During the 1880s and 1890s Hunter and McMorran Ironmongers, located at 53 High Street, was the first shop in the town to have electric lighting, powered from a private generator. Installed by David Hunter, a pioneer in the field of electrical engineering, this close was named after him.
Later, Hunter was responsible for fitting the first shop in Edinburgh with electric light. An enthusiastic astronomer and builder of astronomical telescopes, he was commissioned to build a telescope for the Astronomer Royal in Edinburgh.
Designed & built by Mucky Puddle