The Lord Provost of Aberdeen is the convener of the Aberdeen City local authority in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

. They are elected by the city council and serve not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. They are equivalent in many ways to the institution of

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

that exists in many other countries. According to Munro in Aberdeen up to the end of the sixteenth century, the provost was elected on the first Monday after

Michaelmas Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September, a ...

. From then until 1833 the election took place on the first Wednesday after Michaelmas, and from then (at least until 1897) elections were held on the Friday after the first Tuesday in November. He gives the example of John Cheyne elected 1593 who would have continued in office until the Michaelmas election of 1594. The dates below, up to 1897 recognise this pattern. Each of the 32 Scottish local authorities elects a Convener or provost, but only the cities of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), ...

and Dundee have a Lord Provost. While this was confirmed in the

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered local government in Scotland on 16 May 1975. The Act followed and largely implemented the report of the Royal Commission on Local Gove ...

and subsequently in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 the title Lord Provost of Aberdeen was formally established in 1863 when

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

knighted Sir Alexander Anderson designing him 'Lord Provost of Aberdeen'. Until then, while various petitions, and other documents variously addressed the holder as Lord Provost, the title was correctly Provost of Aberdeen. Since 1899, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, has also been ex officio the

Lord-Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibilit ...

of the city. Following local government re-organisation brought about by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, this arrangement was confirmed in the

Lieutenancies Act 1997 The Lieutenancies Act 1997 (c. 23) is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that defines areas that lord-lieutenants are appointed to in Great Britain. It came into force on 1 July 1997. Creation of modern local government Prior to the Loc ...

13th century

* (1272–1273)

Richard Cementarius Richard Cementarius (a.k.a. Richard the Mason) was a 13th-century Scottish architect and became the first Provost of Aberdeen in 1272. He held the title of ''Kings Master Mason'' to King Alexander III of Scotland. He is believed to have designe ...

* (1273–1274) Mathew Greatheued * (1281–1282) Mathew Greatheued * (1284–1285) Malcolm de Pelgoueni

14th century

* (1309–1310) Duncan de Malauill * (1321–1322) Duncan Kynnedy * (1326–1329) Symon Gelchach * (1329–1332) William Strabrock * (1332–1333) Symon Gelchach * (1333–1335) William Strabrock * (1340–1341) Colin Adamson * (1341–1342) David Fyngask * (1343–1344) Thomas Mercer * (1348–1349) Symon Lynton * (1349–1351) Robert Edynhame * (1351–1356) William Leith * (1361–1363) Thomas Mercer * (1366–1367) Laurence Garvock * (1367–1368) Laurence de Foty * (1372–1374) William Leith * (1382–1383) Alexander Bannerman * (1383–1384) John Tulloh * (1385–1391) Laurence de Foty * (1391–1395) William de Camera * (1395–1396) William Andrewson * (1396–1399) William de Camera * (1399–1401) Adam de Benyn

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

Sir Alexander Anderson of Blelack, Provost of Aberdeen (1859 - 1865) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001026

File:James Hadden of Persley, Provost of Aberdeen (1801-3, 1809-11, 1813-15, 1830-32) - ABDCC001017.jpg, alt=Man seated, wearing a dark suit and a chain of office, James Hadden of Persley, Provost of Aberdeen (1801-3, 1809-11, 1813-15, 1830-32) File:Sir Thomas Blaikie, Provost Of Aberdeen 1839-47, 1853-56 by John Phillip - John Phillip - ABDCC001030.jpg, alt=Painting of a man standing at a table with red drape behind, Sir Thomas Blaikie, Provost of Aberdeen 1839-47, 1853-56 by John Phillip File:James Blaikie of Craigiebuckler, Provost of Aberdeen (1833-1835) - John Phillip - ABDCC001028.jpg, alt=Seated man wearing dark suit and holding some papers, James Blaikie of Craigiebuckler, Provost of Aberdeen (1833-1835) File:Sir Alexander Anderson of Blelack, Provost of Aberdeen (1859 - 1865) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001026.jpg, Sir Alexander Anderson of Brelack, Provost of Aberdeen (1859-1865) by Sir George Reid File:William Leslie of Nethermuir, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1869-73) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001023.jpg, alt=Head and torso portrait of man with white hair and beard wearing a dark suit, William Leslie of Nethermuir, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1869-73( by Sir George Reid File:Lord Provost Peter Esslemont (1834-1894) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001024.jpg, alt=Full length portrait of Man wearing dark suit and a three quarter length coat, Lord Provost Peter Esslemont (1834-1894) by Sir George Reid File:Sir William Henderson, Lord Provost of Aberdeen ( 1886-89) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001034.jpg, alt=Full length portrait of man wearing dark suit and red fur trimmed robes, Sir William Henderson, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1886-89) by Sir George Reid

20th century

* (1902–1905)

James Walker of Richmondhill James Walker of Richmondhill (1837–c.1910) was a Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen. Life He was born at Tomachallich a hill farm in the parish of Aboyne on 28 August 1837. He entered Aberdeen town Council in 1 ...

