This case concerns a disputed election in the burgh of Rutherglen. Different trades (including deacons, masons, and weavers) would meet with members of their industry and submit lists of candidates for the elections, a common election practice of the period. Pursuers George Shaw et al. lodged a complaint against the town council of the burgh of Rutherglen. Apparently the town council adopted a practice of restricting voting to resident masons and wrights, and disallowed non-resident masons and wrights from voting. Shaw et al. alleged that this attempt to disenfranchise the non-resident masons and wrights was unlawful.

Locations

Session Papers

Petition and Complaint

Unto the Right Honourable the Lords of Council and Session, the Petition and Complaint of David Shaw, James Robertson, and Thomas Shaw, Masters of Craft of the Incorporations of Masons and Wrights of Rutherglen; John Hamilton, Michael Paterson, James Wark, Alexander Donald, Masons and Wrights in Rutherglen; William Shaw Mason in Glasgow; William Brown Mason there; John Johnston Mason in Anderston; James Aiken Mason in Gorbals; all Burgesses of the said Borough of Rutherglen, and Freemen of the said Incorporation of Masons and Wrights of said Borough

30 Nov 1775
Answers

Answers for James Fleming, present provost; George Muir and Archibald Freebairn, present bailies; John Urie, Robert Bryce, John Smith, Andrew Turnbull, John Harvie, John Muir, William Parkhill, James Kerr, John Paul, John Reid, John Turnbull, Neil Macvicar, John Paterson, Gabriel Gray, and William Leitch, present counsellors of the burgh of Rutherglen; John Paul deacon of the masons, John Urie junior deacon of the hammermen, Andrew Turnbull deacon of the weavers, and John Parkhill deacon of the tailors, of the said burgh; and James Scot, James Freebairn, and James Robertson, members of the incorporation of masons and wrights in the said burgh, to the Petition and Complaint of David Shaw, James Robertson, and Thomas Shaw, masters of craft for the incorporation of masons and wrights in Rutherglen; John Hamilton, Michael Paterson, James Wark, and Alexander Donald, masons in Glasgow; John Johnston mason in Anderston; and James Aitken mason in Gorbals

19 Dec 1775
Replies

Replies for David Shaw and others, Members of the Incorporation of Masons and Wrights in Rutherglen, Complainers; to the Answers for James Fleming, present Provost of the said Burgh of Rutherglen and others, Respondents

9 Jan 1776
Duplies

Duplies for James Fleming, present Provost of the burgh of Rutherglen, and others, respondents; to the Replies for David Shaw, and others, complainers

25 Jan 1776
Petition

Unto the Right Honourable the Lords of Council and Session, the Petition of John Urie, Robert Bryce, John Smith, John Reid, John Turnbull, five of the 15 Councillors of the Burgh of Rutherglen, John Parkhill Deacon of the Taylors of the said Burgh, and James Robertson Master of Craft of the Incorporation of Masons and Wrights in Rutherglen

14 Feb 1776
Petition

Unto the Right Honourable The Lords of Council and Session, the Petition of John Urie, Robert Bryce, John Smith, Hammermen; John Reid, John Turnbull, Tailors; David Shaw, Alexander Donald, and Thomas Shaw, Masons, eight of the fifteen present Counsellors of the Burgh of Rutherglen; George White of Bankhead, late Provost of the said Burgh; James Ferrie, Hammerman, late Bailie thereof; David Bowman, Weaver, late Bailie thereof; Andrew Hervie, Heritor thereof, all Burgesses and Inhabitants of the said Burgh, for themselves, and in name and behalf of the whole Burgesses of the said Burgh; Robert Errol, Alexander Lang, James Rodger, William Paterson, Hugh Brown, and Peter Burn, Inhabitants within the said Burgh

23 Jul 1776
Answers

Answers for James Fleming present provost, Archibald Freebairn and George Muir present bailies, and Andrew Turnbull, John Harvey, John Muir, William Parkhill, James Ker, John Paul, Neil Macvicar, John Paterson, Gabriel Gray, and William Leitch, present counsellors of the burgh of Rutherglen, to the Petition of John Urie and others, counsellors, burgesses, and inhabitants of the said burgh

1 Aug 1776