Act of Council Making it Illegal to Be in the Streets A

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

43668

Title

Act of Council making it illegal to be in the streets at night

Description

A printed sheet of paper with an Act of the Council of Edinburgh from 11th March 1737 which bans "idle persons from walking the streets after Ten o'Clock at Night". The first letter of the Act is set within an ornate border. The act has the name George Home at the bottom.

Date

1737

Type

Paper

Location

Museum of Edinburgh

Accession number

SH.2017.018

The Act makes it an offence to be out walking "on any Part of the high Streets, Wynds, Closes and venues" after 10pm when the Ten Hours Drum sounded the curfew. Such offence was punishable by
being held in the Guardhouse of the Town Guard.

It seems the Act was necessary as order had broken down "with Roberries, Thefts, Shop-breakings, insults, Outrages and other Disorders been committed by Idle Disorderly Persons who have been Used to walk in Gangs though the streets".

The Act was brought into force a year after the infamous Porteous Riot when the mob broke in to the Tolbooth and dragged out the unpopular John Porteous, Captain of the Town Guard to hang him in the Grassmarket. While none of the leaders of the riot were ever found, it was suspected that the riot had been begun by members of the nobility, or even town councillors. The city authorities were severely punished; the city was forced to pay compensation to Porteous' widow, the Provost spent time in the Tower of London, and the Town Guard was to be disbanded. This never happened, but instead new rules were introduced to improve the discipline in the Guard. This Act may also be an attempt of the Council to make it easier to punish people wandering the streets at night.

Exhibitions with this item

Other views of this item

Related images

Read how our collections have inspired people taking part in events, visits and community groups. Use the slider or navigation arrows to see more responses.