In 1755, the Parish of North Berwick covered 4,000 acres, the whole of which was arable, except about 89 acres of links. The soil was described as generally rich, fertile and well cultivated, producing large crops of all different grains sown in Scotland, such as wheat, barley, oats, peas and beans. The population of the Parish in 1755 numbered 1,300 this increased to 1,583 by 1801.

The poor were numerous but able to live comfortably without begging. They were supported partly by the Kirk Session and partly by the patron of the parish Sir Hew Dalrymple, amounting to £90 per annum. At this time no manufacturers were present, the only regular trade from the harbour consisted of the exportation of grain and a small quantity of kelp, made from sea weed cut from the rocks at low tide.

During the troubles with the French in 1781, and the danger of privateers landing boats at North Berwick, the Council procured the assistance of ten stand arms for the protection of the burgesses. Sir Hew Dalrymple and Sir George Suttie of Balgone had also adopted the same measures. Among the most eminent and respected gentlemen in the parish during the late 18th century were, Alexander Crawford (Rhodes Farm); Captain Brown of the Enniskillen Dragoons (The Vale in Quality Street); Major Buchan and Captain Minchin (Beehive); Yules (Blackdykes Farm); William Goodsir a fine fiddler; John Thomson (North Berwick Mains); James Allan (Balgone Barns); James Anderson then John Rennie (Castleton Farm); and Sergeant John Martin of the Royal Artillery who accompanied Captain Parry on his first voyage to explore the Arctic in 1819 and 1820. John Martin retired as a grocer and spirit merchant in the High Street and died in 1835.

Since the mid 16th century a tolbooth and mercat cross stood on the site of the present Council Chambers which was built in 1724. The forestair was rebuilt in 1751 with rubble from the old mercat cross and the original roof-slates were replaced in 1825 with pantiles. A clock by English maker Rodger Parkinson was installed in the timber-built clock tower in 1735. This was replaced in 1809 at a cost of £105 paid for by Sir Hew Dalrymple and the present clock is modern. The dormer windows were removed in 1778 and a weathercock mounded on the spire in 1854. The clock tower also housed a bell inscribed 'EX DONO DOMINI JACOBI DALRYMPLE DE HAILLS EQUITI BARONETT R M FECIL EDT 1724' ( A gift by Sir John Dalrymple of Hailes, knight baronet. Robert Maxwell made in Edinburgh 1724).

To the west on the ground floor was a single prison-cell, the corresponding area on the first-floor was the Debtors' Court and to the east the Council room. The prison was the setting for the incarceration of Lord Dalquharn in the book 'White Cockade' written by James Grant (1822-87). The Burgh Court had the powers to deal with minor assaults and crimes which attached penalties up to a fine of twenty shillings, not more than three hours in the stocks in day time, or up to one month imprisonment. The Burgh 'stocks' sited outside the Council Chambers are now on display in the North Berwick museum.

In 1770, the council-room was made available for the performances of 'strolling companies of show and playactors'. It was also used as a reading room and in 1827 the former Debtors' Court became the town library. In 1840 the tenant of the ground floor shop was the shoemaker John Bamber. Twenty years later the premises were occupied by James Drummond's printing press and in 1971 the interior of the two storey building was renovated.

For many years a historic letter from General Monk was kept in the Town Clerk's office, which read " For my very loving friends the Magistrates of the Burgh of North Berwick.... to hold no correspondence with any of Charles Stewart's party or his adherents, but apprehend any such as shall make any disturbance and send them to the next Garrison." - dated Edinburgh 16th November 1659.

The first trees to be planted in Quality Street were put in by Bailie Hew Lauder who was also allowed to erect a paling round his property in October 1754. Captain James Dalrymple was appointed Chief Magistrate in 1791, he was succeeded by Captain Minchin in 1802 who planted trees on the west side of Quailty Street. Captain James Dalrymple was re-appointed Chief Magistrate from 1805 to 1820. John Kirk, the parish schoolmaster replaced Mr. Todrick as Town Clerk in 1805. Kirk was boxmaster (Treasurer) of the burgh Trades Society in 1790, and appointed Billet Master in 1798 when army units were stationed in the town during the Napoleonic War. John Kirk was elected Councillor in 1789 and Treasurer from 1790-96. He resigned office as Councillor on his appointment as Town Clerk, a position he retained for twenty eight years.

