STRACHAN, Alexander Merchant and Postmaster in Banff ¹

   Another name for Alexander was STRACHAN, Alexr.

  General Notes:

"Three years later, on 7th April 1741, the Justices considering that they have not as yet named constables in the county to execute their warrands and doe office incumbent on constables, which is frequently a loss to the Hedges, they therefore doe hereby name and appoynt following as constables persons to the Justices within this County, vizt.; James Longmuir in Portsoy, John Reed in Miln of Burn, Peter Wood in Muir of Glassa and John Davidson at Miln of Towie, all in ffordyce parish; George Robieson in Bankanentim and Jo Strachan at Burnmouth in the parish of Cullen; David Wilson in Gardenhead of Park and John Coupland in Park, in the parish of Ordiewhill ; Robert Gumming in Raws of Banff, George Gairden at Blairshinnoch and George Miln in Paddocklaw in Banff parish; Alexr. Miln at Miln of Alva, John Rudieman in Boig of Monblairy and James Wilson in Newtoun in Alva parish; Thomas Robertson in Scotstoun and George Webster in Kirktoun in fforglane parish; John Miln in Monblaiton, Alexr. Strachan in ffinnon and John Piper in Oldtown of Melross in Gamrie parish, w' full power to them."

from Records of the County of Banff

"1742.

February 1. — The provost reported that there was interest being made to have Alexander Strachan, merchant, late Postmaster, again settled in that office. The Council are of opinion that the office cannot be in better hands than at present, and they recommend the Magistrates to write the General Postmaster to that effect, and as Mr. Strachan's conduct when he was Postmaster was far from being agreeable to the town -he was suspected of useing the freedome to make open people's letters, and there seemed to be a general clamour against him on that account- that the Magistrates take proof if he is guilty of the crimes laid to his charge."

"In 1743 an unfortunate occurrence happened in the town, whereby a citizen lost his life, or, as the precognition bears, ' was murdered.' On 7th December some goods had been seized by the Customs officials and conveyed from the Shore to a cellar in the house of Alexander Strachan, merchant and postmaster. George Loban, landwaiter of the Customs at Aberdeen, fearing an attempt at recapturing the goods, applied for a party from the officer commanding at Cullen. Accordingly Joseph Ball, Sergeant in Colonel De Grange's Regiment, with ten men, were sent to aid Loban. Some soldiers of Sergeant Walker's Company were also in Banff at the time. About one o'clock next morning a mob appeared before Alexander Strachan's house and remained there for four hours, during which time they threw stones at the soldiers. Ball had been warned by his Officer not to order his men to fire. Hector M'Kenzie, workman, however, was shot, as he was approaching the sentries between five and six o'clock A.M. with the butt end of a broken halbert, certain others of the mob following him. A witness said he heard a soldier say he had dropt a man and it was agreed not to speak of it M'Kenzie's relict, Mary Fraser, deponed that he was designedly aimed at and shot by George Loban or by Joseph Ball, or by some one of the soldiers. John Cruickshank, who lived on the east side of the street opposite Strachan's house, stated that one ball went into his house and seven shots grazed the wall of the house. An important letter from His Majesty's Solicitor in connection with this case had a fate not singular in those days. It was despatched from Edinburgh 20th December, 1742, and arrived at Banff at 6 o'clock on the evening of 3rd January, 1743. The express stated that he lay sick ten days on the road. About this time affairs were not in a very settled state either by land or sea, as...extracts from the Burgh Accounts show..."

extracts from The Annals of Banff ²

Alexander married Margaret ROBERTSON in 1721 in Boyndie Parish, Banffshire, Scotland. (Margaret ROBERTSON was born in 1699, died on 13 January 1764 and was buried in Banff Churchyard, Banffshire, Scotland.)