William Robertson (bef. 1711 - 1771)

Born before 25 Nov 1711 in Bervie, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Husband of Mary Monro — married 15 Dec 1753 in Banff, Banffshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 10 Apr 1771 after age 59 in Banff, Banffshire, Scotland

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Biography

This profile is part of the Robinson Name Study.

William Robertson was baptised on November 25, 1711 in Bervie, Kincardineshire, Scotland, son of James Robertson (~1668–1758) and Elizabeth Burness (~1673–1733)^[1].

William (42) married Mary Monro (22) (born before August 3, 1731 in Banff; daughter of William Munro and Mary Talbot) on December 15, 1753 in Banff.

Their children were:

• Mary Robinson (<1757–1838)
• George Robinson (<1758–1825)
• Elizabeth Robinson (<1762– )
• Jean Robinson (<1766–1846)

William died on April 10, 1771 in Banff, aged 59. ^[2]

Research Notes

From the Banff McDuff Heritage Trail:

"The Linen Trade in Banff

In the 1700s flax and linen provided Banff and the surrounding area with a huge amount of employment.

In 1798 the linen manufacturing business set up in 1753 and owned by the Robinson family provided work for 300 workers within Banff and 4000 spinners in the surrounding area. The business in Banff was run from Kingswell Lane. It’s been estimated that 50,000 yards of cloth were made in Banff in 1790 and 5000 people were employed in Banff Parish making linen thread, which was sent to Leith by ship and then by road to Nottingham.

Flax was imported from Holland (3500 matts per annum) and grown locally. Flax was grown and then went through a large number of processes to turn it into linen thread. The fibres of the woody stem are used to make the linen but the process for extracting the fibres is quite labour- intensive and time-consuming. This may have been why other fibres such as cotton and wool became more commonly used and led to the decline of the local linen industry by the mid-1800s.

One of the challenges was to produce really white linen and the Dutch developed a process of soaking the linen in sour milk and fulling (pounding) it with water powered hammers. The Robinsons from Banff are credited with introducing this technique to the Midlands of England, having taken over a mill on the River Leen at Bulwell in 1740.

The Robinsons were a family (originally a family of Robertson) from Inverbervie who had moved to Nottingham and then adopted the name Robinson. One of the sons – George – came to Banff, when William his brother was murdered by officers of the 43rd regiment, after a skirmish outside the Black Bull Inn. William had been a partner to Alexander Hay in linen manufacture in Banff. In 1765 George married Bathia, the daughter of George Garden a merchant in Banff. George Robinson and his son George Garden Robinson were the Provosts of Banff for a considerable length of time (1784 -1831) with only two periods with other people in post. George Robinson was a generous host who was said to be fair-minded."

From The History of Banff by James Imlach: MURDER OF A CITIZEN. Some years after this period, a shocking outrage occurred, in consequence of the Government thinking it necessary to have the North country pretty much under the surveillance of the military, to oversee those spirits who still cherished a warm feeling for the exiled Prince. In our town, but few adherents remained to breathe even an aspiration for his return; still, corps of soldiers were passing to and fro, and occasionally quartering in the town. At such a time, a set of the officers had been carousing in the principal Hotel, the Black Bull, which stood opposite to the house presently occupied by Mr Leask, and built in the year 1745 by Mr William Robinson or Robertson, grand uncle to the late Provost G. G. Robinson, and inhabited by him and his numerous family at the time. Mr R. had been out dining at a friend's house, and, on returning to his house in the evening, found these officers fully occupied in soft dalliance inside the court with his attractive nurserymaids, which raised the gentleman's ire, probably a little elevated by the good cheer and company which he had left. This exuberance he, no doubt, let loose at the redcoats, who, it appears, were too ready to return fire, and a scuffle ensued. One of the officers had got hors de combat somehow, and his friend, writhing at the insult, ran across the street for his sword, and being inflated with wine and frenzy, ran the good gentleman of the house through the body, when he was carried into his sorrowing wife and family. • This murderous outrage caused a great sensation, and was taken warmly up by the authorities of the town, who did not fail to represent the shocking deed in all its melancholy details, and the irredeemable loss to the bereaved lady and family. Little sympathy, and as little redress, was accorded by the military powers, as decided measures had to be studied in these times, when many of the disaffected were still in league against the government. • It is a matter of interest to look back on the fate of this family under a watchful Providence. The only son in after years became George Robinson of Clairmiston, near Edinburgh, and a distinguished lawyer. The ladies got married to some of the most respectable gentlemen in our neighbourhood. One became wife to the Laird of Montblairy, General Hay, who fell in the Battle of Orthes, fighting under the Great Duke in the Spanish War ; the second was married to the Laird of Auchry, Mr Cummine of that ilk ; another was Mrs Rose of Montcoffer ; the fourth was Mrs Dr Law of Edinburgh ; and the last was the wife of Mr Dugald, a London barrister. So! the Almighty careth for the widow and the fatherless."

Children

James became doctor and practised in London before emigrating to Demerara, where he died in 1810. He owned lot 23 on the west coast of the Essequibo River, known as Plantation Andrew, probably after his son:

• "Highland Scots in Guyana before Emancipation"

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XBH4-JBS : 16 September 2021), William Robertson, 1711.
2. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZRM-4HQ7 : 8 November 2023), William Robertson, ; Burial, Banff, , Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Banff Old Parish Churchyard; citing record ID 225269625, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.