Intendents, Superintendents
& Chief Constables (CC)
1807 – 1808 John Donaldson
1808 – 1814 James Frederick Denovan
1814 – 1819 Robert Craig
1819 – 1827 William Ross
1827 – 1828 James Stewart
1828 – 1832 Francis Garden Denovan
1849 – 1884 Supt. James Grant
1884 – 1906 Supt. & CC Alexander Main
1906 – 1920 John McLeod
Leith Burgh Police were created by the Leith Police Act of 1806. Between 1807 – 1849, the Chief Officer was known as an ‘Intendent’.
After 1849, they were known as Superintendents (Supt.) and later, Chief Constables (CC).
On 2 November 1920, Leith Burgh Police were amalgamated into Edinburgh City Police. The only man not to be transferred over was Chief Constable John McLeod. Mr McLeod was eventually awarded compensation for his loss of employment by Edinburgh Corporation.
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Leith Burgh Police
Leith Burgh Police
Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable Alexander Ross
The Early Years
Alexander was the youngest of eight children and born on 24 December 1860 at Balintore Farm, Fearn, near Tain in the County of Ross. His father was Hugh Ross, a Tailor, and his mother, Catherine.
Little is known of his early life but it is likely he was schooled locally near Tain and according to the Census’ of Scotland, 1891, 1901 and 1911, he was a Gaelic speaker.
Commissariat & Transport Corps 1879 - 1891
On 19 May 1879, at Edinburgh, Alexander Ross, (18), enlisted in the Commissariat & Transport Corps as Private No. 2040. He had enlisted for six years with the Regular Army and six with the 1st Class Army Reserve. His previous occupation was listed as 'Clerk'.
Medals & Decorations
Page 161 of the Medal Roll (WO100/60) of No. 15 Company of the Commissariat & Transport Corps records that Alexander was entitled to:
“The award of the war medal for the Egyptian Campaign 1882.”
His name is on also on page 170 of the Medal Roll of No. 15 Company of the Commissariat & Transport Corps as being entitled to the award of:
“The Bronze Star granted by His Highness the Khedive of Egypt (authorised by His Imperial Majesty the Sultan of Turkey in recognition of the Egyptian Campaign, 1882, and which Her Majesty the Queen has authorised them to accept and wear.”
Alexander Ross is wearing both medals in the pictures above. The Egyptian Medal is to the left and the Khedive’s Star to the right. Similar medals can be seen on the left.
Inverness-shire Constabulary
Shortly after transfer to the 1st Class Army Reserve, Alexander joined Inverness-shire Constabulary on 6 November 1884. He was recorded as being ‘23 years old, 5’ 10.5” tall, grey eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion, unmarried’ with ‘ 5 years’ service with the Commissariat & Transport Corps of the Army’. He served for a time on the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.
Alexander resigned from Inverness-shire Constabulary in May 1886 ‘to join Leith Burgh Police’.
Leith Burgh Police
Alexander Ross joined Leith Burgh Police in 1886 and served as a Constable in the burgh.
He was finally discharged from the Army Reserve on 18 May 1891. In the same year, he was a 30 year old PC stationed in Leith.
According to his obituary in 1919, he was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1899 and he was shown at that rank in the Census of Scotland 1901. I
Edinburgh Evening News 15 May 1906
Under the heading, "Leith Police Appointment”, the Edinburgh Evening News reported the following on page 3 of the edition on of 15 May 1906:
“Mr Alex. Ross, who has for the last six years been Inspector and Chief Clerk in Leith Police, has been appointed Superintendent, the office having been rendered vacant by the appointment of Mr John McLeod to the offices of Chief Constable and Burgh Prosecutor.
Mr Ross, who is a native of Fearn in Ross-shire, was five years in the 4thDragoon Guards and the Army Service Corps. He was in Ireland with his regiment from 1880 to 1882, during the period of the Land League disturbances, and was in Dublin at the time of the Phoenix Park Murders. In 1882, he went through the Egyptian Campaign.
