Glen Mhor Logbook 6th September 1966

The rarity of a cancelled entry remaining in situ. From memory, I think this is only the second time that this has happened during our logbook journey, whereas other pages have been clearly removed. In a way, it is good to see these entries as from the prior example, it was the calculations that were amended on a subsequent entry.

For this page, I can confirm that the following would see a new summary, effectively replacing this cancellation, but we'll come to that in the next article.

What's interesting is that we are seeing things being recorded less frequently in the logbook, which effectively confirms practices were changing in terms of there being less presence from Customs & Excise on site, and, things may have been running smoothly without much intervention required. 

'Honourable Commissioners of C&E

via Collector Inverness

Report under chgs Att. para 135(b)

I have to report that the M.G.C. Urquart extraman, was employed on 1st, 2nd and 5th September to watch during reconstruction of warehouses at this distillery.

Attendance was given between 9am and 5pm on each day, and a deposit of £10.16.0 has been paid by the distiller to cover the cost of the three periods of eight hours.

Obediently yours

J.R. Hughes

6/9/66

Lunch has break - 12.0 - 12.30'

Eager for another insight, I send this entry to Alan Winchester for his thoughts on the contents:

'I am not sure when Revenue Assistants (Watchers was the colloquialism), were first employed, there role was that of a security guard, but they were uniformed, it was more a role of allowing to free up the Officer, to cover staff or contractors when they were working in the Duty Free Warehouses, they had the Excise keys, and normally sat in the office at the door, we called them "the Watchers' Office", you can still see them in some Duty Free Warehouses, if not removed.  It does mention reconstruction of Warehouse, so unsure what that could be, repairs, or some change of use.'

So, aptly named and essentially the eyes of the Excise operation without having the full range of duties or authority. As for the work, we'll have to keep on digging to see what warehouse modifications were undertaken in 1966, as these are previously unrecorded anywhere and another discovery for the project.

This Log Book comes from the Highland Archives Centre (HCA/D31/4/1/25) and is watermarked for its protection. As with any images on this website, please ask first before using and always give credit.