In March 1765, Edinburgh merchants Alexander & Sons contracted with the Borrowstounness merchant house of James Scrimgeour & Son to freight the ship the Duke of Athol for a voyage to Grenada—after considering a trip to Maryland or Virginia—with a cargo of herring, staves, and green linens. Due to a variety of accidents, the ship did not make it to Grenada until after the end of sugar season. Having no sugar to collect and bring back to Scotland, the agent at Grenada for Alexander & Sons convinced the ship’s captain to sail for (North) Carolina. Within days of the ship’s arrival in Wilmington, protests broke out over the Stamp Act, delaying the ship’s loading and departure for months. When the Duke of Athol finally returned to Leith, Alexander & Sons brought a legal dispute against James Scrimgeour & Son over the respective financial obligations of the parties due to the ship's delay.
Documents in this case (10)
- James Scrymgeour and Son v. William Alexander and Son — Information, 14 Jan 1769
- James Scrimgeour and Son v. William Alexander and Sons — Information, 1 Feb 1769
- Alexander — Petition, 9 Mar 1769
- William Alexander and Sons v. James Scrimgeour and Son — Answers, 24 Apr 1769
- James Scrimgeour and Son v. William Alexander and Sons — Memorial, 18 Jul 1770
- James Scrimgeour and Son v. Mess. William Alexander and Sons — Memorial, 18 Jul 1770
- Scrimgeour — Petition, 15 Feb 1771
- James Scrymgeour and Son v. William Alexander and Sons — Proof, 16 Feb 1771
- Mess. William Alexander and Sons v. James Scrimgeour and Son — Memorial, 28 Feb 1771
- James Scrimgeour and Son v. William Alexander and Sons — Memorial, 28 Feb 1771
People involved
- James Scrimgeour — Pursuer
- William Alexander and Sons — Defender
- Alexander Lockhart, Lord Covington — Advocate for Pursuer
- John MacLaurin, Lord Dreghorn — Advocate for Defender
- James Ferguson, 2nd Laird of Pitfour, Lord Pitfour — Lord Ordinary
- Alexander-John Alexander — Named in case documents
- William Purviance — Named in case documents
- James Waddel — Named in case documents
- Robert Robb — Named in case documents
- Robert Paterson — Named in case documents
- David Gray — Named in case documents
- Ellis Martin — Named in case documents
- William Dick — Named in case documents
- John Cowan — Named in case documents
In March 1765, Edinburgh merchants Alexander & Sons contracted with the Borrowstounness merchant house of James Scrimgeour & Son to freight the ship the Duke of Athol for a voyage to Grenada—after considering a trip to Maryland or Virginia—with a cargo of herring, staves, and green linens. Due to a variety of accidents, the ship did not make it to Grenada until after the end of sugar season. Having no sugar to collect and bring back to Scotland, the agent at Grenada for Alexander & Sons convinced the ship’s captain to sail for (North) Carolina. Within days of the ship’s arrival in Wilmington, protests broke out over the Stamp Act, delaying the ship’s loading and departure for months. When the Duke of Athol finally returned to Leith, Alexander & Sons brought a legal dispute against James Scrimgeour & Son over the respective financial obligations of the parties due to the ship's delay.
