29-518: John Porteous may refer to: John Porteous (soldier) (c. 1695–1736), Scottish soldier murdered during the Porteous Riots John Alexander Porteous (1932–1995), Canadian author, columnist and broadcaster Johnny Porteous (1921–2007), Scottish footballer [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with
58-680: A Provost , only the four main cities ( Edinburgh , Glasgow , Aberdeen and Dundee ) have a Lord Provost . In Edinburgh this position dates from 1667, when Charles II elevated the Provost to the status of Lord Provost, with the same rank and precedence as the Lord Mayor of London . The title of Lord Provost is enshrined in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 . Prior to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
87-605: A degree of planning, thought to be the work of James Maxwell, an Edinburgh journeyman carpenter, together with a small group of city tradesmen and journeymen. Despite a reward of £200 offered by the government for information, those responsible for the murder of Porteous were never brought to justice. The events surrounding the Porteous Riots form part of the early chapters of the novel The Heart of Mid-Lothian by Sir Walter Scott (1818), where they are recorded in graphic detail. John Porteous had been an early exponent of
116-504: A game of golf on Leith Links against Alexander Elphinstone, the brother of Lord Balmerino . The wager attracted a small crowd, including the Duke of Hamilton and George Douglas . On 14 April 1736, three convicted smugglers, Andrew Wilson, William Hall and George Robertson, were arrested, tried and condemned to death. Hall's sentence was commuted to transportation for life, while Wilson and Robertson awaited their fate. A few days before
145-876: A meeting place for Edinburgh merchants and known as the Edinburgh Royal Exchange. The Lord Provost takes part in a number of ceremonies and traditions, including The Edinburgh Ceremony of the Keys , the Kirking of the Deacons, The Riding of the Marches and the Edinburgh Hogmanay . The Lord Provost also coordinates Armed Forces Day parades with both the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and The Royal Regiment of Scotland . Whilst
174-634: Is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edinburgh and honorarily the Admiral of the Firth of Forth . It is the equivalent in many ways to the institution of Mayor that exists in many other countries. While some of Scotland's local authorities elect
203-593: Is today marked by a memorial plate in the Grassmarket. The site of the Tolbooth is marked by paving stones arranged in the form of a heart, "The Heart of Midlothian". Tour guides will say that, even today, passers-by will spit on the spot, a tradition originally intended to demonstrate their contempt for the hated Tolbooth. Porteous was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard , Edinburgh, on 9 September, near
232-525: The Grassmarket , Edinburgh, on 14 April 1736. His body was cut down against the wishes of the mob, and the ensuing riot was such that the hangman had to be placed in protective custody. As the situation worsened, for fear of an attempt to rescue the victims, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh instructed Porteous to call out the entire guard and to furnish them with powder and shot. After the execution,
261-571: The Ministry of Transport after the Edinburgh corporation missed out on acquiring Scotland’s first number plate, S1 at the turn of the 20th century. A number of other licence plates are owned by the council for other official vehicles, including S10 and SS10. In 2012 it was proposed that the licence plates could be sold to help raise funds for the city, however this plan does not appear to have gone ahead. The High Constables of Edinburgh serve as
290-604: The Scots Brigade in the Dutch Republic , in 1716 he became drill master to the Edinburgh force in anticipation of a Jacobite rising, and two years later was appointed as ensign to the City Guard , and was promoted in 1726 to the rank of captain . Porteous seems to have been an overbearing official, despised by the mob and the underclasses of Edinburgh society. In 1724 he lost a wager of 20 guineas in playing
319-788: The 1973 Act changed the governance of the City, the Lord Provost retains a relationship with the Merchants Company and Incorporated Trades. The High Constables continue to serve as the Lord Provost's bodyguards. The Lord Provost is also by virtue of their office the Lord High Admiral of the Firth of Forth. The Lord Provost chairs meetings of Edinburgh City Council at the Edinburgh City Chambers , originally opened in 1760 by Lord Provost George Drummond as
SECTION 10
#1732772602139348-763: The City of Edinburgh was run by a single-tier body called the Edinburgh Corporation , of which the Lord Provost was chair. Akin to the Corporation of the City of London , the body included council representatives from the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh and the Merchant Company of Edinburgh . The corporations security was provided by the High Constables of Edinburgh , who also serve as the Provost's bodyguard. Although
377-653: The Grassmarket to the Cowgate and up the High Street, the mob converged on the Tolbooth, where they were eventually able to overpower the guards. Porteous was dragged from his cell and up the Lawnmarket towards the West Bow and the Grassmarket, where he was lynched from a dyer's pole, using a rope taken from a local draper's shop. After a short while, he was dragged down and stripped of his nightgown and shirt, which
406-584: The Lord Provost technically has no official residence, Lauriston Castle - a property bequeathed to the Edinburgh Corporation and now under the ownership of Edinburgh City Council - has been used to host the Lord Provost's annual Garden Party. It was suggested in 2013 that Lauriston Castle be renovated and turned into an official residence for the Lord Provost, however the cost at the time was deemed too prohibitive. Lord Provosts are entitled to two ceremonial Baillie's Lamps outside their home in
