The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. 45 



It was not, however, until the year 1664 that direct postal 

 communication was established between Dumfries and the capital. 

 On the " 5 Dec," of that year " the counsall considering the tounes 

 prejudice by want of constant correspondence with the toun 

 of Edi" and by wanting occasioune to get letrs conveyed to and 

 from Edr about the inhabitants particular affairs for remedy 

 yroff they haif appoynted the pnt magistrats Stephen Irving lait 

 baillie the conveinar and Jon Martein four of ym to establish a 

 constant foot poast to go weikly Betwixt this and Edr. To 

 appoint his sallarie and to consider qt sail be payit for the post 

 of Ires and to every thing yranent qch may male the same speci- 

 ally effectuall for the weill of the brugh and to report yr Diligence 

 the next Counsall''^ 



No report in regard to this matter is recorded in the Burgh 

 Records, but there can be little doubt that the instructions were 

 duly carried into effect. 



Under date 19th February, 1677, we learn, " The qlk day 

 the counsel 1 ordeans and appoynts the thesi" to pey to Wm. ffingas 

 ane of the pnt bail lies of this burgh the soume of ffyve libs Ster- 

 ling the one half therof at lambes to come and the uther half 

 therof at the last of March therefter in the year 1678 for his 

 incouragement to maintean a post from this burgh to Edgr weekly 

 for a year efter the last of March in this instant year and in caice 

 the sd Wm. doe not agree wt the gnall postmaster for the liberty 

 therof then ther puts to be null etc." 



Again under date 4th November, 1678, "The councill 

 ordeans the thssi" to pey to Wm. ffingas baillie the sowme of ffyve 

 pund Sterling the one halfe at Martimmes nixt to come and the 

 uther half at Witsunday nixt for his incuragment to mantean ane 

 post from this burgh to Edgr weekly for a year qlk begun a) 

 March the last day theirof bypast and ends at Apryle nixt." 



"20 Nov., 1679. — The councill continewis Wm ffingas 

 baillie his cellary for the post office as formerly and ordeans the 

 thesr to make payment yrof for this year commencing from Apryle 

 last."7 



Thus in the earliest days of local postal arrangements those 

 employed in the conveyance and delivery of letters were not 



6. Dumfries Town Council Minutes. 



7. Dumfries Town Council Minutes. 



