List of provosts of Aberdeen

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen is the convener of the Aberdeen City Council in Scotland.

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 that exists in many other countries.

According to Munro, the provost of Aberdeen was elected on the first Monday after Michaelmas up to the end of the sixteenth century. 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 Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow have a Lord Provost. While this was confirmed in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and subsequently in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 the title Lord Provost of Aberdeen was formally established in 1863 when Queen Victoria 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 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.

13th century

• (1272–1273) Richard Cementarius
• (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

19th century

painting of Alexander Anderson, by Sir George Reid. dark image of him standing, with a blue chair to his left.

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

• Portraits of 19th century Provosts of Aberdeen in Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums Collections
• 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)
• Sir Charles Forbes (1817-1818) by Colvin Smith
  Sir Charles Forbes (1817-1818) by Colvin Smith
• 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
• Seated man wearing dark suit and holding some papers
  James Blaikie of Craigiebuckler, Provost of Aberdeen (1833-1835)
• Sir Alexander Anderson of Brelack, Provost of Aberdeen (1859-1865) by Sir George Reid
  Sir Alexander Anderson of Brelack, Provost of Aberdeen (1859-1865) by Sir George Reid
• 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
• Full length portrait of Man wearing dark suit and a three quarter length coat
  Lord Provost Peter Esslemont (1834-1894) by Sir George Reid

20th century

James Walker standing upright, one hand in pocket, wearing fur-trimmed red robe

James Walker, by Sir George Reid

• (1902–1905) James Walker of Richmondhill
• (1905–1908) Sir Alexander Lyon
• (1908–1911) Alexander Wilson
• (1911–1914) Adam Maitland
• (1914–1919) Sir James Taggart
• (1919–1925) Sir William Meff
• (1925–1929) Sir Andrew Jopp Williams Lewis
• (1929–1932) James Reid Rust
• (1932–1935) Sir Henry Alexander
• (1935–1936) Edward William Watt
• (1936–1947) Sir Thomas Mitchell
• (1947–1951) Duncan Fraser (Labour)
• (1951–1952) William Reid
• (1952–1955) Reverend Professor John Graham (Labour)
• (1955–1961) George Stephen (Labour)
• (1961–1964) Reverend Professor John Graham (Labour)
• (1964–1967) Norman Hogg (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 (Labour)
• (1980–1984) Alexander C Collie (Labour)
• (1984–1988) Henry Rae (Labour)
• (1988–1992) Robert Robertson (Labour)
• (1992–1996) James Wyness (Labour)
• (1996–1999) Margaret Farquhar (Labour) First female Lord Provost of Aberdeen
• (1999–2003) Margaret Elizabeth Smith (Labour)

• Images of 20th century Lord Provosts in Aberdeen Archives Gallery & Museums Collections
• Man wearing a military uniform and great coat
  Sir James Taggart, KBE, Lord Provost of Aberdeen (1914-1919) by Ambrose McEvoy
• 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
• 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 (Liberal Democrats)
• (2007–2012) Peter James Stephen (Liberal Democrats)
• (2012–2017) George Adam (Labour)
• (2017–2022) James 'Barney' Crockett (Labour)
• (2022–present) Dr David Cameron (Scottish National Party) - First SNP Lord Provost of Aberdeen

References

• Memorials of the Aldermen, Provosts and Lord Provosts of Aberdeen 1272–1895, Alexander M. Munro, 1897