View source for Gordon (district)

{{Short description|Former local government area of Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox historic subdivision|
   |Name=           Gordon
   |HQ=             [[Inverurie]]
   |Government=     Gordon District Council
   |Origin=         
   |Status=         District
   |Start=          16 May 1975
   |End=            31 Mar 1996
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   |Replace=        [[Aberdeenshire]]
   |Motto=          
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   |Map=           [[File:Gordon.svg|250px]]<br />''Gordon district within Scotland''
   |Arms=          [[Image:Gordon_DC_arms.png|150px]]<br />''Coat of arms of Gordon District Council''
   |Civic=

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}}  
'''Gordon''' was one of five local government districts in the [[Grampian]] region of [[Scotland]]. The council was based in [[Inverurie]]. It was created in 1975 and abolished in 1996, when the area was included in the [[Aberdeenshire]] [[Council areas of Scotland|council area]].

==History==
The district was created on 16 May 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which established a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Gordon was one of five districts created within the Grampian region. The new district covered the whole area of eight former [[List of local government areas in Scotland (1930–1975)|districts]] and parts of another two, which were all abolished at the same time:<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=22 November 2022|mode=cs1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps of Scotland, Sheet 5: Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Kincardineshire, Morayshire and Nairnshire, 1969 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/222075470 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

*Aberdeen district (parishes of [[Belhelvie]], [[Echt, Aberdeenshire|Echt]], [[Fintray]], [[Kinellar]], [[Newmachar|New Machar]], and [[Skene, Aberdeenshire|Skene]] only)
*[[Alford, Aberdeenshire|Alford]] district
*[[Ellon, Aberdeenshire|Ellon]] [[burgh]]
*Ellon district (except parish of [[Cruden Bay|Cruden]])
*[[Garioch]] district
*[[Huntly]] burgh
*Huntly district
*[[Inverurie]] burgh
*[[Kintore, Aberdeenshire|Kintore]] burgh
*[[Oldmeldrum]] burgh
The whole area was part of the county of [[Aberdeenshire (historic)|Aberdeenshire]] prior to the reforms.

Various names were considered for the new district, with alternatives including [[Bennachie]] from a range of hills in the area, [[Marr, Scotland|Mar]] after one of the historic [[provinces of Scotland]], and Donside from the [[River Don, Aberdeenshire|River Don]] which flows through the area. At a meeting in March 1972 the old Aberdeenshire County Council voted in favour of recommending to the government that Gordon should be the new district's name, after the [[Clan Gordon]] which had extensive landholdings in the area, including the clan's then principal seat of [[Haddo House]]. The clan took its name from the village of [[Gordon, Scottish Borders|Gordon]] in [[Berwickshire]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Council say Gordon for us |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 August 2024 |work=Evening Express |date=17 March 1972 |location=Aberdeen |page=11}}</ref>

The regions and districts created in 1975 were abolished in 1996, being replaced by [[Council areas of Scotland|council areas]]. The area of Gordon was merged with the [[Banff and Buchan]] and [[Kincardine and Deeside]] districts to become the new [[Aberdeenshire]] council area.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=16 December 2022|mode=cs1}}</ref>

==Political control==
The first election to the district council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 16 May 1975. Political control of the council from 1975 until its abolition in 1996 was as follows:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Gordon" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1975–1977
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1977–1980
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1980–1984
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1984–1988
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Liberal Democrats}} || 1988–1992
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1992–1996
|}

==Premises==
[[File:Former Clydesdale Bank, High Street, Inverurie - geograph.org.uk - 3095681.jpg|thumb|3 High Street, Inverurie: Council's main offices 1975–1982]]
The council initially met at [[Inverurie Town Hall]] and had its main offices in a converted former bank at 3 High Street in [[Inverurie]], with additional offices in various other locations. Shortly after the council's creation it decided to consolidate its meeting place and offices at a purpose-built headquarters. Gordon House was subsequently built on Blackhall Road in Inverurie in phases between 1980 and 1982. It also housed some departments of Grampian Regional Council. Gordon House was formally opened on 9 July 1982.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gill |first1=Jane |title=Gordon's good housekeeping buys a new home |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=12 August 2024 |work=Press and Journal |date=8 July 1982 |location=Aberdeen |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|cat=PLA|num=274159|num2=NJ72SE 340|desc= Inverurie, Blackhall Road, Gordon House, Gordon District Council Headquarters|fewer-links=yes| access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

After the council's abolition in 1996, Gordon House became an area office for the successor [[Aberdeenshire Council]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Area manager teams |url=https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/contact-us/area-offices |website=Aberdeenshire Council |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

==Coat of arms==
The Gordon District Council was granted a [[coat of arms]] by [[Lord Lyon King of Arms]] on 9 June 1986. The first quarter of the shield showed three gold boars' heads on a blue ground, the arms of the Gordon family, from whom the district's name was derived. The Gordon arms had formed one quarter of the arms of [[Aberdeenshire County Council]]. Boars' heads also formed part of the arms of the burgh of Huntly. The second quarter was derived from the Kintore burgh arms, showing an oak tree. The third quarter was based on the arms of the burgh of Oldmeldrum and the fourth on those of the burgh of Ellon. In the centre of the shield was a gold tower, from Inverurie's burgh arms. Above the arms was a coronet consisting of a gold circlet topped by thistle-heads: a design reserved by Lord Lyon for the arms of district councils.<ref>R.M. Urquhart, ''Scottish Civic Heraldry 2'', Hamilton, 2001</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gordon (Scottish Parliament constituency)]]
*[[Clan Gordon]]
*[[Gordon Highlanders]], an infantry regiment
*[[Subdivisions of Scotland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Aberdeenshire elections}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gordon (district)| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:Politics of Aberdeenshire]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:1996 disestablishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1975]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1996]]