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Ayr Guildry Dinner, Ayr, November 2016
The Lord - Lieutenant and Mrs Duncan were Guests of Honour at the recent Annual Dinner of Ayr Guildry.
Ayr Guildry dates back to 1325, when the Merchants and Craft Guilds of Ayr sought to regulate and promote trade within the Royal Burgh. The members were the Burgesses of Ayr all of whom had paid their freedom fine and were entitled to the rights and privileges of freemen of the Royal Burgh.
Until 1975 the Dean (in common with other Deans of Guild in Scotland in their respective Royal Burghs) sat on Ayr Town Council (the only member who had not been elected by universal suffrage) and was recognised as the second citizen of the town. The Guild Court regulated building standards within the Burgh and the Dean was responsible for issuing minor warrants and completion certificates. Local Government changed in 1975 with the abolition of the Town Council of the Royal Burgh and with it the privileges of the Dean. The Guildry continued however to have close links with the local authority and for a number of years the Clerk of the Guildry was the Chief Executive of the District Council and the Treasurer, the District Council’s Director of Finance. Since then the structure of the local authority has changed again but the close links continue with South Ayrshire Council and with the wider civic community. For further information on the Guildry in Ayr and other Guildries throughout Scotland please visit http://www.
( l to r ) Cllr. Helen Moonie, Provost of South Ayrshire, Michael Hitchon MBE, Dean of Guild Ayr, Lord - Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran, John Duncan QPM
(l to r). Deputy Lieutenant and Clerk to the Lieutenancy, Nigel Martin MBE, Mrs Jess Duncan, Mrs Sandie Martin, Lord - Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran, John Duncan QPM.
( l to r) John Walker, Former Dean of Guild, Ayr Lord - Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran John Duncan QPM, Mrs Jess Duncan, Mrs Rosie Walker