Landed Proprietor

annie1 · Post by **annie1** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:39 am

Hi all,

I have this down as an occupation on a death certificate, I am just not sure what it meant.

Would it have been Gentry, or could a farmer simply state this as his occupation.

Thanks
Ann

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:38 pm

Hello Ann,

Probably the only thing you can be reasonably certain of is that he was a landowner of some description and was being sustained in whole or in part by rents or some other sort of income or benefit from the land. To be described as such on a Death certificate you would think that it would be his main means of support although that would depend on how accurate or honest the informant had been.

A run-of-the-mill farmer who owns and works his farm could possibly call himself a Landed Proprietor but I think he would be Gilding the Lily a bit.

It might be worth checking the free Wills & Testaments Search 1513-1901 on SP if appropriate.

Alan

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:35 pm

Hi Ann
If you try a search on Google for "landed proprietor" there are a few suggestions from other forums.

Best wishes
Lesley

annie1 · Post by **annie1** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 3:44 pm

Hi Alan & Leslie,

Thanks for your replies, I was just a bit uncertain as I had not come across this title before, there was a Right Hon with the same surname in the area and also a Farmer, although the farmer only had a small croft.
I'll have a look at the wills, thanks again.

Ann

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:02 pm

My own interpretation is that he owned the land and buildings which itself was handed down to him. I think that is the definition of "landed"
M

Montrose Budie · Post by **Montrose Budie** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:51 pm

"Landed proprietor" in Scotland is one of those lovely wooly terms which has a range of possible meanings! It can mean a feuar, a leaseholder of 99+ years, or a liferenter. These can be as a private person (directly or indirectly, e.g. as a "tutor", guardian or lawful administrator), or a corporate body, or an individual on behalf of the latter.

It doesn't necessarily maen that the land/buildings involved were inherited.

It may or may not also mean that the person concerned was the heritable proprietor which is ('was' now; in terms of recent legislation) a strictly defined legal term. Ditto re "feuar", leaseholder, liferenter, or other terms that I've missed!

Various listings of Scottish landowners have been regularly produced, including the 1872/73 listing of "Scottish Landowners and Heritages" produced on CD by S&N Genealogy. Details are given relating to every owner of 1 acre and upwards. Such listings will not include farmers, even "gentlemen" farmers, who happen to be nothing more than tenants.

The great majority of farmers in Scotland were tenants, even sub-tenants, or sub-sub-tenants, etc. ...............

Land ownership in Scotland is a very complex area of law.

mb

annie1 · Post by **annie1** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:05 pm

Hi MB,

Thank you for your description of a Landed Proprietor, we did find out that he was indeed a noted Gentleman, can I ask you what S&N Genealogy is? and is the Cd expensive do you know?

Thanks
Ann