On leaving the army he joined the Inverness County Police, but shortly afterwards, in July 1886, transferred his services to Leith Force.
He has accordingly been connected with the latter body for 20 years and has risen through the various grades. Last year he was on the short leet for the Chief Constableship of Ross-shire.”
Alexander was in charge of the Leith detachment on duty in Edinburgh for the Royal Visit of King George V and Queen Mary and was one of those awarded the King George V Coronation (Scottish Police) Medal 1911. Images of the medals can be seen on the left.
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Marriages & Family
Alexander was married twice, first to Helen Henderson Nicolson in June 1886, and they had seven children. Helen died in 1911. One of their children, William Sutherland Ross, later served in Edinburgh City Police as an Inspector.
In 1913, Alexander married Ada Anne Cox in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Ada outlived Alexander, dying in Edinburgh in 1947.
The End of the Story
Alexander Ross died in service in 1919.
His obituary in the Scotsman newspaper of 21 June 1919, page 8 is as follows:
“After a long illness, Mr Alex Ross, Deputy Chief Constable and Superintendent of Leith Police Force, died yesterday at his house, 17 Cambridge Gardens, Leith. Mr Ross, who was a native of Ross-shire was 58 years of age. For some years he was in the Lancers and saw service in Egypt.
On leaving the Army , he was for a short period in the Inverness-shire Constabulary. He joined the Leith Police in 1886, was promoted Inspector in 1899, Superintendent in May 1906 and Deputy Chief Constable two years later. By the members of the Police Force and by the general public, Mr Ross was held in high esteem.”
This article was made possible by the kindness of Alexander Ross’ Great nephew, David Macintyre in supplying much additional information.
Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable Alexander Ross
Member (Civil Division) of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
King Edward VII Police Medal (Scotland) 1903 (‘Visit to Scotland Medal’)
King George V Coronation (Scottish Police) Medal 1911
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935
The Early Years
William Robert Rae was born in Achusal, Rogart in the County of Sutherland on 27 June 1880. His father was Thomas Rae, a Shepherd. His mother was Sarah McLeod or Rae. His father registered his birth. His parents were married in Tongue, Sutherland on 19 July 1871.
Promotion to Rank & Pay of Lieutenant 1912
On 15 May 1912, William was appointed to the rank and pay of Lieutenant in Leith Burgh Police. The Scotsman newspaper of the same date carried the following under the heading:
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“LEITH POLICE PROMOTIONS
The new post of Lieutenant recently sanctioned by the Secretary for Scotland in the Leith Police Force is to be filled by Inspector Wm. Rae. Other promotions are:- Detective Constable John Mackay to Detective Officer and constable George Peebles to detective Constable.”
Register of Marriages in the Parish of Caputh in the County of Perth 1914
On 16 June 1914, at Meikleour in the Parish of Caputh. After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland, William Robert Rae, (34), Lieutenant of Police, of 38 Buchanan Street, Leith, married Catherine Fleming Hamilton, (26), a Ladies Maid, of Meikleour in the Parish of Caputh.
William’s parents were as listed above. Catherine’s were Duncan Hamilton, a Head Gamekeeper, and Clementina Cumming or Hamilton. The service was carried out by Alexander Ayton Grant, Minister of Clunie and the witnesses were Margaret Hamilton and James Doull.
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Promotion to Rank & Pay of Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable 1919
Superintendent and Deputy Chief Constable Alexander Ross died in April 1919 after a long illness. On 15 July 1919, William Rae was appointed Superintendent and Deputy Chief Constable of Leith Burgh Police.
Electoral Register of Voters for the Burgh of Leith 1919
The Register of Voters in the Burgh of Leith 1919 shows William R. Rae, a Police Lieutenant, and his wife, Catherine F. Rae, living at 35 Blackie road, Leith. (The couple were still living at that address in 1932 – 1933).
