The letter reads as follows.

To:                 Messrs. Clark Ralston & Co. Campb’

From:            James Patten, The Renfrewshire Banking Company,          

                     Greenock.

Dated:            6^th July 1805.

Gent’n,

          We have to inform you that your acceptance to Clark Lamond & Co’s Drft £118. 15/- due the 17^th Ult lies in our Hands under protest for nonpayment.  We expect it will be taken up without further delay.

I am

          Gent’m,

                   Your Obedient  Serv’t,

For the Renfrewshire Banking Co.

James Patten.

        This is a brief letter from the Renfrewshire Banking Company in Greenock to Messrs. Clark Ralston & Co. in Campbeltown, Argyllshire and relates to the non payment (by Clark Lamond & Co.) of a bill.  This bill has been accepted by Clark Ralston & Co and funds would therefore have been released.  By accepting a bill the Acceptor takes on the obligation and if no funds are forthcoming from the Drawer then the acceptor will have to pay up.

     In many cases the Drawer and Acceptor were closely linked and the bill was produced merely to raise cash and with no commercial transaction behind it.  This type of bill was known and an Accommodation Bill.  In this case however I expect that the Bill did related to trade.

    

      Campbeltown is one of the handful of areas in Scotland categorised as a distinct whisky producing region, and is home to the Campbeltown Single Malt; at one point having 34 distilleries and proclaiming itself "the whisky capital of the world".  From limited research I can see the surnames Clark, Ralston and Lamond all mentioned in articles relating to Campbeltown distilleries although, admittedly, only as single surnames and no obvious linkages.  Given this, when considered with the obvious trade links between Greenock and a distiller, I believe that Messrs. Clark Lamond & Co. and Messrs. Clark Ralston & Co. were linked family businesses operating in the distilling industry. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who can provide further information.  To assist I can add that I previously owned a letter which was also dated 1805 and sent from Clark Ralston & Co, Glasgow (signed by J. Cameron) to Daniel Clark in Campbeltown and also mentioning bills for Clark Lamond & Co..  All references to Clark may be to Daniel Clark Esq., of Acheleck near Campbeltown.

     James Patten was a Founding Partner of the Renfrewshire Banking Company in 1802 and was also the Bank’s first Cashier.  He continued in this position until he retired from the Bank in 1833.  During his employment he signed the Banknotes on behalf of the Bank.