TRADES WIDOWS FUND
The Fund was established in 1771 to alleviate hardship experienced by the widows of members. The initial funding was a contribution from the Master of Trades Hospital of £100 annually. With members contributing a sum calculated by age when joining and if married.
Each of the Seven Trades elects two of their number to serve as Managers of the Fund. From these 14 Managers, a Factor is elected who is responsible for the day to day business and to call meetings of the Managers to decide on matters relating to the management of the Fund as deemed necessary.
In 1877, the Fund purchased for the sum of £12,00, Oldfold Farm, Milltimber, Aberdeen, which was to be feud to generate income for the fund. Various tenants worked the farm over the years, and in 2000 the Fund took back the farm from the then tenant who had sub let the Farm to Aberdeen Riding Club. The Managers decided to re-furnish the Farm House and the Farm with a view to leasing the House with the Farm lease offered to the Riding Club.
The decision by the Managers to invest in the re-furbishment has proved to be a great success financially, generating an income far in excess of the previous arrangement allowing the Managers to increase substantially the support given to the widows.
Trade Widows Fund Factors
James Thomson – 1875 – 1884
Alex Nicolson – Bakers – 1884 – 1888
Peter Beveridge – Weavers – 1888 – 1912
Thomas Mitchell – Bakers – 1912 – 1928
George Gorrod – Wrights & Coopers – 1928 – 1938
J B Leitch – Tailors – 1938 – 1941
David Ross – 1941 – 1950
Charles B Archibald – Wrights & Coopers – 1950 – 1971
Norman E Hutchison – Bakers – 1970 – 1978
Gordon A Archibald – Wrights & Coopers – 1978 – 1986
George Petrie – Wrights & Coopers – 1986 – 1990
John Lammont – Wrights & Coopers – 1990 – 1992
Richard Brown – Wrights & Coopers – 1992 – 1999
George M Cumming – Hammermen – 1999 – 2008
Edwin Shaw – Tailors – 2006 – 2013
William Burr – Wrights & Coopers – 2013 – 2014
Brian Donald – Shoemakers – 2014 – 2019
Craig Matheson – Fleshers – 2019 – Present
TRADES WIDOWS SUPPLEMENTARY FUND
Trades Widows Supplementary Fund founded by JOHN LESLIE Goldsmith (Hammermen) and Late Convener of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and was instituted June 17, 1816, at a Meeting of the Members of the Trade Incorporations interested in this Fund held in Trinity Hall. Convener John Leslie stated, that as the Trades Widows’ Fund established in One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy one, had only supplied the Widows with the small annuity of Five Pounds Sterling, which was inadequate for their support, he was anxious, not from any interested motive, being an unmarried man, and having no relation who could derive benefit from it, but entirely for the advantage and respectability of the Incorporations, of which he had long been a Member, that an auxiliary Widows Fund should be established, which he trusted, under the blessing of God, would meet with cordial support from the Members of the Seven Trades.
That in furthermore of this design, and in return for the great honour conferred on him by the Hammerman Incorporation as one of their craft, he would give, as a foundation to this Supplementary Widows’ Fund the sum of Twenty five Guineas, and Five Guineas more to answer the annual payment of Five Shillings of quarterly pennies, making in whole, the sum of Thirty Guineas, which he instantly paid into the hands of Convener William Nicol.
The Meeting returned their warm and hearty thanks to Convener Leslie for the great labour which he had bestowed and the disinterested benevolence he had exhibited, in the promotion of this laudable design and unanimously agreed to the Rules and Regulations, proposed by him, under which this Fund is to be managed.
“In 1816 a Supplementary Widows’ Fund was established, mainly through the exertions of Mr John Leslie, Goldsmith, a worthy citizen whose hand was visible in many a good work among his fellow citizens. It is optional for members to join this fund, but the dues are by no means heavy, considering the annual allowance to Widows in the Fund”. (Extract from Merchant & Craft Guilds – E Bain)
Factors - Treasurers
John Leslie ( Lifetime Convener) – Hammerman – 1816 – 1837
John Barron – Hammerman – 1837 – 1847
James Topp – Baker – 1847 – 1855
James Clyne – Shoemaker – 1855 – 1863
David McHardy – Hammerman – 1863 – 1873
James McKenzie – Baker – 1873 – 1882
James Berry – Hammerman – 1882 – 1890
George Sinclair – Tailor – (Interim) 1890
Alexander Nicholson – Baker – 1890 – 1892
David Byers – Weaver – 1892 – 1893
A M Byers – Weaver – 1893 – 1896
John Cairns – Flesher – 1896 – 1908
James Lorimer – Shoemaker – 1908 – 1919
Robert Littlejohn – Flesher 1919 – 1922
W Alex Tocher – Tailor 1922 – 1927
Joseph Bisset – Hammerman 1927 – 1950
David Mitchell – Hammerman 1950 – 1960
Edward C Malcolm – Hammerman – 1960 – 1966
William Daniel – Wright & Cooper – 1966 – 1979
John Scott – Weaver – 1979 – 2000
Clive Sangster – Baker – 2000 – 2010
Frank Cook – Hammermen – 2010 – 2016/17
Duncan Love – Bakers – 2017 Present