Angus Archives

Angus Archives Angus Archives is a treasure trove of 800 years of the history of Angus and its people.

Our collections cover Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Monifieth, Montrose, and the rural parishes of the County of Angus. Angus Archives houses and preserves the area's written, printed and photographic history covering the historic burghs of Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose and Monifieth, the villages of Edzell, Letham, Friockeim and Newtyle, and the

wider County of Angus. We hold burgh records and Angus Council records including school and poor relief records, as well as private records such as diaries, legal documents and plans. Whether you are a professional researcher, or an amateur family history enthusiast, you are welcome to visit the archives where you can search all of our resources free of charge. Unfortunately we cannot undertake research requests via Facebook – please give us a call to chat through your requirements.

📜 Case Study Part 3: Final Resting Place: Where is he buried?Every life story eventually reaches its final chapter. To c...
24/07/2026

📜 Case Study Part 3: Final Resting Place: Where is he buried?
Every life story eventually reaches its final chapter. To complete our third objective, we turned to our burial indexes and monumental inscriptions.

According to the Angus Archives Arbroath Abbey Cemetery Index, Dr. David Arrott passed away on December 27, 1876, at the age of 67 at his High Street home. He was laid to rest within the historic, hallowed grounds of Arbroath Abbey.

To get the full picture, we cross-referenced this with the volume Pre-1855 Gravestones: Angus Seacoast. The Arrott family headstone transcript reads like a mini-family tree frozen in stone:

“Wm Arrot of Dumbarrow, s Wm Physician 21.8.1862 89 (w Mary Balfour 1.5.1836 63, s Wm Henry d Whitfield 13.7.1872 65 int here, s David Physician 27.12.1876 67, s Alex Robertson d Carnoustie 18.11.1877 int here, s Jas Physician Dundee 13.8.1883 75 int here, da Mary 5.11.1883 71”

This single stone binds the family together across generations, confirming the passing of David, his parents, his brothers (including fellow physicians William Henry and James), and his sister Mary.

📍 If you're exploring local graveyards, our cemetery indexes are an invaluable first stop to ensure you know exactly where to look.

Stay tuned for our final instalment, Part 4, where we look at the incredible visual history preserved in our wider digital catalogue!

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📸 This picture shows visitors looking at the various stalls at the Farnell Fete. The Farnell manse garden 🏡 served as a ...
21/07/2026

📸 This picture shows visitors looking at the various stalls at the Farnell Fete. The Farnell manse garden 🏡 served as a venue for these events, with tables set up across the lawn. Photograph c. 1957.

Angus Archives Ref: 1020/5/197
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📜 Case Study Part 2: Family & Local LiteratureWho was Dr. David Arrott outside of his medical coat? To find out, we dug ...
17/07/2026

📜 Case Study Part 2: Family & Local Literature
Who was Dr. David Arrott outside of his medical coat? To find out, we dug into our microfilmed Old Parish Registers (OPR), Statutory Registers, and local newspaper archives.

Born on July 9, 1809, David and his brothers were educated at the Arbroath Academy. Medicine ran in the blood: David and his father, Dr. William Arrott, were driving forces behind establishing Arbroath’s very first local infirmary.

Our historical newspaper collection tracks this incredible community impact beautifully:

📰 The Arbroath Herald (1st December 1892): Retrospectively notes the early education of the Arrott brothers at Arbroath Academy.

📰 The Arbroath Guide (20th March 1920): Features a detailed look back at how both Dr. David Arrott and his father actively worked to establish the local infirmary to protect the town's population, particularly the poor, from severe illness.

Following the institution's opening on January 13, 1845, William Arrott was appointed as a consulting physician, and Dr. David Arrott went on to serve as an attending doctor there for many years.

But what about his own family?

A comprehensive review of both the OPR and Statutory Registers confirmed that Dr. David never married and had no children. Local history books on our search room floor provide a poignant answer. According to J.M. McBain’s Eminent Arbroathians [Ref: 18:920], David studied in Edinburgh and Berlin, returning home a highly successful doctor—but remained a lifelong bachelor due to a tragic, early heartbreak. He even penned a moving poem after meeting a young lady who resembled his lost love:

"It is that thou resemblest one
Whom (but it were in vain to tell)
I loved in days long past and gone;
I loved her—ay, alas! Too well."

🔍 Both the Old Parish Registers and the historical newspaper collections used to uncover this story can be accessed free of charge by visiting us in the search room. What stories are waiting in your family tree?

See you for Part 3, as we locate Dr. Arrott's final resting place.

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📸 This photograph shows the Glamis Transport Extravaganza, where a vintage commercial lorry travels across a grass arena...
14/07/2026

📸 This photograph shows the Glamis Transport Extravaganza, where a vintage commercial lorry travels across a grass arena loaded with passengers 🛻. In the background, historic steam traction engines parade while releasing smoke into the air. Photograph c. 26 July 1975.

