William Robertson (antiquary) facts for kids
William Robertson (1740–1803) was a very smart Scottish man from the 1700s. He was an expert in old things, like history and ancient documents, which is what an antiquary is. He also had a very important job: he was the Keeper of Records for Scotland. This meant he was in charge of all the important historical papers and documents for the whole country!
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William Robertson's Life
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Early Life and Education
William Robertson was born in a place called Fordyce in northern Scotland in 1740. His parents were James Robertson and Isabella Taylor. He went to Fordyce Grammar School, where he became good friends with George Chalmers. George also grew up to be an expert in old things!
From 1755 to 1757, William studied law at Aberdeen University. After that, he started working as an apprentice for a lawyer named Mr. Turner in Aberdeen.
Working with Important People
In 1758, Mr. Turner let William go to work for a very important judge, Lord Monboddo. William became Lord Monboddo's personal assistant. He even helped Lord Monboddo with a famous court case called the "Douglas case."
In 1766, Lord Monboddo recommended William for another job. He became the Chamberlain for James Ogilvy, 6th Earl of Findlater. A Chamberlain helps manage a noble family's household and lands. In 1773, William met the famous writer Dr. Samuel Johnson at Cullen House. This happened when Dr. Johnson was visiting the Earl during his well-known trip around Scotland.
Becoming Keeper of Records
Later in 1773, William got a big job at the Register House in Edinburgh. This building holds all of Scotland's important historical documents. He became a joint Deputy Keeper, working alongside his brother, Alexander Robertson. Alexander had been the Deputy Keeper since earlier that year.
In 1790, William's career reached its peak. He became the main Keeper of Records for all of Scotland! This was a very important role, as he was responsible for preserving the nation's history.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1799, William Robertson was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group of very smart people who are experts in science and learning. Important people like Andrew Dalzell, Lord Woodhouselee, and John Playfair suggested him for this honor.
William Robertson passed away on March 4, 1803. He died at his home at 1 St Andrew Square in Edinburgh. He is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, a famous graveyard in the city center. His house was later taken down in 1890 to build a new building, which is now a public house.
His Family
In 1773, William Robertson married Margaret Donald. She was the daughter of Captain Alexander Donald, who was part of the Gordon Highlanders, a famous Scottish army regiment.
