter Grynlaw	Baillie
1446	William de Straithain	Baillie
1447-48	James de Fothringhame	Baillie
1449	Robert de Balmanach	Baillie
1450	James de Fothringhame	Baillie
1451	Walter Grenelaw	Baillie
1453	James de Fothringhame	Baillie
1454	Robert Deuchre	Baillie
1454	Henry de Fothringhame of Pourie	Provost
1455	Malcolm de Deuchre	Baillie
1456	David Guthrie	Baillie
1457	Walter Grinlaw	Baillie
1459	David Spalding	Baillie
1459	Thomas Spalding	Provost
1460	William de Strathauchtyne (4)	Provost
1461	John Scrymgeour	Provost
1462	Robert de Deuchir	Baillie
1463	David Aberkirdor	Provost
1463-64	James Blare	Provost
1464-66	James de Fothringhame	Baillie
1466	Robert Graham	Provost
1467	Malcolm Guthrie	Baillie
1468	David Aberkirdor	Baillie
1469	Andrew Moncurr	Baillie
1469-70	John Hay	Provost
1470	Malcolm Guthrie	Provost
1472-75	Malcolm Guthrie	Baillie
1476	James Fullerton	Provost
1477	David Rollok	Baillie
1478-79	Robert Graham of Fintry	Provost
1480	Malcolm Guthrie	Baillie
1481	James Fothringhame	Baillie
1482	David Rollok (5)	Provost
1483	Robert Graham of Fintry	Provost
1483-84	David Aberkirdor	Provost
1485	James Rollok (5)	Provost
1492-97	James Scrymgeour, Constable of Dundee	Provost
1497-98	Robert Graham of Fintry	Provost

1286 - 1398

Date	Name	Title
1286	Radulfo, Magister de Dundee
1330	Richard de Fordoun, Senior	Provost
1341	Alan de Balmossy	Baillie
1341	Peter de Haia	Baillie
1341	William de Both	Baillie
1341	Richard de Fordoun, Junior	Baillie
1342	Nicholas de Both	Provost
1342	Alexander de Scralyn	Baillie
1343	Stephen Forbour	Baillie
1360	Patrick Parker	Baillie
1362	William de Harden	Baillie
1362	Thomas of Angus	Baillie
1364	William de Harden	Provost
1365	Andrew Parker	Baillie
1365	Andrew Clerk	Baillie
1366	Alexander Skyrmechour (1)	Constable, Provost
1366	William de Inverpefre	Baillie
1367	Andrew Parker	Baillie
1369	William de Harden	Provost
1375	Galfrid Ayre	Baillie
1376	Richard Spalding	Baillie
1377	Laurence Brow	Baillie
1377	Robert Bell	Baillie
1379	Thomas Clerk	Baillie
1380	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1381	Robert Bell	Baillie
1382	Hugh de Jedworth	Baillie
1383	Robert Bell	Baillie
1384	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1384	David de Aberkirdor	Baillie
1384	John de Mortuo Mari (2)	Baillie
1387	Richard Scott	Baillie
1388	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1389	Hugh de Jedworth	Baillie
1390	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1391	Patrick de Inverpefre	Baillie
1392	Richard Scott	Baillie
1393	William Clerk	Baillie
1393	John Young	Baillie
1395	Richard Scott	Baillie
1396	Robert Templeman	Baillie
1397	Richard Scott	Baillie
1398	Robert de Guthry	Baillie

(1) An early form of the name Scrymgeour
(2) An early form of the name Mortimer
(3) In the Exchequer Roll, the remark reads 'Robert de Guthry was the sole Baillie present, the other baillies died of the plague'
(4) An early form of the name Strachan
(5) After this entry, the names are those of Provosts only
(6) Killed at the Siege of Leith
(7) An early form of the name Kinnear
(8) Known as 'Bonnie Dundee' - he was killed at the Battle of Killiekrankie 1689
(9) Installed by order of the Duke of Argyll
(10) New Provost's Chain
(11) From this date on, all names listed are 'Lord Provosts'
(12) Dundee's first woman to serve as Lord Provost

* Knighted in 1919

Town Clerks

Date	Name
1425 - 1455	John Bell
1455 - 1467	William De Kay
1467 - 1470	James Scrymgeour
1479 - 1510	Robert Seres
1510 - 1525	Robert Seres, Junior
1525 - 1533	John Wedderburn
1533 - 1577	David Wedderburn
1557 - 1578	Alexander Wedderburn
1578 - 1618	Alexander Wedderburn (son of above)
1618 - 1627	James Wedderburn
1627 - 1633	Alexander Wedderburn
1633 - 1675	Sir Alexander Wedderburn (son of James)
1675 - 1696	James Wedderburn
1696 - 1717	Sir Alexander Wedderburn (son of James)
1717 - 1733	George Duncan
1719 - 1754	Robert Speid (Depute)
1733 - 1761	Alexander Duncan
1761 - 1766	George Duncan
1766 - 1772	Robert Speid
1766 - 1772	William Chalmers (Depute)
1772 - 1817	William Chalmers
1817 - 1821	Thomas Davidson (had been Depute prior to his appointment: he and Mr W. Small were appointed Joint-Clerks in 1817.)
1817 - 1822	William Small
1821 - 1822	William Barrie (Depute)
1822 - 1854	William Barrie
1822 - 1869	Christopher Kerr
1854 - 1864	John Anderson (Joint with Mr Kerr)
1869 - 1893	William Hay
1893 - 1903	Sir Thomas Thornton, LL.D.
1903 - 1936	William Henry Blyth Martin, C.B.E., D.L.
1936 - 1943	David Latto
1943 - 1948	William Borland
1948 - 1949	Alexander Thomson Herd
1949 - 1966	Robert Lyle, B.L.
1966 - 1982	Gordon S. Watson, O.B.E., D.L., J.P.. S.S.C., M.B.I.M., M.I.L.G.A.

Chief Executives

Date	Name
1982 - 1992	James Francis Hoey, B.L., L.M.R.T.P.I
1992 - 2009	Alex Stephen, F.C.C.A.
2009 - 2014	David Dorward, C.P.F.A.
2014 - 2020	David Martin, B.Sc (Hons), M.Phil
2020 -	Gregory Colgan

List of Baillies, Provosts & Lord Provosts of the Burgh of Dundee

Related Links

Dundee City Council