George Craig of Galashiels: The Life and Work of a Nineteenth Century Lawyer

What the letter books of a Galashiels lawyer reveal about the life of his community.

• Presents the first detailed historical study of a local lawyer in Scotland
• Draws on never-before-seen correspondence, which covers 20 years in the working life of Craig and his associates
• Provides fascinating insights into the world of the bank agent, local urban and economic history and legal practice in the 19th century

What was it like to practise as a lawyer and bank agent in a rural Scottish community on the cusp of modernity? George Craig was Sir Walter Scott’s local banker, a writer, insurance agent, election agent and baron bailie of Galashiels. Based on thousands of recently discovered letters, this is the first study of a provincial nineteenth-century Scots lawyer and the community he served.