MYSTERY surrounds the origin of an incredibly rare Peeblesshire clock originally owned by a man with a love of punctuality.

Since an Edinburgh auction in May 1927 the clock has been cared for by three successive generations of the Walter family who have traded on Peebles High Street since 1864.

Jeweller, watchmaker and silversmith Keith Walter knew that his grandfather James Walter attended the sale and bought the clock 87 years ago.

Kent collector Lee Borrett, who bought the clock from Mr Walter two weeks ago, is trying to track back the provenance of the device which he thinks is one of the earliest surviving domestic clocks dating from the 1680s.

Mr Borrett said: “It was once owned by Sir James Fergusson, 2nd Baronet of Spittlehaugh, near West Linton who hated time wasting above all else and was renowned for his punctuality.

“It is a hooded-wall clock, housed in its original primitive oak case and is an incredibly rare survivor from the earliest period of provincial domestic clock making in Britain.” From his early research Mr Borrett believes that it could possibly have been in the Spittlehaugh Mansion House from the 1730s.

James Fergusson was the son of Sir William Fergusson, 1st Baronet of Spittehaugh. He was Surgeon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. On 10 October 1833 he married Helen, daughter and heiress of William Ranken of Spittlehaugh, Peeblesshire and he passed away in 1860.

Mr Borret wants to trace all of the clock’s 17th, 18th and 19th century owners and as a first step wants to find a copy of the 1927 auction catalogue.

The auction was conducted by Dowell’s Limited of George Street Edinburgh on Tuesday and Wednesday May 17 and 18. But Mr Borrett was surprised to discover the Scottish National Archive had sold Dowell’s entire archive of catalogues that were dated between 1879-1937. He is appealing to Peeblesshire News readers to see if anyone has a copy of the catalogue. Anyone with further information should phone 02083022916 or email: ll.borrett@gmail.com