Rutherglen (Parliament of Scotland constituency) facts for kids
Rutherglen is a town in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Long ago, it was a special kind of town called a royal burgh. This meant it had special rights given by the king or queen. Rutherglen also sent one person, called a commissioner, to the old Scottish government, known as the Parliament of Scotland. Commissioners were like representatives who spoke for their town. Rutherglen also sent a commissioner to the Convention of Estates, which was another important meeting for making decisions.
After the Acts of Union 1707, Scotland and England joined together to form Great Britain. This changed how towns were represented. Rutherglen, along with Dumbarton, Glasgow, and Renfrew, formed a group called the Glasgow district of burghs. These towns worked together to send one representative to the new British Parliament, called the House of Commons of Great Britain.
Rutherglen's Representatives in Parliament
Before 1707, Rutherglen had its own representatives, called commissioners, in the Scottish Parliament. These people were chosen to speak for the town and its people. Here are some of the commissioners who represented Rutherglen:
Commissioners for Rutherglen
- 1661, 1665, 1672–74, 1678: David Spens
- 1667: Andrew Pinkerton, who was a bailie (a local official)
- 1669–70: James Riddell (he was dismissed in 1671)
- 1689–1702: John Scott, who was a maltman (someone who made malt for brewing)
- 1702–07: George Spens, who was the provost (the head of the town council)
See also
- List of constituencies in the Parliament of Scotland at the time of the Union
