Fife Council Archive Centre, A Brief Guide to the Records
To see the records or for more information please phone 01592 583352.
We are open (by appointment) Monday, Wednesday to Friday between 9am and 5pm,
and Tuesday 9am to 7.15pm.
Contents
County Records
Burgh/Town
Council Records
Glenrothes
Development Corporation
Rothes
Papers and other records
We have records for all of Fife (from 1709 onwards) of the public bodies that carried out many of the functions that Fife Council still looks after today including roads maintenance, bridges, schools, police etc. They include the following records:
Commissioners of Supply minute books, 1709-1889
Statute Labour Road Trustees and Turnpike Trustees records, 1790-1879
Parochial Board (later Parish Council) minute books, between 1845 and 1930, giving information about the relief of paupers, management of the cemetery etc.
School Board minutes between 1873 and 1919.
School log books and admission registers between 1863 and 1997 (the more recent log books and admission registers are closed for 50 years and 75 years respectively from the date of the last entry).
Electoral registers, 1914-2001
Minute books of Fife County Council, 1889-1975; Fife Regional Council, 1975-95; and Dunfermline District Council, Kirkcaldy District Council, and North East Fife District Council, 1975-95.
TOPBuckhaven and Methil(reference B/BM): Town Council minutes 1891-1975, other records include licensing registers, 1911-61 .
Burntisland(reference B/BL): Town Council minutes, 1873-1972. Other records include licensing registers, 1927-62; treasurer's account book, 1764-1839; Watson's Mortification charity records, 1776-1887 .
Culross (reference B/CUL):Town Council minutes, 1588-1892 (with gaps); account books, 1696-1820 and cess book, 1794-1825.
Dysart (reference B/DY): Town Council minutes, 1645-1930 (see Kirkcaldy Burgh after 1930); account books, 1713-1898.
Kinghorn (reference B/KH): Town Council minutes, 1709-72, 1873-1975; Police Commissioners' minutes, 1873-99; register of sasines, 1620-1809; register of deeds and burgh charter books, 1682-1975.
Kirkcaldy (reference B/KDY): Town Council minutes, 1663-1793, 1843-1975. Other records include Burgh court records, 1567-1940; Trades Council minute book, 1612-1764; licensing registers, 1765-1975 (with gaps).
Leslie (reference B/LES): Town Council and Police Commissioners' minutes, 1620-1975 (with gaps). Other records include charter of 1457; account books, 1728-1946.
Leven (reference B/LEV): Town Council minutes, 1899-1975; Police Commissioners' minutes, 1840-98.
Markinch (reference B/MK): Town Council minutes, 1890-1975.
We also have some records for other Town Councils (contact staff for details)
Glenrothes Development Corporation
Minute books, plans, photographs, and records of all aspects of the history of the new town from 1948 to the wind-up of the Corporation in 1995.
Records of the Rothes Estate in the parishes of Leslie from the 1640s to the 1900s. Includes the wage books and other records of miners employed at Cadham, Strathore and Cluny mines, c. 1680-1750. Also includes detailed household accounts for Leslie House including records of payments to the family's household and farm servants.
Other Records
Burial records: Rosyth Churchyard, 1813-84; Little Rosyth Churchyard, 1774-1866; Tulliallan Churchyard and Cemetery, 1875-1923; and Dunfermline Cemetery, 1863-1975.
Quarter Sessions records, 1775-1885 (with gaps)
The best guide to Fife records is the Archives of Fife by Andrew Campbell, Fife Family History Society, 1997. Please note that the records described by Campbell as being at Fife House, Glenrothes and Town House, Kirkcaldy, are now with us at Carleton House. The school log books have been transferred to us from ASDARC in Cardenden.