The Nicols are not originally from thr Royal Burgh but my ancestor and 3 x great grand father was a regular soldier based at the Castle in the 5th Regular Scotch militia . He married a long girl Agnes Riddoch and became a shoemaker and Burgess of the Town in 1802 . His descendants established themselves as slaters and builders .John Nicol moved to Pitt Street in Glasgow and established a successful business with a yard in Union Terrace Partick .