Collection BrMS 4 - Records of the Diocese of Brechin

Identity area

Reference code

BrMS 4

Title

Records of the Diocese of Brechin

Date(s)

  • 1426-2017 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Diocese of Brechin largely covers the counties of Kincardine, Angus and Perth. It was formed in the 1680s, the first bishop being James Drummond between 1684 and 1695. Nearly all small towns within the diocese had an Episcopal congregation, but after the 1745 Rising many rural congregations disappeared. By the time of the repeal of the Penal Laws in 1792 there were nine congregations remaining and over the nineteenth century the diocese began to expand, establishing new congregations in the Carse of Gowrie, Angus coastal burghs, and particularly in and around Dundee. The Diocese is headed by the Bishop of Brechin. Until 1982 the Diocesan Synod was the Bishop's consulting body, and the Diocesan Council was the agent within the Diocese of the Representative Church Council, which had responsibility for the finances of the Episcopal Church of Scotland. The Council consisted of the Bishops, licensed clergy, retired clergy and one lay representative from each congregation in each diocese, plus diocesan officials. It had its own Executive Committee which acted for the Council when it was not in session. The Executive Committee also appointed its own Business Committee. Since 1982 these bodies have been merged into one Diocesan Synod formed by the Bishop, clergy and all lay representatives of congregations.

Archival history

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Diocesan Synod minutes 1770-1981; synod papers 1876-1981; papers relating to the Provincial Synod 1913-1978; diocesan council minutes and committee minutes 1913-1981; council correspondence, papers and reports 1913-1978; council accounts 1894-1949; papers relating to the Representative Church Council 1960-1979; Scottish Churches Committees minutes and papers 1952-1995; statistical returns 1873-1877; diocesan correspondence 1968-1986; diocesan library report 1890; library accession registers 1856-1888; library borrowing registers 1821-1929; library book lists 1828-1937; library correspondence and financial records 1896-1917; photographs c1865-c1903; Episcopal Church in Scotland yearbooks 1973-1978; Education records 1909-1974; Grapevine: The Magazine of the Diocese of Brechin 2007-2015; Register of conformations 1837-1938; Miscellaneous documents 1426-1941.

Accruals

Not expected

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

Conditions governing reproduction

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The records are on paper and include photographs.

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Br MS 1 Correspondence of Bishop Alexander Penrose Forbes Br MS 2 Title deeds, legal papers, correspondence, printed material etc. Br MS 3 Dean William Leslie Christie's transcripts of Episcopal records MS 68 Dr William Christie collection Christie, William 'History of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Brechin, 1688-1875' (unpublished doctoral thesis, 1968) The Diocesan Library catalogue is available via http://library.dundee.ac.uk/F/?func=file&file_name=base-list

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

This collection has been re-catalogued. The photographs were previously catalogued as Br MS 5. Records relating to churches have been separated into separate fonds.

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

BrMS 4

Rules and/or conventions used

Description compiled in line with the following standards: International Council on Archives, ISAD(G) General International Standard Archival Description; International Council on Archives, ISAAR(CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families; National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997

Status

Catalogued

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places