Amalgamation with Edinburgh City Police 2 November 1920
On 2 November 1920, William Robert Rae and every other Leith officer, with the sole exception of Chief Constable John McLeod, were transferred from Leith Burgh Police to Edinburgh City Police. William Rae was “Transferred with 20 years and 267 days Police service counting towards pension.”
After the amalgamation of the two forces, William Robert Rae was the Superintendent of E (Leith) Division Edinburgh City Police and continued as the Burgh Prosecutor.
William can be seen in the picture on the left along with Edinburgh Chief Constable Roderick Ross, at the head of the parade in Queen Charlotte Street, Leith, to mark the amalgamation.
The Scotsman 3 June 1930
An article in the Scotsman of 3 June 1930, under the Heading “WILLIAM ROBERT RAE”, states the following:
“Superintendent William Robert Rae, of the Edinburgh City Police, who receives the M.B.E., was Superintendent of the Leith Police before the amalgamation with the City of Edinburgh, is now Superintendent of Leith Division and has been for nearly 30 years in the Police Force. He is Public Prosecutor in Leith.”
The End of Leith Court
The Scotsman of the 16 May 1932 carried the following article:
“CLERKS RECORD THE END OF LEITH COURT
History Read at Last Sitting
DATING BACK 365 YEARS
The history of Leith Police Court was the subject of reference on Saturday, when the last sitting of the Court took place. Councillor John Hay was the presiding Magistrate and was accompanied on the Bench by Councillor T .T. McCrow.”
The following minute, which had been entered in the Court Book, was read by the Clerk of the Court:-
“The clerk, J. Kinghorn Miles S.S.C., mentioned that this was the last sitting of the Leith Police Court, and that from this date the administration of justice in the Port of Leith would cease. The Court was closed by virtue of Section 186 of the Edinburgh Corporation Order Confirmation act 1932.”
“Although as finally constituted, the Leith Police Court dates back only 100 years – to 1833, when Leith obtained its independence and became a Parliamentary Burgh – long prior to that date – from the year 1567 – the Corporation of Edinburgh was in use to appoint a Baron Bailiff and Judge Admiral of Leith to dispense justice in Leith, who had a Deputy.”
MARITIME QUESTIONS
“At first these officials were citizens of Edinburgh and resident in Edinburgh, but following complaints in 1753, residents in Leith were appointed the Bailiff’s Deputy while later three persons resident in Leith were appointed Magistrates. These Magistrates were prominent gentlemen of the Port, of position and standing, whose duties were somewhat onerous, as they not only had to deal with criminal cases, but also with some civil and maritime questions.”
“The book therefore which is closed today, is a very old volume dating back 365 years, and time alone will tell whether the volume will require to be reopened or whether it has been closed permanently.”
The minute was signed by Councillors Hay and McCrow, and also by Mr Miles and Mr William Rae, interim City Prosecutor.
Mr Miles, on behalf of the Court officials thanked the Magistrates of the City for their kindness and consideration.
Councillor Hay thanked the Court officials for the excellent manner in which they had carried out their duties and commented on the fairness of the police in the stating of the cases in Court. He also expressed the thanks of the Magistrates to the various Court workers for the splendid service they had rendered.”
The Scotsman 1 August 1936
William Robert Rae retired from Edinburgh City police on 1 August 1936. The Scotsman newspaper reported the following:
“POLICE SUPERINTENDENT’S RETIREMENT
Superintendent William Rae, who has had 36 ½ years police service, has retired from Edinburgh City Police. A native of Tongue, Sutherland, Mr Rae joined the Leith Police in February 1900.
A year’s street duty in uniform was followed by four years service as Office Clerk, and after that by five years on plain-clothes duty in connection with the CID. He had a further spell of office duty, and February 1910 was appointed Inspector and Chief Clerk.
In May 1912 Mr Rae was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and in July 1919 became Superintendent and Deputy Chief constable of Leith. For a number of years he acted as Burgh Prosecutor at the Leith Police court.
When the Edinburgh and Leith Police forces were amalgamated in 1920, Mr Rae was ranked as Superintendent of the Leith Division.
