Series 4 > Papers on Peter May, Land Surveyor, 1749-1793

l80 PAPERS ON PETER MAY - LAND SURVEYOR
Peter May’s son, Alexander, to George Brown
nls. MS. 3258, f. 9
Elgin, 3 April 1771
I have at last prevailed upon myself to write you a few lines in order
to break through the long silence that has been between us in both
sides. But I hope for the future we will be better correspondents and
which in my humble opinion is the best way to make amends for
own past faults.
Allow me to trouble you with a small journal of my work for
fourteen days past. I set out from Linkwood this day fortnight for
Buckie, an estate belonging to Mr Cosmo Gordon of Cluny.1 The
weather was very stormy, however Mr May and I measured and
set two small farms. I kept the [blank] with his assistance. On the
Saturday after I went to Cullen with Mr May, had very little to do
there but continued till Wednesday night. On Thursday morning
Mr May went home to Elgin and I began the survey of two farms.
I have measured, protracted, cast up the measures and wrote out
the contents without the least assistance. They consist of about 130
acres. I can assure you I have improved more in measuring these
two farms than ever I did in my life before and I think with a
month’s practice I would become pretty well acquainted with the
field work.
I wish you would enquire at Mr May if he would allow me to go
for that time along with you to Badenoch. I should be well pleased
if Mr May would dispense with me to serve you for a year for very
moderate wages, but more of this at meeting.
Enquiries to the Earl of Kinnoull2 and the rest of the principal
managers, from Peter Charles, gardener sro. GD248/680/6
24 June 1771
1.1 want to know if that part of 1. Such ground in addition to
the nursery is to be trenched in the nursery as is proper should
October that is lying undone be- be trenched for the purposes
cause there is a great many oaks mentioned in this note; and for
1 Peter May took on his factorship receiving a salary of £42 per annum.
2 The Earl was acting as Commissioner for the absent 7th Earl of Findlater.