Attached is a transcription with a “reasonably” close formatting of a petition which appeared in The Scotsman newspaper, on the front page, October 12, 1867.

The purpose of the petition was to establish boundaries and to set in place a town called Innerleithen as defined in the “The General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act” of 1862. This act also known as “The Lindsay Act” gave a mechanism for “populous places” to be legally established as somewhat police burgh and therefore enable more suitable local infrastructure and self-government, et

The list of those signing is wealth of information and includes many well known established families of the town and general area.

I include both a “Word” file and a PDF to ensure that you see how the original document appeared.

(COPY)

Unto the Honourable the Sheriff of the County of Peebles,
the Petitioners of the Undersigned

OUSEHOLDERS IN INNERLEITHEN

             Humbly Showeth. –

                                                    That the    VILLAGE    OF    INNER-LEITHEN, in the County of Peebles, in which the Petitioners are Householders, is a “populous place” within the meaning of “The General Police and Improvement (Scotland) Act, 1862.”

   That the Petitioners are desirous to have the Boundaries of said populous place, for the purposes of said Act, fixed by your Lordship: and they therefore make the present application in terms of said Act:

   May it therefore please you Lordship to direct publication, by advertisement and otherwise thereafter proceed herein as to your Lordship may see proper, and in terms of said Act, and particularly part 1, sec. 2, clause 7.

                                   According to Justice, kc.

Signed –

ROBERT BROWN, Innerleithen.
JAMES W. DOBSON, Manufacturer, do.
THOMAS YOUNG, Accountant, do.
JOHN D. COX, Surgeon, do.
THOMAS LAIDLAW, Joiner, ms, do.
THOMAS DOBSON, Manufacturer, do.
ROB PROCTOR, Baker, sc., do.
JAMES HALL, Contractor, do.
JAMES FRASER, M.D., do.
AND. RIDDELL, Innkeeper, do.
JOHN STEWART, Contractor.
Wm. VALLANCE, Merchant, Innerleithen.
GEORGE RICHARDSON, Joiner.
THOMAS STEPHENSON, Painter.
JOHN WILKIE, Foreman.
WILLIAM RUICKBIE, Watchmaker.
D. McPHERSON, Hotelkeeper, Innerleithen.
ROBERT SMAIL, Bookseller, do.
ROBERT KIRKLAND, Warehouseman, do.
RICHARD PEARCE, St. Ronan’s Well.
JOHN DOBSON, jun., Manufacturer.
JOHN DOBSON, Manufacturer.
DOBSON & ARCHIBALD, Clothier.
ROBERT GARDNER, Innerleithen.
JOHN THORBURN, Willowbank.
JOHN TAIT, Baker.
ROBERT DALGLEISH, Baker.
JOHN BEATTIE, Merchant.
ROBERT SCOTT CONOCHER, Dyer.
JOHN TODD, Nether Pirn.
ALEXANDER LENNIE, Merchant.
ADAM DOBSON.
THOMAS ARMSTRONG, Flesher.
CHARLES EUMAN, Merchant.
C & H EUMAN, Merchants.
ROBERT OLIVER, Stationer.
JAMES HARVEY, Shoemaker.
JOHN GIRWOOD, Coal Merchant.
J & W FREER, Drapers.
JAMES TEMPLE, Merchant.
JAMES LYLE, Schoolmaster.
CHARLES NICOL, Builder.
JAMES W. CAMPBELL, Painter.
M. MILLAR, Merchant.
ROBERT EUMAN, Sen.
STEVENSON MACADAM, Ph.D.
ALEX. WILLIAMSON, Minister of the Parish.

     8^th October 1867.- The Sheriff appoints the foregoing Petition and this Deliverance thereon to be published by Advertisement on Two consecutive Saturdays in the Scotsman and Peeblesshire Advertiser Newspapers, and also by affixing a Copy of the said Petition and Deliverance for Two consecutive Sundays on the Door of the Parish Church of Innerleithen.

                                                                           (Signed)      G. NAPIER.

        The foregoing PETITION to the SHERIFF of the COUNTY of PEEBLES is hereby published in terms of the deliverances thereon.

                                                                 J. D. BATHGATE, Peta. Prov.

Peebles, October 12, 1867.