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A rather belated update to our correspondence. I checked the Muster Rolls and found that my GGG Grandfather, Alexander Buchanan, was listed as a Private at Fort George in 1797 leaving as a Sergeant, to join the Ross Militia in 1799. The final entry states he was "from Genaders", which I take as a miss spelling of Grenadiers and that he was formerly with the Breadalbane Fencibles who had a Grenadiers Company and were based at Fort George until 1797 when the were replaced by Hopetoun's Fencibles. This also fits in with Alexander being born at Kilmahog in the Trossachs, on the fringes of the Breadalbane recruiting area.
Alan Buchanan

The Stations of the Hopetoun Fencibles lists them being at Banff from October 1793 until June 1794 when they moved to Dumfries after being set up in Linlithgow. When I visited Kew, there were no records available but it might be because they are listed as 'Southern or 7th Fencibles'.  Is there much detail and is it possible I might find my ancestor on the lists?
Our first flat in 1962 was in Landsdowne Place. Steve Ovett, who was a Brighton Athletic club mate of mine had his first flat in Palmeira Square, when he married.
Another coincidence, our youngest son, the reason we returned to Scotland, has a TEFL degree and teaches in Edinburgh having spent his early teaching days in Brazil and Chile where he met his wife.
Alan

Hello Harry,
                   thanks for the prompt reply. I lived in Sussex for 41 years until 7 years ago and was able to visit Kew where I found on a Ross Militia Muster Roll that my GGG Grandfather Alexander Buchanan was 'late of the Hopetoun Fencibles' moving to Tain in 1799 after the demobilisation of the Fencibles. I read in the Hopetoun Papers at the Archives in Edinburgh a letter from the Home Secretary stating that 'the best of the young men would make the non-commissioned officers of the new Militia.'
                 Where and when Alexander was recruited to the HF is a mystery. I believe his family moved from their Kilmahog home to Edinburgh and that he was a weaver, a trade that suffered greatly in the 1790's which might have led him to follow a military career but as you state, the HF were also based at Aberdeen for some time as stated in the 'Stations of the Hopetoun Fencibles' and in the poem/song "The Hopetoun Fencible Farewell to the Camp at Don Links"
                Alexander moved from Sergeant with the Militia to Sgt Major with the Tain Volunteers until 1811 when he and his family were transported to Woolwich as a Gunner(!) in the Royal Artillery where his wife gave birth to his 4th daughter, then back to settle in Aberdeen and return to Weaving and where his wife had their 2nd son. The Aberdeen connection again although the fact that his wife was born in that county is the probable explanation.
               Any other anecdotes from the Courant would be helpful as it gives me good background.
                best wishes
                Alan (12885m)