This is a relatively routine letter from a Customer to his Banker.  It appealed to me for several reasons including it being addressed to a branch of the Bank in which in which once worked.  The history linked to the people behind the letters is far more interesting!

The spelling and punctuation is as per the letter which reads as follows.

To:                 David Morgan Esq., Bank of Scotland Office, Kirkcaldy.

From:             William Balfour, Bankhead.

Dated:            11^th March 1822.

Sir

           I am favoured with yours of the 4^th Cur’t. advising that Messrs James & Ronaldson had drawn upon me for Too hundred pounds Stg. at three months which draught I will pay when due.

          I told my Son John to intimate this to you on Saturday last when at Kirkcaldy, but some how or other he seems to have misunderstood me and to day have a letter from Mr. Ronaldson that you had advised him the draught would be returned under protest.  I hope after this intimation you will not do it.

          I am

                   Sir,

                             Your Most Ob’ Serv’

                                    William Balfour

         The purpose and content of the letter are fairly routine and relate to an acknowledgement that William Balfour has £200 to pay some three months hence.  Without knowing more of the circumstances it would appear that James and Ronaldson were advised by the Bank of Scotland that the bill would not be accepted (in loose terms a form of acknowledgement of the obligation by Balfour) as they had been misinformed, or misunderstood, John Balfour.

            Of perhaps greater interest are the parties to the transaction - namely James and Ronaldson, William Balfour and “Morgan” – the Bank Agent.

            Unfortunately I can find no reference to James and Ronaldson and this party shall have to remain a mystery until I learn otherwise.  The nature of the transaction does however suggest that they were merchants with whom Balfour traded.  Both William Balfour and Morgan can be found in history ~ both for very different reasons.

            The 1825 Edinburgh Annual Register has an article entitled “Ascent of Mr W. Sadler, and Mr Campbell of Saddel” and relates the tale of how on the 28^th June 1825 the “public of Edinburgh were on the tiptoe of expectation, by the promised ascent of Mr Sadler’s balloon.  The magnificent machine, which is capable of containing 28,000 cubic feet of gas, was placed in Herriot’s Hospital Green at eight o’clock…” 

         The article continues to advise of the arrival of Mr Sadler; soon followed by Mr Campbell  - “being a man of weight who rather disturbed the equilibrium...”  The flight eventually began at 3pm and the balloon flew over Leith.  “It then proceeded steadily up the Firth, passing the guard-ship, and afterwards took a North Eastwards direction towards Elie, on the Fife coast, at some distance from which, in a field belonging to Mr Balfour of Bankhead Farm, the aeronauts landed in safety, at two minutes past five o’ clock, having consumed exactly two hours in their daring exercise”  It must have been something worth seeing.  The article continues with reference to Mr Balfour's daughter assisting the landing by taking up the lines whilst more able bodied farm hands stood back - the suggesting being that they were perhaps in fear.

        I can trace a the Balfour family in the area and this may be a link to someone's research.

          The name of Morgan in Kirkcaldy is perhaps far more famous.  David Morgan was a prominent lawyer in Kirkcaldy and was appointed the Agent for Bank of Scotland in that town in 1816.  In 1820 his son George joined him as co-agent.  George Morgan was a half pay lieutenant in the 72^nd Regiment and is described as an “arrogant and irascible man”.  He was no protector of the confidences of his Clients and publicly questioned to the creditworthiness of David Landale. 

        The Landale family was a prominent merchant family in Kirkcaldy and David Landale, (born in 1786) continued to demonstrate the family skill for business and was a linen manufacturer and bleachfield owner.  In 1818 he established the Kirkcaldy and Leith Shipping Company and built a counting house on the east quay of the harbour.  By the early 1820s he was one of the most prosperous men in Kirkcaldy ~ albeit only in his mid-thirties. 

A quarrel resulted from the questioning of Landale’s creditworthiness and despite the attempts of many close friends this quarrel grew to the extent that Morgan challenged Landale to a duel with pistols.  Landale – whilst reluctant – was caught up in the “honour” of the duel and at Cardenbarns (on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy) Landale shot Morgan dead on 23^rd August 1826.

There are further interesting aspects to this duel insofar as Landale was acquitted as he was believed to have done everything he could to avoid the dual and, having failed, was acting in self-defence.  Witnesses for the defence of Landale included Walter Fergus (the town’s former Provost ~ and later to become a banker in his own right) and Archibald Bennet, the Secretary of the Bank of Scotland.  Time passed and in 1839 Alexander Gibson Morgan joined his uncle (David) in the Bank agency.  A. G. Morgan subsequently went on to marry David Landale’s Daughter and then late saw the establishment of Landale, Morgan & Co, jute manufacturers of Calcutta.

The above is only as brief report on the affair - which incidentally was the last duel fought in Scotland - and for further information I can do no better than to refer the reader to James Landale’s excellent book “Duel – A True Story of Death and Honour”

I believe George Morgan is buried in Kirkcaldy where his death is recorded as “GEORGE MORGAN, jnr: joint Agent for Bank of Scotland, Lieut half-pay, 77th Reg of Foot; 22/23 Aug 1826 (43); killed in the duel with David Landale”

The pistols used by David Landale survice and can be found in the Kirkcaldy Museum.

I have several items of correspondence involving Messrs Morgan in Kirkcaldy with these dating from 1822 through to 1858 although unfortunately I have none signed by George Morgan.  The closest I can get to him is him being mentioned in a letter from Leith to Messrs D & G Morgan, dated 8th May 1822, and saying that "Mr Geo Morgan when here did not hint to us in the least that he wished us to pay the Balance on Knox's Bill then, but said he thought Knox would pay the same himself upon our writing him which we accordingly did that night."

I'm certainly glad that customer complaints are handled in a difference manner these days!