Burgess Ticket of James Paterson Gibson

Burgess Ticket of James Paterson Gibson, a tobacconist.  Presented to him on 4th December 1868.   Only a burgess could run a business or carry out trade in the town.  People paid a fee in order to become a burgess and also agreed to defend the town when it was attacked.  Other people such as servants, labourers and the poor were regarded as "unfree men" and did not have the same rights.  Dumfries Town Council records are full of prosecutions against "unfree men" trading illegally.  By the 19th century, however, the title of Burgess had become honorary, with the same sort of status as "freemen of the city".  Burgess Tickets were presented to local dignitaries in ornamental silver caskets.
Object no :
DMDO001n
Collection :
The Royal Burgh of Dumfries
Creator :
NA
Place of Production :
NA
Dimensions :
NA
Materials :
paper
Location :
NA
Related site :
Mark Farm, Castle Kennedy
2 Fmedia2 F202752 F1333

More objects in this Collection

2 Fmedia2 F11206172 F1935 44 1954 118 1954 119 charters
Charters and Seals
Charters were usally grants of authorities and rights. From the 8th Centruy onwads they were commonl
2 Fmedia2 F203902 F7900
Whitesands with horse and cattle market
This scene was a familiar one on the Whitesands over a very long period. As far back as the eighteen
2 Fmedia2 F203872 F7899
Feeing Fair in High Street, Dumfries
Farm Servants in Scotland were engaged for a term of six months and when the six months were up eith
2 Fmedia2 F203842 F7898
Rood Fair, Dumfries, 1920
The Rood Fair on the Whitesands, Dumfries.
2 Fmedia2 F203812 F7897
The Rood Fair, Dumfrries
By this time the Rood fair was more or less confined to the White sands and trading stalls had been
2 Fmedia2 F203732 F7880
Burgess casket of the Right Honourable John Gulland MP (1865-1920)
John Gulland was born in Edinburgh, the son of a corn merchant and banker. He was adopted as Liberal
2 Fmedia2 F203702 F7874
Whitesands from Buccleuch Street Bridge
The Whitesands from Buccleuch Street Bridge, a pencil drawing by Joseph Watson, 1852.  Buccleuch Str
2 Fmedia2 F203672 F7878
Troqueer Holm
Lithograph print depicting the River Nith and surrounding parkland.   Detail: 'DRAWN ON STONE BY FRA
2 Fmedia2 F203642 F7875
The Rainbow Stairs, Dumfries
The Burgh Tolbooth was originally built in the 15th century, and substantially rebuilt in 1718 as a
2 Fmedia2 F203612 F6996
Riding boots
Riding boots which belonged to John Swan who was Ensign in the 1939 Riding of the Marches.  He was a
You must enable javascript to view this website