He holds the King Edward and King George Medals and the Silver Jubilee Medal. In June 1930, he received the M.B.E. at the hands of the late King George at Buckingham Palace.
Mr Rae was one of the two police representatives from Scotland holding the rank of Superintendent who attended the funeral of the late King.”
The End of the Story
Catherine Fleming Hamilton or Rae, (79), of 145 Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh, died in the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh on 26 May 1967. Her death was registered by George M. Shearer, Solicitor.
William Robert Rae, (91), Police Superintendent (Retired), Widower, died in Southfield Hospital, Edinburgh on 23 June 1972. His death was registered by his niece, Christina Reid.
Author’s Note:
If you know the location of William Robert Rae’s King Edward VII 1903 medal and his two George V medals, please get in touch with the website. Thank you.
Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable William Robert Rae MBE
There is no photograph of PC John Cameron. If you can supply one then please get in touch with the website.
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Below is a photograph of PC Thomas McConville, one of the six officers awarded for bravery in dealing with the "The Outrages of Edinburgh and Leith in 1881".
Leith Constabulary Gallantry Medal 1881
Introduction
John Cameron was born in 1844 in the Parish of Duthil & Rothiemurchus in Elginshire, now known as Morayshire. His father was a farmer in the rough hill land to the west of Carrbridge. He was the eldest child of five, two sons and three daughters.
He became a Police Constable in Leith Burgh Police after 1862. In 1881, he was one of six officers awarded the Leith Constabulary Medal for Gallantry, having been involved in “The Extraordinary Outrages in Edinburgh and Leith” during which two men discharged firearms wounding several citizens of Edinburgh in attempted Robbery on 4 February that year. They also shot and wounded three Leith Burgh Police officers in order to evade arrest. In the course of their arrest by officers including John Cameron, one of the suspects shot himself in the head and the other only just failed to do so because his gun jammed. An account of the incident taken from contemporary pages of The Scotsman and Leith newspapers is included below.
John retired on pension from Leith Police about 1900 and moved back to Duthil & Rothiemurchus to live with his two younger sisters and help work the farm at Torbreck.
He died in 1904 in Inverallan Hospital, Grantown-on-Spey, Morayshire.
What follows is a chronological record of John Cameron’s life, and those of his father, mother, sisters and brother, extracted from official public records and newspapers.
The Early Years
Register of Births in the Parish of Duthil & Rothiemurchus 1844
John Cameron was born on 27 September 1844 at Forrigen in the Parish of Duthil & Rothiemurchus in the County of Elgin (now Morayshire). He was baptised there on 31 October 1844. [i] Forrigen is a few miles north-west of Carrbridge, just north of Black Mount and a few miles east of Slochd to the north of the A9 Trunk road.
His father was Peter Cameron, a Crofter and his mother, Anne Grant. His parents had been married at Duthil & Rothiemurchus on 18 July 1844. [ii]
Register of Births in the Parish of Duthil & Rothiemurchus 1848
“Baptisms and Births, Cameron and Grant. Janet, daughter of Peter Cameron, Leinmhor of Foreigin (Lynmore of Forrigen) and of Anne Grant his wife was born on 1st and baptised on 29th December, 1848.”[iii]
‘Lynmore’ and ‘Forigen’ are the names used on the modern Ordnance Survey map. Both buildings can be seen in the attached maps from 1875 and 1902 below.
Janet, later known as ‘Jessie’, was the eldest younger sister of John Cameron.
Register of Births in the Parish of Duthil & Rothiemurchus 1853
“Baptisms and Births, Cameron and Grant. Donald, son of Peter Cameron, Farmer in Slock (Slochd)and of his wife Anne Grant was born 27 October and baptised 11th December 1853 by the Rev. William Grant, Duthil.” [iv]
This is the birth of John Cameron’s only younger brother.
