Congested Districts Board (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
The Congested Districts Board (Scotland) was set up by the Congested Districts (Scotland) Act, 1897 for the purpose of administering the sums made available by the government for the improvement of congested districts in the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland
.
Formally titled the Congested Districts (Scotland) Commissioners, the Board consisted of the Secretary for Scotland, the Under-Secretary for Scotland, the Chairman of the Local Government Board for Scotland
, the Chairman of the Fishery Board for Scotland, the Chairman of the Crofters' Commission, and up to three other people nominated by the Secretary for Scotland
The main aims of the Board were to aid and develop agriculture
(for instance, by distributing seed potato
es and seed oat
s, and supplying stud animals
); the fishing industry
(for instance, by improving lighthouse
s, pier
s and harbours); and home industries such as spinning
and weaving
. It was also intended to improve roads and bridges, and aid the migration of crofters to other parts of Scotland.
An example of their work was the construction of a small jetty and slip on Hirta
, St Kilda between 1899 and 1901. Though this project had been discussed by the Board of Trade, the Admiralty and the owner (Macleod of Macleod) for many years, it was only really the petition of the community and their minister and the creation of the CDB that prompted action. The project was undertaken by Scottish Office engineers with St Kildan labour, but fully funded and administered by the CDB.
The Board was abolished by section 28 of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act 1911, and its powers and duties transferred to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland established by section 4 of that Act. Most of the 1897 Act however remains in force, with the functions now in the hands of the Scottish Ministers.
Highlands and Islands
The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are broadly the Scottish Highlands plus Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides.The Highlands and Islands are sometimes defined as the area to which the Crofters' Act of 1886 applied...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Formally titled the Congested Districts (Scotland) Commissioners, the Board consisted of the Secretary for Scotland, the Under-Secretary for Scotland, the Chairman of the Local Government Board for Scotland
Local Government Board for Scotland
The Local Government Board for Scotland was the body charged with overseeing local government, public health and poor law in Scotland from 1894 to 1919.-Establishment:...
, the Chairman of the Fishery Board for Scotland, the Chairman of the Crofters' Commission, and up to three other people nominated by the Secretary for Scotland
The main aims of the Board were to aid and develop agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
(for instance, by distributing seed potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and seed oat
Oat
The common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name . While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed...
s, and supplying stud animals
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
); the fishing industry
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
(for instance, by improving lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s, pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
s and harbours); and home industries such as spinning
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
and weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
. It was also intended to improve roads and bridges, and aid the migration of crofters to other parts of Scotland.
An example of their work was the construction of a small jetty and slip on Hirta
Hirta
Hirta is the largest island in the St Kilda archipelago, on the western edge of Scotland. The name "Hiort" and "Hirta" have also been applied to the entire archipelago.-Geography:...
, St Kilda between 1899 and 1901. Though this project had been discussed by the Board of Trade, the Admiralty and the owner (Macleod of Macleod) for many years, it was only really the petition of the community and their minister and the creation of the CDB that prompted action. The project was undertaken by Scottish Office engineers with St Kildan labour, but fully funded and administered by the CDB.
The Board was abolished by section 28 of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act 1911, and its powers and duties transferred to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland established by section 4 of that Act. Most of the 1897 Act however remains in force, with the functions now in the hands of the Scottish Ministers.
See also
Congested Districts Board for IrelandCongested Districts Board for Ireland
The Congested Districts Board for Ireland was established by the Chief Secretary, Arthur Balfour in 1891 to alleviate poverty and "congested" living conditions in the west of Ireland....