Association of Road Surveyors of Scotland

Association of Road Surveyors of Scotland

The Roads and Bridges Act (Scotland) 1878 enhanced the profession of Road Surveyor by organising a list of statutory highways and processes of County administration. It began the move towards County-based responsibility for the roads network and bridges, assisted by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 which established County Councils. Following the 1878 Act, in 1884, around forty Scottish road surveyors decided to form an association with the object of ‘the encouragement and advancement of all matters connected with road management, and to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas amongst its members; to fix places of meeting, and transact such other business as may be necessary’. The first meeting of the new Association of Road Surveyors of Scotland was held in Edinburgh on July 23rd 1884 with David Patrick of Dalry appointed the first President. Initially there were 54 members. The association met annually and voted in a new President each year. There were two vice-Presidents, an Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, and Hon. Auditors. Meetings involved the reading of papers and discussion. There would also be trips to see bridges, roadworks, quarrying and new equipment in operation. In 1888 (Sir) William Arrol showed the association the Forth Bridge under construction. In 1919 the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer Allan Stevenson retired after thirty five years in the role. His position was taken by Major William Chapman of Airdrie. In 1924 the Association decided to change their name to the Highway Engineers’ Association of Scotland. This reflected the engineering role many undertook. In 1931 some members of the Association decided to form the Scottish County Surveyors Society. Prior to the Local Government (Scotland) Act of 1929 most surveyors had remained as District Road Surveyors with the County role only taken on by some authorities, notably Midlothian. The Act brought in the widespread use of the County role. In 1937 the Scottish County Surveyors Society merged with the English and Welsh County Surveyors Society which had been founded in 1885. In 1936 the Highway Engineers’ Association of Scotland decided to merge with the Institution of Municipal & County Engineers. Part of the agreement required the Institution to include the phrase ‘Incorporating the Highway Engineer’s Association of Scotland’ for three years thereafter. In 1984 the Institution itself merged with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE). The following list of Presidents is taken from George S Barry's 'The Highway Engineer's Association of Scotland 1884-1936'.

List of Presidents of Road Surveyors’ Association of Scotland 1884 – David Patrick, Dalry 1885 – Mr Clarke, Uddingston 1886 – William Mitchell, Dundee 1887 – William Rankin, Thornhill 1888 – John McLachlan, Dunfermline 1889 – David Laidlaw, Linlithgow 1890 – Alexander Hogg, Alford 1891 – Thomas Johnston, Hurlet 1892 – A.B Smith, Annan 1893 – William Ballantine, Falkirk 1894 – Archibald Wilson, Alexandria 1895 – Andrew Rankin, Airdrie 1896 – P.D. Alexander, Airdrie 1897 – R.M. Reid, St Ninians 1898 – R.S. Anderson, Peebles 1899 – Thomas Aitken, Cupar 1900 – W. Bell, Aberfeldy 1901 – Thomas Goodwillie, St Andrews 1902 – C.R. Manners, Inverness 1903 – Thomas Callen, Haddington 1904 – James B Roberton, Dundee 1905 – Roderick McDonald, Dalry 1906 – John Robb, Edinburgh 1907 – James Rennie, Shettleston 1908 – Robert Drummond, Paisley 1909 – Allan V. Hart, Dumfries 1910 – James Laing, Kilmarnock 1911 – Donald Ross, Kirriemuir 1912 – John Scott, Perth 1913 – James Watson, Strathaven 1915 – Peter Clarke, Dunbar 1919 – Colonel Forbes, Dunfermline 1920 – Allan Stevenson, Ayr 1921 – Major W.L. Gibson, Dunblane 1922 – George Donaldson, Kirkcaldy 1923 – George Wylie, Blairgowrie

Presidents of Highway Engineer’s Association of Scotland 1924 – John Kirkland, Kirknewton 1925 – Roderick McDonald, Kilwinning 1926 – George Calvert, Haddington 1927 – Major Malcolm Heddie, Dunoon 1928 – M.B. McBeth 1929 – Hugh MacDiarmid, Dunfermline 1930 - William Hendry, Bridge of Weir 1931 – George S Barry, Ayr 1932 – John Schoolar, Stirling 1933 – William Kirkland, Crieff 1934 – T.A. Gourlay, Duns 1935 – William MacDonald, Oban