About Us

Primrose & Gordon originated in Dumfries, Scotland through the Gordon brothers who practised law in the 18th century. Their sister Margaret married Samuel Primrose and their sons Peter and William carried on the tradition. Peter became the Joint Clerk to the Seven Incorporations of Dumfries along with his uncle William Gordon. The firm was established in 1782.

In 1818 John Gordon's nephew Peter Primrose became a partner in the firm. It then became known as Gordon and Primrose and it is believed that the name was first recorded on 21st October 1823 when it featured in an advertisement in the Dumfries and Galloway Courier . Six years later on the death of William Gordon his son James was assumed as a partner and the firm was renamed Primrose and Gordon, as it is today.

New blood entered the firm when John Irving, a Legal Assistant in the days of William Gordon Jnr and John Primrose became a partner in 1915. Hugh Brown Taylor was afterwards assumed as a partner until his sudden death in 1925. John Alexander Campbell replaced him and for a time was the sole partner until John Irving's son James Wyllie Irving joined him in 1937. In 1958 William Henry John Campbell and James Wallace Dickie were assumed as partners. The first of the present partners, John Campbell Burn, was assumed in 1971. Matthew James Pumphrey was assumed in 1981. John Lawson, the last of the present partners to join the firm, was assumed in 1988.