>The only sense I think it is used these days

of the two citations I gave... hang on a second...
In reply to:

I was reminded today of the British use of 'minute' as a verb; to wit: "On the 14th Churchill minuted Cadogan....", or "In no case should I phone him or minute him; even the internal lines were taboo."

...the first is from Stephen Dorril's "MI6" published this year and the second is from LeCarre's "Tinker, Tailor...". [where does the period belong in that last sentence?] both seem to be of the sense to write [a memo] to.