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PREFACE
The History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff was undertaken by Mr Alexander Allardyce, and at the time of his decease he had carried the work, at least in outline, as far as the early years of the Reformation period. When the task, auspiciously begun by him, devolved upon another, it seemed desirable, on various grounds, that the writer should make himself responsive for the whole book. The proportions to be allotted to the different parts were accordingly determined afresh, and the treatment proceeded from the beginning in conformity with the writer's estimate of the significance of events and his interpretation of the manifold data with which he had to deal. But portions of the materials left by Mr Allardyce have been used, and frequently also there is an incidental indebtedness to him in the early Chapters.
Throughout this brief retrospect of the two shires, the aim has been to give as clear a presentation as possible of the essential facts and the sequence of events in the course of their progress, bringing into prominence whatever has been distinctive in their life and action and showing wherein they have differed from other counties and from the country as a whole, and what have been their special contributions to the national history.
The broad general principle has been steadily kept in view, that no statement or tradition should be accepted as historical for which there is not clear and definite evidence. There is the less temptation to give heed to legendary or mythical elements that here the authentic records are so exceptionally abundant and complete. By the great work carried out in connection with the first Spalding Club, supplemented in recent years by that of its successor, a large body of the true materials and data of the history of northeastern Scotland has been collected, arranged, annotated, and indexed, to the great advantage of every one entering on this field of historical research. Less socrial to the north-east, but invaluable in relation to all such inquiries, are the many volumes now published in which the contents of the national archives are analysed and rendered more conveniently accessible, as also the calendars and abstracts issued by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, of papers in the hands of private persons and corporate authorities, to all which has to be added the extensive results of private enterprise, through book-clubs and otherwise, in publishing the documents of the provincial as well as the national history of Scotland. While the writer's main indebtedness has necessarily been to these various sources of documentary evidence, he has to acknowledge the generous assistance he has invariably received from possessors of local information, or custodians of records, to whom he has had occasion to apply with regard to particular points.
Acknowledgment has also to be made of important assistance in the compilation of the bibliography. It is almost exclusively confined to publications having a direct bearing on matters coming within the scope of this history. A full bibliography of the two shires, including works by Aberdeenshire and Banffshire authors, is announced by the New Spalding Club, and is expected to form a large volume.
17 Queen's Road, Aberdeen,
February 1900.
You can get to this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...deen/index.htm
Alastair
The History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff was undertaken by Mr Alexander Allardyce, and at the time of his decease he had carried the work, at least in outline, as far as the early years of the Reformation period. When the task, auspiciously begun by him, devolved upon another, it seemed desirable, on various grounds, that the writer should make himself responsive for the whole book. The proportions to be allotted to the different parts were accordingly determined afresh, and the treatment proceeded from the beginning in conformity with the writer's estimate of the significance of events and his interpretation of the manifold data with which he had to deal. But portions of the materials left by Mr Allardyce have been used, and frequently also there is an incidental indebtedness to him in the early Chapters.
Throughout this brief retrospect of the two shires, the aim has been to give as clear a presentation as possible of the essential facts and the sequence of events in the course of their progress, bringing into prominence whatever has been distinctive in their life and action and showing wherein they have differed from other counties and from the country as a whole, and what have been their special contributions to the national history.
The broad general principle has been steadily kept in view, that no statement or tradition should be accepted as historical for which there is not clear and definite evidence. There is the less temptation to give heed to legendary or mythical elements that here the authentic records are so exceptionally abundant and complete. By the great work carried out in connection with the first Spalding Club, supplemented in recent years by that of its successor, a large body of the true materials and data of the history of northeastern Scotland has been collected, arranged, annotated, and indexed, to the great advantage of every one entering on this field of historical research. Less socrial to the north-east, but invaluable in relation to all such inquiries, are the many volumes now published in which the contents of the national archives are analysed and rendered more conveniently accessible, as also the calendars and abstracts issued by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, of papers in the hands of private persons and corporate authorities, to all which has to be added the extensive results of private enterprise, through book-clubs and otherwise, in publishing the documents of the provincial as well as the national history of Scotland. While the writer's main indebtedness has necessarily been to these various sources of documentary evidence, he has to acknowledge the generous assistance he has invariably received from possessors of local information, or custodians of records, to whom he has had occasion to apply with regard to particular points.
Acknowledgment has also to be made of important assistance in the compilation of the bibliography. It is almost exclusively confined to publications having a direct bearing on matters coming within the scope of this history. A full bibliography of the two shires, including works by Aberdeenshire and Banffshire authors, is announced by the New Spalding Club, and is expected to form a large volume.
17 Queen's Road, Aberdeen,
February 1900.
You can get to this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...deen/index.htm
Alastair