Robert Walker (minister) facts for kids
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Robert Walker (born April 30, 1755 – died June 30, 1808) was a minister in the Church of Scotland. He is most famous for being the person shown in the well-known painting The Skating Minister by Henry Raeburn.
Robert Walker's Life
Robert Walker was born in a town called Monkton in Ayrshire, Scotland. His father, William Walker, was also a minister. He worked at the Scots Church in Rotterdam, which is in the Netherlands.
Many of the men in Robert's family were ministers in the Church of Scotland. His father was a minister, and so were his uncle and grandfather. His uncle, also named Robert Walker, was a minister at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. He was also the leader of the Church of Scotland's main meeting in 1771.
Robert's father moved to Rotterdam in 1760. It's thought that Robert learned to skate on the frozen canals there.
Like his father and grandfather, Robert became a minister. He was allowed to preach in 1770, just before his 15th birthday. In 1776, he became the minister of Cramond, a town near Edinburgh.
In 1784, he moved to become the main minister at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. This church is close to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This meant he was in the center of important Scottish life. He stayed at Canongate Kirk until he passed away in 1808.
Robert Walker was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers starting in 1779. He became their chaplain (a kind of spiritual advisor) in 1798. In 1784, he joined the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He also served as chaplain for the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
He wrote and published some books during his life. In 1791, he released a collection of his sermons (religious speeches). In 1794, he published a book about the Psalms of David and another book about the Dutch people.
The Famous Painting
Robert Walker joined the Edinburgh Skating Club in 1780. This club would meet to skate on Duddingston Loch, a lake near Edinburgh. This is the scene shown in the famous painting The Skating Minister by Henry Raeburn.
The painting was likely made around 1795. For nearly 150 years, the painting stayed with Robert Walker's family and was not well known. In 1926, his great-granddaughter sold the painting. Later, in 1949, the National Gallery of Scotland bought it at an auction.
Robert Walker's Family
In May 1778, Robert Walker married Jean Fraser. She was the daughter of a lawyer. They had five children together: two daughters named Magdalene and Jane, and three sons named John, William, and Robert.
