Scotland's statistical accounts are detailed resources and references relating to all the parishes of Scotland, and providing information on Scotland's history, geography and society. These are detailed statistical (from the German) accounts and give data on agriculture, antiquities, industrial productions, population and natural history between 1791/99 known as the 'Old' and 1834/1845, known as the 'New'. A third account was undertaken from 1952 until 1992.
Sir John Sinclair was the Member of Parliament for Caithness at Westminster and he had heard about "Statistical Accounts" from the Germans - 'Statistische Konten', refering to a collection of facts about the political strength of a country. The new word was very close to the word 'state'.
Sir John was also a lay member of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and was interested in estate improvement and work for the Board of Agriculture. He introduced the idea of a detailed parish-by-parish survey of Scotland in May 1790. However, he wanted information about the economic and social activities and the natural resources of Scotland.
Sir John's plan involved providing parish ministers with pre-planned questions, in total 160. The questions were in four sections: 1-40 covered the geography and topography of their parish, its climate, natural resources and natural history; 41-100 addressed population and related matters; 101-116 concerned the parishes' 'agricultural and industrial production'. A final section embraced miscellaneous matters. A further six questions were asked as an appendix to his circular of May 1790 and five more followed in a circular of May 1791. It should be noted that not all ministers were diligent and responded by the deadline. Consequently in 1796, 'Statistical Missionaries' were sent out to different parts of the country to expedite the return of the accumulated Data. The project was completed by the middle of 1799. This report was laid before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
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