Register of Births in the Parish of Duthil in the County of Elgin 1857
Bell Cameron was born on 1 June 1857 at Slock (Slochd). Her father was Peter Cameron, a Farmer and her mother, Ann Cameron, maiden surname, Grant. Her father registered her birth on 15 June that year.[v]
This is the birth of John Cameron’s second younger sister. Although her name was registered as ‘Bell’, she was later known as ‘Isabella’.
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Register of Births in the Parish of Duthil in the County of Elgin 1860
Ann Cameron was born on 2 October 1860 at Slock (Slochd). Her father was Peter Cameron, a Farmer and her mother, Ann Cameron, maiden surname, Grant. Her father registered her birth on 8 October that year. [vi]
This is the birth of John Cameron’s third younger sister.
‘The Outrages in Edinburgh and Leith 1881’
In February 1881, PC John Cameron was involved in “The Extraordinary Outrages in Edinburgh and Leith” during which two men discharged firearms and wounded several citizens of Edinburgh in the course of Robbery. They also shot and wounded two Leith Burgh Police officers. In the course of their arrest by officers including John Cameron, one of the suspects “blew his brains out” and the other only just failed to do so because his gun jammed.
The events caused quite a stir in Edinburgh and Leith and there was a clamour for public recognition of the six officer’s bravery by the Leith town Council. A fund was set up by the Provost (Mayor) of Leith and fund raising concerts arranged. The subsequent sum raised was sufficient to have six silver medals created and these were presented to the officers along with the sum of thirty guineas at a ceremony later in the year. The medals were individually named to each officer as shown below:
The obverse (front) of the medal has an inscription of the Arms of Leith and "John Henderson, Provost" The inscription on the reverse of John Cameron’s medal reads:
"Presented with Thirty Guineas Stg., by the Provost, Magistrates, Town Council, Public of Leith and others, To Police Conble. Jno Cameron, for an act of conspicuous bravery in arresting two armed men who had shot at and wounded several persons in Edinburgh and Leith on 4 Feb. 1881"
NB: (A full account of the incident taken from contemporary pages of The Scotsman and other newspapers is available on the page above this in the 'Galleries'.)
John Cameron’s place of birth is given as Grantown (on-Spey), Inverness-shire. Grantown is a few miles north east of the Parish of Duthil but is a reasonably large settlement.
Register of Marriages in the District of Duthil in the County of Inverness 1885
On 12 March 1885, at Aviemore, after Banns according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland, Donald Cameron, (31), a Head Gamekeeper of Flowerdale, Gairloch, Rosshire, married Christina McLean, (31), a Domestic servant of Avonlochan, Duthil. [iv]
The witnesses were William and John Grant, and the ceremony was performed by the Reverend Ewan Macleod, Minister.
Donald’s parents were Peter and Ann Cameron. Christina’s parents were Alexander McLean, a Day Labourer and Isabella Fraser or McLean.
Register of Marriages in the District of Duthil in the County of Inverness 1885
On 23 April 1885, at Slock (Slochd), Duthil, after Banns according to the Forms of the Free Church of Scotland, Murdo MacNeil, (24), a House Carpenter of Gairloch, married Annie Cameron, (23), of Slock, Duthil. [v]
The witnesses were William and John Grant, and the ceremony was performed by the Reverend Ewan Macleod, Minister. Interestingly, the same witnesses as her brother, the month before.
Annie’s parents were Peter and Ann Cameron. Murdo’s parents were George Mc Neil, a Sawmiller, (Deceased) and Margaret Jones or McNeil, (Deceased).
Register of Deaths in the District of Duthil in the County of Inverness 1887
Peter Cameron, (72), a Crofter, (Married to Ann Grant), died on 24 January 1887 at Slock (Slochd), Duthil. He was the son of John Cameron, a Crofter, (Deceased) and Mary Cumming or Cameron, (Deceased). His death was registered by his son Donald Cameron of Flowerdale, Gairloch, Rosshire.[vi]
Register of Marriages in the District of St Andrew in the Burgh of Edinburgh 1887
On 1 June 1887, at 4 Meadowbank Place, Edinburgh, Isabella Cameron, (27), a Domestic servant of 11 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh , married James Angus, (21), a Baker Journeyman of 18 Rose Street, Edinburgh. [vii]
James’ parents were Alexander Angus and Isabella Simpson or Angus.
