| Administrative History | The origins of Thurso, Caithness, the most northerly town on the Scottish mainland, can be traced to the Viking era. It was an important Norse settlement and became a major trading port.
It was created a burgh of barony under the Earl of Caithness in 1633. A burgh of barony was presided over by a feudal superior who had authority from the Crown to administer justice and to hold barony courts. These courts dealt with crimes and matters of good neighbourhood until 1747 and, thereafter, solely matters of good neighbourhood.
By 1750 Thurso was a sizeable town with a post office and market and enjoyed a considerable export trade in meal, beef, hides and fish. In the early 19th century the growth of the Caithness flagstone industry bought further prosperity to the town.
Thurso became a police burgh in 1842 under the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. IV, c.46) which allowed for the election of local police commissioners who were responsible for the cleansing, lighting, policing and public health of the burgh. Police commissioners were abolished by the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900 (63 & 64 Vict., c.49), in favour of the older term of 'provost, bailies and councillors'.
In 1975 Thurso Town Council was abolished under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) and its powers were assumed by Highland Regional Council and Caithness District Council. The offices of Caithness District were located in Wick. These in turn were replaced by Highland Council in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c. 39). |