Captain James Dalrymple was succeeded in the chair by Alexander Oswald (who died in 1821), Major-General Sir John Dalrymple was Chief Magistrate from 1821 to 1831, when he resigned on his appointment as commander of the British forces at Corunna, India. In 1831 the 'Czar' of Leith went down off Scoughall with the captain and a number of passengers, among them several of the staff of Sir John Dalrymple, who had gone to London to see his departure for India. Nine of the crew clung to the wreck and were saved by James Kelly and his brother, both fishermen at Canty Bay, who swam several times to the vessel at the risk of their own lives. During Sir John Dalrymple's term the council included Bailie John Thomson, James Sommerville, treasurer; Councillors - Hew Dalrymple, W.F. Brown, Robert Bertram, James Grieve Snr., James Grieve Jnr., Andrew Walker, James Reid, G. Ramage, and George Bain.

Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple of North Berwick and Bargany succeeded as Chief Magistrate from 1831 to 1833, he was a Captain in Her Majesty's 71st Regiment and by 1839 was on service in Canada. In 1833 James Crawford Jnr. W.S. was appointed Town Clerk, a position he retained until his death in November 1863, when Messrs. Thomas Dall C.A and Henry Tod W.S were appointed joint Town Clerks.

James Dall Sen. born in North Berwick in 1783 was appointed Junior Bailie in 1826 and promoted to the office of Senior Ballie or Chief Magistrate in 1833. That year the Council was elected for the first time by a vote of the owners and occupiers of premises in the burgh who had a rental of £10 and upwards. There were so few electors in the burgh that it was difficult to obtain the requisite number of Councillors. The electors appeared in the Council Chambers and each had to sign the list of persons for whom they voted. The highest vote was only sixteen for James Dall Sen. who was elected Chief Magistrate. At that time there were twelve councillors, this was reduced to nine in 1852. Dall was re-elected in 1839 and again appointed Chief Magistrate until he finally retired in 1852. The principal work of the Town Council during the stewardship of James Dall Sen. was the negotiations in connection with the branch railway line to the town and the purchased of a site for the gas works on Pointgarry Road. He was also instrumental in the establishment of a grain market in the burgh on 28th September 1840 but although it appears to have been a success at its commencement it did not last long.

David Stuart Macklachlan occupied the chair from 1851 and was followed by James Dall Jnr.(1855-1866). The members of the council were Robert Smith junior chief magistrate; James MacDonald treasurer; Councillors, Thomas Hope, William Walker, George Heslope Girlie, Richard Whitecross, John Blair, D.S. Meikland. James Dall Jnr was the first Provost to appreciate the impact the game of golf was to have on the prosperity of the town and he promoted the game at every opportunity. James and his brothers William and Tom, were founder members of Tantallon Golf Club, established in 1853. Tom Dall was Club Secretary for seven years and Captain from 1861-1862 while James Dall Jnr. was Club Secretary from 1862-1868 combining this position with his official duties as the town's Chief Magistrate. Tom Dall was Town Clerk from 1863 until his death in 1880. In 1861, James Dall Jnr. represented North Berwick at the laying of the foundation stone for the Wallace Monument at Abbey Craig outside Stirling. The event was witnessed by a crowd of over 50,000.

It was the practice for anyone breaking the law to be brought before the Chief Magistrate who was both judge and jury. The proceedings of the Burgh Court was conducted in the Council Chambers with the jailhouse below. An extract from a hearing in 1862 reads, Henry Pullar, fisherman, North Berwick, was charged with assault and breach of peace upon Peter Gullane, his uncle. Pullar had previous convictions and was fined £5 or thirty days' imprisonment - he went to prison. Mrs. Forrestor, for assaulting her servant in a violent manner, was fined 15s or six days' imprisonment. Peter Gullane fisherman, North Berwick for assault and breach of peace in the Ship Inn. Gullane had previous convictions and was fined 10s or ten days' imprisonment. At a later hearing, Mary McIntosh and Agnes Doyle, vagrants, were charged with exposing children of tender age to the inclemency of the weather, both were severely reprimanded and ordered to leave the town.

