Scotland in the twelfth century was divided into
twenty-three sheriffdoms, of which Peebles and Selkirk were two. The
sheriff; who was generally some high nobleman, was responsible to the King
for law and order in his district. The sheriff frequently delegated the
active part of his duties to a deputy, and the honorary office as a rule
became hereditary. For many years the Murrays of Philiphaugh were
hereditary sheriffs of Selkirkshire. When, therefore, in 1747 hereditary
jurisdictions were abolished, compensation was paid to the persons holding
these rights. Murray of Philiphaugh received £4000; and Lord William, Earl
of March, as hereditary sheriff of Tweeddale, £3418 4s. 5d. At the
same time the office of sheriff was vested in the Crown, which was
empowered to appoint a sheriff-depute (the sheriff principal), who in turn
appointed a sheriff—substitute (the resident county magistrate). The
appointment of sheriff-substitute has since been entrusted to the Crown.
The depute for Peebleshire is also sheriff of the Lothians; and the depute
for Selkirkshire combines in his sheriffdom the neighbouring counties of
Roxburgh and Berwick.
Previous to 1889 county affairs were managed by the
Commissioners of Supply, the Road Trustees, the Local Authority, the
Justices of the Peace, the Police Committee. The Local Government Act of
that year transferred the powers and duties of these authorities in whole
or part to the County Councils. The Commissioners of Supply, appointed
originally in 1667, received their name from the fact that they levied and
collected the "cess" or land tax as supply to the Sovereign. Prior to 1889
they had also to appoint the county officials and to maintain a force of
police. The Commissioners, who generally speaking comprised the landowners
of the district, still meet once a year; but all the business they
transact is to elect a convener, and to concur with the County Council in
appointing the Standing Joint Committee for Police.
The Lord-Lieutenant is the military representative of
the Crown, and it is his duty to select persons for the Commission of the
Peace. In this latter duty he is now assisted by a Local Committee.
Peeblesshire contains the following parishes:
Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho, Innerleithen, Drummelzier, Eddleston,
Kirkurd, Lyne, Manor, Newlands, Peebles, Skirling, Stobo, Traquair,
Tweedsmuir, West Linton. The Selkirkshire parishes are: Ashkirk,
Caddonfoot, Ettrick, Galashiels, Selkirk, Kirkhope, Yarrow and part of
Melrose.
Since 1894 Parish Councils have existed for various
local purposes. They administer the poor law, levy poor and school rates,
take charge of the registration of births, marriages and deaths, and so
on. Primary education is managed by School Boards. With the extension of
secondary education it was found that the burgh of the Parish was too
restricted an area for its administration. County Committees, otherwise
known as Secondary Education Committees, were therefore instituted, to
co-operate with School Boards in the matter of secondary education; and
they also share the management of the training of teachers.
Peebles and Selkirk are ancient royal burghs, managing
their own affairs, under royal charter, by provost, bailies and
councillors. Galashiels was erected a burgh of barony in 1599, and became
a parliamentary burgh in 1868. In 1869 Innerleithen was made a police
burgh. The burgh of Peebles was represented in the Scottish Parliament as
early as the reign of David II; the burgh of Selkirk was first represented
in 1469. Neither county seems to have had a member till the seventeenth
century. Various fluctuations, both in burgh and in county representation,
took place in the seventeenth century and the eighteenth. In 1831 the
proposal to unite the counties of Peebles and
Selkirk as one constituency was so strenuously resisted by the Selkirkshire
Commissioners of Supply that the proposal was dropped. By the Reform Act
of 1832 Peebles and Selkirk were merged with their respective counties. In
1868, however, Selkirk, Hawick and Galashiels were formed into the Hawick
Burghs, and known as the "Border Burghs," have since then returned one
member, while the counties of Peebles and Selkirk were united in one
constituency, returning one member.