Register of Deaths in the Southern District of Gairloch in the County of Ross 1895
Murdoch McNeil, (37), Joiner (Master), married to Ann Cameron, died on 26 April 1895 at Portnahale, South Gairloch. His parents were George McNeil, a Sawyer and Mary Jones or McNeil, both deceased. His brother, Roderick McNeil registered his death. [xii]
Leith Burgh Police 1897
The Edinburgh Evening News of Friday 12 November 1897 reported on a case of a hotelier allegedly selling alcohol illegally on a Sunday at number 13 The shore, Leith. PC John Cameron was one of the officers giving evidence for the prosecution.
Register of Deaths in the District of Duthil in the County of Inverness 1899
Ann Cameron, (84), widow of Peter Cameron, Crofter, died on 6 July 1899 at Slock (Slochd), Duthil.
Her parents were William Grant, a Crofter and Jessie Cumming or Grant, both deceased. Her son, John Cameron of 9 Bangor Road, Leith, registered her death. [xiii]
By the Census of 1901, John Cameron, a 'Retired Police Constable', was living with his sister Jessie Cameron at Torbreck in the Parish of Duthil.
Register of Deaths in the District of Inverallan in the County of Elgin 1904
John Cameron, (60), Farmer, Single of Slock (Slochd), Duthil, died on 20 October 1904 at Inverallan Hospital, Grantown-on-Spey, Elginshire. He was the son of Peter Cameron, a Crofter and Ann Grant or Cameron, both deceased.
His sister Jessie Cameron, of Slock, registered his death. [iii]
John Cameron, a ‘Retired Police Constable’, had never been married but had intimated that it was his wish that his sister be the Executrix of his estate.
On 30 December 1904, at Inverness Sheriff Court, “A. J. Mackenzie, Solicitor, Inverness” , who appeared on behalf of the ‘Deponent’, Jessie Cameron, presented an Inventory of the Personal estate of John Cameron to Thomas Mackintosh, JP, (Justice of the Peace) for Elginshire. [iv]
Jessie on being solemnly sworn and examined, Deponed that:
“The said John Cameron died at Grantown-on-Spey upon the Twentieth day of October, Nineteen hundred and four and had at the time of his death his ordinary or principal domicile in the County of Inverness in Scotland. That the Deponent is Executor nominate conform to last Will and Testament of the deceased dated Twenty eighth day of September One Thousand Nine Hundred and four which is now exhibited and signed by the Deponent and the said Thomas Mackintosh of this date as relative hereto: That the Deponent has entered or is desirous to enter upon the possession and management of the Deceased’s estate as Executrix aforesaid.”
Jessie and Thomas Mackintosh JP then confirmed that the personal and moveable Estate in the Inventory did not exceed the sum of four hundred pounds and signed the deposition stating that “All of which is truth, as the Deponent shall answer to God.”
The Deposition is certified as an Extract on three pages by Norman Russell, Sheriff Clerk Depute.
PC John Cameron
The last two Chief Constables of Leith Burgh Police
John McLeod (in uniform) and Alexander Main in 1906
Inspection of Leith Burgh Police
on Amalgamation Day 2 November 1920
PC Gilbert Thomson 4th from right.
This is a watch fob “Presented to PC Wm. Greig along with watch by the members of the Leith Police 26th July 1911.”
It was quite common for colleagues to have a collection and make a presentation on the occasion of retirement and pocket watches and fobs were extremely common presents.
The obverse of the fob features part of the Coat of Arms of the Burgh of Leith and has the ‘Stella Maris’ or Mary, Star of the Sea, the Madonna & Child on a ship. Leith being a seaport.
Memory Lane