Peter Brodie was appointed Senior Bailie or Chief Magistrate in 1866 and remained in the chair for twenty-one years. A position first referred to as Provost from November 1876. The Town Council's programme of upgrading the burgh put great strain on their limited finances and in 1866 they were £2,398 in debt. By 1872, this had been reduced to £537, mainly due to the prudent stewardship of Treasurer Francis Edington and an additional £60 from feus, (East Links) and £20 from increased rents.

In 1867, the Great Reform Bill extended the voting system further to include the skilled worker who was able to afford to rent a property with a rateable value of £10. Property owning women also had the vote in local elections. This added one million electors across Britain and ended the control of Scottish landowners over local ballots.

The topic of illegal drinking was often discussed by the Town Council. At a meeting of the Licensing Court in 1872, Chief Magistrate Brodie granted the publicans' licenses on the understanding that no back doors should be used, and that all houses should be closed on Sunday except between the hours of one and two o'clock when it was necessary they should be open for the convenience of country people attending church.

Robert Lyle succeeded Henry Tod as joint Town Clerk with Thomas Dall in 1871 and was appointed sole clerk in April 1880, a position he retained for twelve years. The first voters roll was complied in 1872, and those not eligible to vote included the titled gentry, the insane and those detained in prison. This was also the first secret ballot.

Following John Grieve's three year term of office, Peter Brodie was re-elected Provost from 1890 to 1893. John Runciman Whitecross was admitted a burgess in 1854, elected Councillor in 1857 and served for 32 years. He was re-elected in 1890 and appointed Chief Magistrate from 1893 to 1896. The important work carried out during his term of office, was a new drainage scheme, the purchase of the 'Old Foundry', which later paved the way for a much-needed improvement of the East Bay. The town's first fire engine was purchased in 1894, using manual pumps and drawn by two horses. Also sites were acquired for an infectious diseases hospital (Gilsland) and a new slaughter house (Dunbar Road).

Peter Brodie's son James was elected Councillor in 1894 and appointed Provost in 1896. He had the honour of attending the reception of Mayors and Provosts at Buckingham Palace on 23rd June 1897 on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Following James Brodie's death in June 1899, John Macintyre was elected Provost and in October 1902 welcomed King Edward VII to the town. His Majesty was the guest of Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar and resided at the Knoll in Clifford Road. To commemorate his three day visit, the King planted a sycamore tree at the foot of the steps leading to the Council Chambers. During Macintyre's tenure a new gas works was constructed on Williamstone Farm, a new cemetery in Dunbar Road, the Burgh golf course was laid out, and the old gas works was demolished to make way for the building of shops in Station Hill.

Macintyre was also a founder member of the Pipe Band instituted in 1901. The conductor was Pipe-Major William Hume and the instruments and highland dress cost £121, raised by public subscription. In August 1902, the Pipe Band headed a procession from the railway station to the cross in Quality Street to welcome back two hero's of the Boer War. The whole town turned out to greet the gallant troopers James Kendall and Walter Gilholm of the Scottish Horse on their safe return. The Pipe Band also played round the table while King Edward VII was at dinner during his visit to the town.

In 1918, women over the age of 30 were added to the electoral register and in 1928 the franchise was extended to women over the age of 21. John McIntyre remained Provost until the end of the First World War, when Peter Farquharson was appointed from 1919 to 1922. The Town Clerk's office was situated on the ground floor of Beulah House, 5, East Road. Following Robert Lyle's death in 1892, his partner Andrew D. Wallace was appointed Town Clerk. The legal business of Lyle and Wallace was conducted as part of the Town Clerk's office at 5, East Road. Wallace took on his nephew John W. Menzies as a partner, who was appointed Town Clerk in 1926 and the Town Clerk's Office moved to 11 East Road.

The remaining Provost's were George Sim (1922-28) George Eeles (1928-37), George Gilbert (1937-59), James Wishart (1959-65), Millicent Couper (1965-68), John Fowler (1968-71) and John Macnair (1971-75). On 16th May 1975 the Local Government (Scotland) Act (1974) came into effect, replacing 430 local authorities with nine regional, 53 district and three island councils. East Lothian District Council and North Berwick Community Council were elected to represent the town.