1890 Sutherland County Council election

none April 2022 thumb|The election saw political control in the county fully pass from the Duke of Sutherland, whose estate saw only one member returned. The first elections to Sutherland County Council were held in February 1890 as part of the wider 1890 local elections. County councils had been created in Scotland by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, following on from the Local Government Act 1888 which had created them in England and Wales. The election took place at a time of great change in Sutherland. The Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 (49 & 50 Vict. c. 29) had established the first Crofters Commission, which acted as a land court which ruled on disputes between landlords and crofters. The largest land owner in the county was the Duke of Sutherland, who owned the Sutherland estate, comprising most of the county. To ensure the Duke's interest was represented on the new council all of the Sutherlands estates factors stood for election, along with James Gordon; the Assynt sub-factor. The estate anticipated defeat in the election having lost control of School and Poor boards in the early 1880s. Ultimately only Donald MacLean won a seat on behalf of the Sutherland interest. Despite having been anticipated, the estate was shocked by the scale of their loss, which they blamed on local land leaguers, merchants, ministers, and school teachers, as well as the fact that the vote was no longer secret. Evander McIver, a Lewis-man and factor for Scourie, complained that the new council was "formed of Radicals, Land Leaguers, and troublesome Clericals!" MacLean, with the Dukes consent, stepped down before the elections in 1892 after complaining his presence was a waste of time as he was supported by no other members, and there was little prospect of additional representatives for the estate being returned.Tindley Annie 2010 Sutherland Estate, 1850-1920: Aristocratic Decline, Estate Management and Land Reform: Aristocratic Decline, Estate Management and Land Reform https://books.google.com/books?id=HxmrBgAAQBAJ&q=1892+county+council+election+crofters&pg=PA102 Edinburgh University Press 102–104 978-0748642670 Council results 1890 Sutherland County Council election Highland Land League 17 Sutherland Estate 1 Scottish Conservative Party 1 In addition to the elected members the council also included Bailie Gunn, representing the burgh of Dornoch. The ex-officio members were the Duke of Sutherland, Lord Stafford, Sheriff Mackenzie, and a Mr Barclay of Skelbo. Ward results Assynt East Assynt East Land League Rev Norman N. Mackay 35 Sutherland Estate James Gordon (sub-factor) 26 Assynt West Assynt West Land League Alex Bannerman (crofter) 124 Kenneth P. Mackenzie (grocer) 65 Clyne Clyne Land League Rev. John Murray unopposed unopposed Creich East Creich West Dornoch East Dornoch East Tory James Macintosh (farmer) 59 Land League James Matheson (crofter) 46 Dornoch West Dornoch West William Macleay 75 Alexander Grant (farmer) 31 Durness Durness Land League Rev. Adam Gunn unopposed unopposed Eddrachillis EddrachillisInverness Courier - Friday 07 February 1890 pg.5 Land League Donald Macleay (merchant) 114 65.52 Sutherland Estate Evander McIver (factor) 60 34.48 Farr Farr Land League George Mackay (crofter) 99 70.21 Sutherland Estate John Box (factor) 42 29.79 Golspie East Golspie East Sutherland Estate Donald MacLean (factor) Golspie West Golspie West Alexander Macrae (tailor) 34 Andrew Lindsay (merchant) 30 Alexander Cameron 27 Kildonan West Kildonan West John Fraser (druggist) 72 James John Hill (banker) 71 Kildonan South Kildonan South Alexander Gunn (crofter) 63 Hugh Macleod (crofter) 40 James D. Fraser (hotelkeeper) 2 Lairg Loth Loth Land League Alexander Ross unopposed unopposed Reay Reay George Mackenzie (crofter) 92 David Sinclair (merchant and farmer) 78 Rogart Tongue References Category:February 1890 in the United Kingdom Category:November 1890 in the United Kingdom Category:1890 Scottish local elections Category:Council elections in Scotland