Walker had a huge collection of books and other material, stacked in great piles throughout the house. The neighbours claimed they could hear them avalanching from time to time. His collection was first obtained by John Fairley, the Edinburgh bibliophile, much of whose collection (including the Walker material) was sold on his death to Gainsville in Florida in 1949 (Special Collections -Rare Books.Smathers Memorial Library, University of Florida   Florida).

Folk folk not in the DNB? I was pleased to be asked to write up William Walker, Alexander Keith, Gavin Greig, James Bruce Duncan, Walter Gregor, Francis Collinson, and (sadly) the modern David Buchan and Peter Hall.    It is not just for the 'great and good' generals, poets and statesmen or whatever, for you'll also see Peter Buchan, David Herd, Anna Gordon and Robert Tannahill there. Hamish Henderson is in, and Travellers such as Duncan Williamson will be appearing. Many public libraries have access to the [now Oxford] DNB online; it is well worth looking up as a first port of call on anyone.

If I can get to a post box, I'll send the meticulous Steve an offprint of the Pretty Peggy paper. I forgot to mention the reproduction of Buchan's MSS it contains has a neat drawing of one of Buchan's contributors, 'the blind beggar' James Rankin(e).