Angus Archives Ref: 1206/1036/4
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📚 Temporary Changes to Library & Archives Opening Hours – Wednesday 15 JulyTo help us continue providing the best possib...
13/07/2026

📚 Temporary Changes to Library & Archives Opening Hours – Wednesday 15 July

To help us continue providing the best possible service, some of our libraries will have temporary changes to their opening hours on Wednesday 15 July while our Information Advisor teams complete essential staff training for a new customer service system.

Opening hours on Wednesday 15 July:
📍 Arbroath, Angus Archives & Carnoustie Library – Closed (usual opening hours 10am–2pm)
📍 Brechin & Forfar Library – Closed (usual opening hours 10am–2pm)
📍 Montrose Library – Open 2pm–5pm (instead of 2pm–8pm)
📍 Kirriemuir & Monifieth Library – Open as normal (2pm–8pm)

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we invest in training our teams and improving the services we provide.

If you're planning to visit one of the affected libraries, please consider visiting earlier or later in the week where possible.

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📜 Case Study Part 1: Residency & PracticeHow do you track someone's movements through time before digital records existe...
10/07/2026

📜 Case Study Part 1: Residency & Practice
How do you track someone's movements through time before digital records existed? In the Angus Archives search room, we combine three powerful tools: trade directories, census returns, and valuation rolls.

By layer-mapping these resources, we pieced together a 30-year timeline of Dr. Arrott's homes and medical practices right here in Arbroath:

🏠 1846–1847: The Angus and Mearns Directory [Ref: 01:914] reveals a joint listing for "Drs. W. & D. Arrott, surgeons, Almerieclose." This shows a father-and-son medical team working closely from the family estate.

🏠 1851 & 1861 Census: We find Dr. David living at Guthrie Port alongside his father, William, and sister, Mary. The 1861 return specifically names the property as Almerieclose House.

🏠 1875 Valuation Roll: A final jump in time finds Dr. David established on the town's main thoroughfare, listed with a house and shop at 151–153 High Street.

Just like that, our first objective is complete. We can visually map part of his adult life moving from the family estate to the bustling high street.

👉 What secrets are waiting to be uncovered about your own home or ancestors?

Join us for Part 2, where we look past the addresses to discover the man behind the medicine—including a tale of tragic heartbreak.

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(7 July) in 1934, Arbroath’s outdoor swimming pool was opened. For many years it was the town’s leading tourist attrac...
07/07/2026

(7 July) in 1934, Arbroath’s outdoor swimming pool was opened.

For many years it was the town’s leading tourist attraction and became a focus for holidaymakers of all ages, with swimming, Miss Arbroath and diving competitions, amongst other activities.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, the growing national trend towards holidays abroad led to the slow decline of Arbroath and other British seaside towns as holiday destinations. The pool closed in the 1980s and was filled in, with only the façade being retained.

What are your memories of the swimming pool?

Angus Archives Ref: 747/18/1408

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💭 Thinking about diving into your family history? Whether you are a seasoned genealogist or a first-time researcher, eve...
03/07/2026

💭 Thinking about diving into your family history? Whether you are a seasoned genealogist or a first-time researcher, every successful investigation begins exactly the same way: Step 1 is to clearly identify your research goal. 🎯

Before requesting documents or searching catalogues, you need a roadmap. To show you how this works in practice, we are launching a 4-part case study tracking the life of a prominent local figure: Dr. David Arrott, Physician of Arbroath.

For this project, we established 4 clear objectives:
1️⃣ Residency & Practice: Where did he live and practice medicine during his career in Arbroath?
2️⃣ Family & Local Literature: Who was his family, did he leave any descendants, and do the local history books on our shelves hold the secrets to his personal life?
3️⃣ Final Resting Place: Where is he buried?
4️⃣ The Archive Collection: Can our wider archive catalogue help us step beyond the written word to discover what else is preserved about his world?

With our parameters defined, we are ready to begin the search.

👉 Have you ever encountered the Arrott family name in your own local history research? Let us know in the comments!

Join us for Part 1 of our new Facebook series as we step into the search room to analyse our very first records.

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📸 This photograph shows the exterior of Edzell's Central Hotel when it was owned by William C. Japp, who bought it in 19...
30/06/2026

📸 This photograph shows the exterior of Edzell's Central Hotel when it was owned by William C. Japp, who bought it in 1930 from his father, David, the former owner of Montrose's Bent's Hotel 🏨. Before taking over the prominently signed hotel, William ran a local butcher and poulterer business. Today, the historic property at 18-20 Church Street is known as The Glens Care Home.

Angus Archives Ref: 1020/3/4616
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This picture shows "The Deserters" performing during a July 1964 gig in Brechin, Scotland. The five-piece band 🎸 feature...
26/06/2026

This picture shows "The Deserters" performing during a July 1964 gig in Brechin, Scotland. The five-piece band 🎸 features a central lead vocalist flanked by two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. Directly behind the group is a distinctive mural, the right half of which appears to depict Brechin's own Gardner Memorial Church.

Did you ever see The Deserters play, or view this mural? 🎨

Angus Archives Ref: 1020/3/381/1
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