Ayton Local History Society
and
Ayton Heritage
====== Ayton Berwickshire ======
The David Sinclair Book
David Sinclair was a grocer and spirit merchant in Ayton in the 19th century. His shop was near the junction of the Old Town and High Street.
A ledger book covering the period 1866 to 1869 was given to the History Society and this has been partially transcribed by members.
The book is 16.5 inches tall 6.5 inches wide and 3 inches deep (42cm x 16cm x 8cm approx) and contains 958 pages.
Goods purchased by customers were recorded with the quantity, price, date, customer's name (and often address or profession) being recorded. It appears that a bill would have been run up and then paid off after a period of time, with the payment being recorded as credit. Against each entry is a large tick, presumably recording that a payment had been made and perhaps being the origin of the phrase "getting goods on tick".
The book provides a list of goods which were being sold at that time, some of which are unfamiliar to us today.
Two lists have been compiled from the transcribing work done by the History Society.
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A list of goods with an explanatory note where further information is necessary and known.
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A list of customers names with any additional information about them which has been obtained mostly from the 1861 census and the Ayton Monumental Inscriptions book published by Borders Family History Society.
