74 The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. 



About this period also James Al'Clure (1763-1813), the 

 friend and companion of the Poet Burns, filled the position of a 

 letter-carrier, while at a later period David Johnstone (1795- 

 1810) performed the duties of a riding post between Dumfries, 

 Thornhill, and Sanquhar. 



In 1804 Mr William Gordon was succeeded in the control of 

 the office by Mr Robert Threshie, who appears to have had, for 

 a few years, the assistance of a Miss Gilchrist, probably a grand- 

 daughter of Bailie James Gilchrist, a previous holder of the office 

 of Postmaster. Mr Threshie located the Post Office in Buccleuch 

 Street, in premises which occupied a site adjoining the present 

 Town Hall, but this step, as evidenced by the following 

 communication from Mr Threshie to the Town Council through 

 David Staig, Esq., the Provost, does not appear to have met 

 with the approval of the inhabitants of the burgh. 



Dumfries, 23d Febv., 1805. 

 Sir,— 



It has been complained to me that the present situation 

 of the Post Office in Buccleuch Street, being distant from the 

 center of the Town, is extremely inconvenient to the bulk of the 

 Inhabitants — -I should have felt happy in being able to obviate 

 that inconvenience, but the Emoluments being limited, and 

 having been at considerable expence fitting up the Office where 

 it is, I had no inducement to remove it. Being anxious however 

 to accommodate the public and understanding the Old Guard- 

 house belonging to the Town will soon be unoccupied, I should 

 be inclined even to sacrifice "the expense I have been put to, and 

 with considerable personal inconvenience to myself, to remove 

 the Office to that more centrical place, provided the Town 

 would agree to fit it up, and set it me in lease at a moderate rent. 

 I persuade myself, you and the whole other Magistrates and 

 Town Council will feel equally disposed to encourage this pro- 

 posal, and shall expect to be favoured with an early answer, 

 meantime 



I have the honor to be 

 Sir 



Your Most 



huml Servt 



R. Threshie. 



