Edinburgh, 26 Cowgate, Pollock's Close

Pollock's Close is listed on Ainslie 1780 and was named for John Pollock, who kept an inn and stables here in the early 1770s that served as headquarters for carriers to and from Jedburgh, Hawick, Broughton, Moffat, Stirling and Dunblane. Before that, the close was Skinners Close, possibly in connection with William Graham, skinner, who married a Catherine Alison of the family connected with the adjoining Alison's Close; but since Grahams were skinners in Edinburgh from 1474 onwards, there could be some other family connection with the close. (from Stuart Harris, "Place Names of Edinburgh", 1996, page 500)