* (1905–1908)

Sir Alexander Lyon ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

* (1908–1911) Alexander Wilson * (1911–1914) Adam Maitland * (1914–1919)

Sir James Taggart Sir James Taggart KBE DL (1849–1929) was a Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen 1914 to 1919. Much loved throughout Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of t ...

KBE * (1919–1925) Sir

William Meff Sir William Meff (1861–1935) was a Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen 1919 to 1925. Life He was born in Aberdeen on 9 May 1861 the son of William Meff, a fishmonger. By 1870 his father is described as a "fish and ...

* (1925–1929) Sir Andrew Jopp Williams Lewis

LLD Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation#Plural forms, abbrev ...

* (1929–1932)

James Reid Rust James Reid Rust (1872–1945) was a businessman who served as both Lord Provost of Aberdeen and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Aberdeen. Life He was born on 28 April 1872 the son of George Rust (1835-1891) and his wife Margaret Philip in 1881 ...

LLD * (1932–1935) Sir Henry Alexander * (1935–1936)

Edward William Watt Edward William Watt (1877–1955) was a journalist who served as Lord Provost of Aberdeen 1935/6. Life He was born at 134 Crown Street in Aberdeen (close to Aberdeen railway station) in 1877 the son of William Watt, editor of the Aberdeen Fr ...

, MA, LLD * (1936–1947) Sir Thomas Mitchell DL, LLD * (1947–1951) Duncan Fraser CBE, LLD, ( Labour) * (1951–1952) William Reid OBE * (1952–1955) Reverend Professor John Graham CBE, ( Labour) * (1955–1961) George Stephen CBE * (1961–1964) Reverend Professor John Graham CBE, ( Labour) * (1964–1967) Norman Hogg CBE, DL, LLD, ( Labour) * (1967–1970) Robert Lennox, ( Labour) * (1970–1971) James Lamond, ( Labour) * (1971–1975) John Farquharson Smith, ( Labour) * (1975–1977) Robert Lennox, ( Labour) * (1977–1980) William James Fraser LLD ( Labour) * (1980–1984) Alexander C Collie LLD, ( Labour) * (1984–1988) Henry Rae, ( Labour) * (1988–1992) Robert Robertson ( Labour) * (1992–1996) James Wyness CBE, MA, DLitt, ( Labour) * (1996–1999) Margaret Farquhar CBE, LLD, ( Labour) First female Lord Provost of Aberdeen * (1999–2003) Margaret Elizabeth Smith LLD, ( Labour) File:Sir James Taggart, KBE, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1914-1919) by Ambrose McEvoy - Ambrose McEvoy - ABDCC001005.jpg, alt=Man wearing a military uniform and great coat, Sir James Taggart, KBE, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1914-1919) by Ambrose McEvoy File:James Walker of Richmondhill, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1902-1905) - Sir George Reid - ABDCC001025.jpg, alt=Man with beard wearing formal attire and a red fur trimmed gown, James Walker of Richmondhill, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1902-1905) by Sir George Reid File:Sir William Meff, Lord Provost Of Aberdeen (1919 - 1925) - Sir William Orpen - ABDCC001020.jpg, alt=Man seated and wearing red fur trimmed robes and chain of office, Sir William Meff, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1919-1925)

21st century

* (2003–2007) John Michael Reynolds OStJ, ( Liberal Democrats) * (2007–2012) Peter James Stephen OStJ, DHC, ( Liberal Democrats) * (2012–2017) George Adam LLD, ( Labour) * (2017–2022) James 'Barney' Crockett FRSA,( Labour – Party membership suspended as of May 2017) * (2022-present) Dr David Cameron (

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...

) - First SNP Lord Provost of Aberdeen

References

Memorials of the Aldermen, Provosts and Lord Provosts of Aberdeen 1272–1895, Alexander M Munro, 1897 {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Provosts And Lord Provosts Of Aberdeen Politics of Aberdeen Aberdeen, Provosts and Lord Provosts of Government of Scotland * Provosts and Lord Provosts