Light Relief
When the nights start drawing in, and car headlights are pressed back into use, consider the document which staff at the A K Bell library Local Studies and Archives sections unearthed recently, which caused some "light" amusement. It is a proclamation boldly headed "
County of Kinross", penned on 5 August 1896 by the County Clerk R O Burns-Begg. It is a bye-law for "Lights on Vehicles", and was adopted through powers conferred on the County by the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Act of 1878. The bye-law reads:
"During the period between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, every person driving or in charge of any carriage, cart, van, wain or the like hung on springs, drawn by animal power, or upon any such carriage, cart, van, wain or the like that is not hung on springs, but that is travelling at the rate of more than four miles an hour, shall carry, attached to such carriage, cart, van, wain or similar vehicle, a light, which shall be so constructed and placed as to exhibit a light in the direction in which such carriage, cart, van, wain or other vehicle is proceeding, and so lighted and kept lighted as to afford adequate means of signalling the approach or position of the carriage,cart, van, wain or other vehicle."
Anyone guilty of not observing the bye-law was liable to a penalty "not exceeding £2". Cross-referencing the bye-law with the minutes of Kinross County Council, Archives Assistant Alan Bell was able to identify the source of concern as the local Cyclists' Union. It appears that the bye-law was "nicked" from Fife who had introduced an equivalent earlier on.
The document is an example of some of the many treasures ands gems held in the AK Bell Library. Staff are always on hand to help anyone with research enquiries.
