PROVOSTS OF DUMFRIES

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The Provosts of Dumfries

THIS DATA IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COURTESY OF BETTE CARTWRIGHT([email protected])

The early McBrairs were effectively hereditary Provosts of the burgh from 1469 to 1582. Many of the Provosts in the next two centuries were connected with the McBrairs, thorough marriage and descent. In fact the last Provost I have found with a direct connection to the McBrairs was Wellwood Maxwell of Barncleugh, Provost from 1781-2, who was directly descended from the first McBrair Provost!
Contributed by Ken Harvey 
NAME                                    DATE
Robert Makbrar or M'Brair               1469
T. Welsh                                1471
Robert Makbrar                          1472
Robert M'Brair                          1549
John M'Brair                            1552
Archibald M'Brair                       1570
Herbert Rayning                         1572
Robert Rayning                          1578
Robert M'Brair                          1579
Archibald M'Brair                       1581
Matthew Dickson                         1582
John Mareshal                           1582
Simon Johnstoun                         1584
Alex. Maxwell of Newton                 1885
Herbert Rayning                         1586
John Bryce                              1587
Roger Gordon                            1588-9
Herbert Rayning                         1591-2
Homer Maxwell of Speddo                 1593-4
Herbert Cunmninghame                    1612
John Corsane                            1622
Roger Kirkpatrick                       1623
John Corrie                             1639
John Corsane                            1642
John Corsane                            1644
John Maxwell                            1645
Thomas M'Burnie                         1649
Thomas M'Burnie                         1651-2-3-4
Robert Graham                           1655-6-7-8-9-60
John Irving                             1660-1-2-3-4-5
Thomas Irving                           1665-6-7-8
John Irving                             1668-9-70-1-2-3-4
Wm. Craik of Duchrae                    1674-5-6-7-8
David Bishop                            1678-9
Wm. Craik                               1679-80
John Coupland                           1680-1
James Kennan                            168102
John Coupland                           1682-3
Lord Drumlanrig                         1683-4-5-6
John Maxwell of Barncleugh              1687-8
William Craik                           1688-9-90
Thomas Rome                             1691
Robert Johnstone                        1692-3-4
John Irving                             1694-5-6
Robert Johnston                         1696    
John Irving                             1697
Robert Johnstone                        1698    
John Irving of Logan                    1698-9-1700

Robert Johnstone                        1700-1-2
Wm. Coupland of Colliston               1702-3-4
Thomas Rome of Cloudan                  1704-5-6
William Coupland                        1706-7-8
John Crosbie                            1708-9-10
Robert Corbet                           1710-1-2
John Crosbie of Holm                    1712-3-4
Robert Corbet                           1714-5-6
John Crosbie                            1716-7-8
James Corrie                            1718-9-20
William Craik                           1720-1-2
James Corrie                            1722-3-4
Thomas Edgar                            1724-5-6
John Irving                             1726-7-8
James Corrie                            1728-9-30
Thomas Edgar of Reidbank                1730-1-2
Andrew Crosbie of Holm                  1732-3-4
James Corrie                            1734-5-6
John Ewart                              1736-7-8
Andrew Crosbie                          1738-9-40
George Bell of Conheath                 1740-1-2-3
John Ewart                              1743-4
George Bell                             1744-5-6
John Ewart                              1746-7-8
George Bell                             1748-9-50
John Graham                             1750-1-2
Robert Ferguson                         1752-3-4
George Bell                             1754-5-6
Robert Maxwell of Careen                1756-7-8
James Corbet                            1758-9-60
Robert Maxwell                          1760-1-2
Ebenezer Hepburn                        1762-3-4
John Dickson of Conbeath                1764-5-6
Robert Maxwell                          1766-7-8
Ebenezer Hepburn                        1768-9-70
John Dickson                            1770-1-2
Robert Maxwell                          1772-3-4
Edward Maxwell                          1774-5
Robert Maxwell                          1775-6-7
John Clark                              1777-8-9
Robert Maxwell                          1779-80-1
Wellwood Maxwell of Barncleugh          1781-2
David Blair                             1782-3
David Staig                             1783-4-5-6
William Clark                           1786-7-8
David Staig                             1788-9-90
David Blair                             1790-1-2
David Staig                             1792-3-4-5-6-7
Robert Jackson                          1797-8-9
David Staig                             1789-1800

Robert Jackson                          1800-1-2
Gabriel Richardson                      1802-3-4
David Staig                             1804-5-6
Robert Jackson                          1806-7-8
David Staig                             1808-9
Robert Jackson                          1809-10-1
David Staig                             1811-2-3
Joseph Gass                             1813-4-5
David Staig                             1815-6-7
John Barker                             1817-8-9
William Thomson                         1819-20-1
John Kerr                               1821-2-3
William Thomson                         1823-4-5
John Kerr (died in office)              1825-6
William Thomson                         1826-7
William M'Kie                           1827-8-9
John Fraser                             1829-30-1
James Corson                            1831-2-3
Robert Murray (died in office)          1833-4
Robert Kemp                             1834-5-6-7
David Armstrong                         1837-8-9-40
John Fraser                             1840-1-2-3
Thomas Crichton                         1843-4-5-6
Thomas Kennedy                          1846-7-8-9
William Nicholson                       1849-50-1-2
Miles Leighton                          1852-3-4-5
Wm. M'Gowan (died in office)            1855-6
Miles Leighton                          1856-7-8-9-60
James Gordon (resigned 1864)            1860-1-2-3-4
William Bell                            1864
William Turner                          1864-5-6-7
John Luke Scott                         ???? - 1896

Joseph Johnstone Glover                 1896 - 1908