Between the years 1803 and 1830, a gentleman resident of London, under the
signature A. Z., presented from time to time to the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland, a collection of works respecting the Orkney and Shetland
islands, copiously illustrated with manuscript notes and inserted prints,
maps, &c. The internal evidence leaves no room to doubt that the donor of
this valuable collection was a native of Kirkwall; and recent
investigations lead to the conclusion that he was a Mr. John Munro,
originally in the office of Mr. John Heddle, Town Clerk of Kirkwall. He
appears to have gone to London about 1789, and to have passed the rest of
his life there, down to May, 1830, when his last communication was made to
the Scottish Antiquaries. A list of his donations is printed in the
_Archæologia Scotica_, vol. iii. pp. 267-274. His copious manuscript notes,
written in a very neat and legible hand, indicate not only a man of
intelligence and research, but also of an exceedingly amiable and kindly
disposition, and strongly influenced by the _amor patriæ_, which gave to
his donations their exclusive character.
I am anxious to ascertain what was Mr. Munro's occupation in London, the
date of his death, and any interesting or characteristic notes concerning
him. Judging from his tastes, it seems highly probable that he may have
been known to more than one of your metropolitan correspondents.
Perhaps you will not think such Queries undeserving of a corner in your
useful vehicle of literary intercommunication, nor A. Z.'s _anonimity_
unworthy of an effort to rede the riddle.