435-548: The Lord Provost's ceremonial bodyguard and form the Lord Provost's Platoon at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo . The Lord Provost also has a team of six bailies to support their work, appointed by Edinburgh City Council . Whenever the monarch is in residence in Edinburgh, the Lord Provost is called upon to undertake the Ceremony of the Keys (Edinburgh) . The Lord Provost has a reserved pew at Kirk of
464-408: The city (few chose this to be done). These are green and gold street lamps. These lamps remain in place for the duration of the Lord Provost's term in office. When they demit the office one was removed, while the other remains for the duration of the Lord Provost's life or occupancy of said building. The Lord Provost's official car bears the licence plate S0. This licence plate was issued specially by
493-485: The deaths of six people in all. Porteous was arrested the same afternoon and charged with murder . He was tried at the High Court of Justiciary on 5 July 1736, where a majority of witnesses testified that Porteous had personally fired into the crowd on 14 April, although sixteen others said they had not seen him do so. Feelings were running high in Edinburgh and the jury unanimously found Porteous guilty of murder. He
522-460: The execution George Robertson was enabled by Wilson to escape from his guards while attending a service in St Giles', shouting "Run Geordie, run" as he held two officers and clamped his teeth onto the collar of a third. With the help of sympathetic supporters George Robertson eventually made his way to the Dutch Republic . The remaining convict, Andrew Wilson, was taken to be publicly hanged in
551-457: The game of golf . It is recorded that in 1724, "A solemn match of golf: between the Hon. Alexander Elphinstone and John Porteous became the first match to be reported in a newspaper. Both players were said to have exhibited great skill, and such was the interest in the match that it was attended by James, Duke of Hamilton and George, Earl of Morton , as well as a large crowd of spectators. The wager
580-523: The mob became violent and began to stone the City Guard. Accounts of events are confused, but what is certain is that Porteous instructed his men to fire above the heads of the crowd, but in so doing, they wounded people in the windows of the high tenement buildings opposite. The crowd became increasingly violent and, as panic set in, Captain Porteous ordered the guard to shoot into the mob, which led to
609-602: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Porteous&oldid=1059403612 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages John Porteous (soldier) Captain John Porteous ( c. 1695 – 7 September 1736)
SECTION 20
#1732772602139638-491: The sense of alarm in London, where the government was concerned about the threat to its management of Scotland. It was thought by Walpole, Queen Caroline and the Duke of Newcastle that Porteous had been unnecessarily sacrificed and there were even rumours that the conspiracy had involved the local city magistrates. Various Opposition proposals to disband the city guard and debar the Lord Provost were put forward, and these were
667-473: The subject of much debate – the Scottish MPs and the government strongly opposed these proposals for constitutional reasons, and nothing was ever done. It was variously thought that Porteous' murder was carried out by friends of those who had been shot and killed, revenge by the smugglers, a Jacobite plot, or even a conspiracy by Presbyterian extremists. However, the organisation of events seems to imply
696-406: The westmost wall of the original graveyard. For more than two hundred years, the grave was marked by a small square stone with the single letter P and the date 1736. In 1973, this was replaced with a headstone of Craigleith stone, bearing the inscription "John Porteous, a captain of the City Guard of Edinburgh, murdered September 7, 1736. All Passion Spent, 1973". The events in Edinburgh heightened
725-614: Was a Scottish military officer who served in the Edinburgh City Guard and played a major role in the Porteous Riots , which resulted in his death. John Porteous was born at The Glen , Quair Water , near Traquair , in the Borders , the son of Stephen Porteous, a tailor of the Canongate , Edinburgh. Little is known of his early life, except that he soon found he was not suited to his father's calling. Having served in
754-421: Was petitioned and the execution was deferred. However, public resentment at a possible reprieve was such that a plot to murder Captain Porteous was hatched, and when the authorities heard of this, it was decided to increase the guard at the Tolbooth prison. However, on the evening before this was due to happen, a large crowd of over four thousand gathered at Portsburgh , west of the city. Making their way across
783-497: Was sentenced to death, the execution was set to take place in the Grassmarket on 8 September 1736. Porteous was imprisoned in the Tolbooth prison, near St Giles church. Events in Scotland alarmed government officials in London, and Sir Robert Walpole attempted to influence events by asking his representative in Edinburgh to become involved. But he had miscalculated, underestimating the depth of feeling in Scotland. A formal appeal
812-401: Was then wrapped around his head before he was hauled up again. However, the mob had not tied his hands and, as he struggled free, they broke his arm and shoulder, while another attempted to set light to his naked foot. He was taken down a further time and cruelly beaten before being hung up again. He died a short while later, just before midnight on 7 September 1736. The spot where Porteous died
841-830: Was twenty guineas, with Elphinstone winning the match. Lord Provost of Edinburgh Charles III William , Duke of Rothesay Swinney government The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP Kate Forbes MSP Sixth session Alison Johnstone MSP Angela Constance MSP Dorothy Bain KC The Rt Hon Lord Carloway KC PC United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections Local elections Referendums Starmer ministry The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh
#138861