Day 58
The Honourable Society of the High Constables of the Port of Leith
Post submitted by the first lady High Constable of the Port of Leith, Maggie Allan. All images and much of the information included was written by a former Moderator, Andrew Dick Wood and it was published by MacDonald Dick Printers Edinburgh.
According to the history of the Society written by a former Moderator, Andrew Wood, the first mention of Constables in Leith can be found in records of South Leith Parish Church dated June 1761. It is clear from these records, that Constables had functioned in South Leith for many years prior to that date but they did so as individuals and not as a body. Instructions to the Constables dated 1725, state that they were responsible for the apprehension of beggars and vagabonds, persons guilty of a crime or disturbance, informing on houses of ill repute, bringing order to mobs and overseeing weights and measures. In 1762, a meeting of 7 Constables was held when the first Moderator was elected along with a Treasurer and Clerk and very shortly thereafter regulations were drawn up for the governance of a Society.
As Leith expanded more Constables were required, but with the Leith Municipal & Police Act of 1848, their role changed and became social, charitable and ceremonial and remains so today.
In 1920 under the Edinburgh Extension Act, a major decision had to be taken as regards the future of the Society. An acceptable solution was found when it was agreed that the High Constabulary of Leith should act as the bodyguard to the Chairman of the Leith Dock Commission. In this role they continued to parade when royalty came to Leith, notably the Queen in 1956 on the Royal Yacht Britannia and King Olav of Norway in 1962. In 1970 the Dock Commission was absorbed into Forth Ports Authority, but the Society has remained active and continue to parade on special occasions, notably at the commemoration of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster (often referred to as Gretna Green) in 2015 in the presence of the Princess Royal, at the annual Remembrance Service at the Merchant Seamen's Memorial and the Edinburgh Festival Service at St Giles.
In 2017 the Society admitted its first lady member. As of 2019, there were 47 members of the Constabulary including 3 ladies and 17 Honorary Constables. The current Moderator is Andrew Lindsay.
Some of our current High Constables at the Edinburgh City Chambers - on duty at the Festival Service at St Giles in August 2019.
From left to right they are:
Constable and Chaplain of the Society, George Gilbert,
the current Moderator, Andrew Lindsay,
Constable Margaret Allan,
Constable Peter Lyell (now Assistant Secretary) and
Constable George Brown.