The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. 73 



We are indebted to the issue of the " Dumfries Courier ' ' for 

 May 10, 1841, for yet another reference to mail-coach arrange- 

 ments in our district : — 



" We learn from good authority that an application was 

 made within these few days to Mr Maberly, in London for an 

 acceleration of the Galloway mail and that the application was 

 met by an announcement of the intention of Government to give 

 up both the Mail and the Port and send all the Irish bags by 

 Glasgow. It is the further apprehension of our informant that 

 Mails twice a day accelerated to the utmost are to be established 

 and that, from that line as a trunk, branches with riders or gigs 

 will be established to Dumfries, Annan, &c., and that we shall 

 lose all our coaches." 



The intentions of the Government would appear to have 

 been reconsidered, and although the port at Port Patrick was 

 afterwards given up we know that a mail coach continued to run 

 between Dumfries and Port Patrick until the year 1861. 



In addition to the mail coaches, a number of other coaches 

 plied to and from Dumfries for passenger traffic and in at least 

 one instance a private coach was utilised also for the conveyance 

 of the mails. 



Thus we learn, " that the Dumfries and Kirkcudbright coach 

 which carries the mail bags betwixt these towns and Dalbeattie 

 and Castle-Douglas, will shortly run to Dalbeattie via Xewabbey, 

 Kirkbean, and Southwick in place of the direct route at present 

 followed. In addition to its usual despatches the coach will carry 

 bags for Newabbev, Kirkbean, etc., which are now conveyed by a 

 foot post."^° 



Consequent upon the introduction of mail coaches the work 

 of the Dumfries Post Office appears to have increased to such an 

 extent that it was found necessary to employ a clerk. Under 

 date 19th September, 1786, we learn from the Council Minutes 

 that one Charles Gordon, clerk in the post office, was admitted 

 burgess and freeman of the Burgh. This is the first mention of 

 a clerk, the said Charles Gordon being apparently a nephew of 

 William Gordon, Postmaster, who had charge of the office in 

 Friars' Vennel. 



30. "Courier," loth Jan., 1844. 



