Robert Carrick of Braco (aka Robin Carrick) (1737–1821) was an 18th-century Scottish banker, who was one of the richest men ever to have lived in Scotland. A cold, hard man, he was a notorious miser. He was short and dumpy in stature within thin grey hair, tied in a pigtail. Carrick Street in central

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

was named in his honour in 1800.

Life

He was born in the manse of

Houston, Renfrewshire Houston ( ; sco, Houstoun), is a village in the council area of Renfrewshire and the larger historic county of the same name in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Houston lies within the Gryffe Valley on the banks of the River Gryffe nort ...

, the eldest son of Rev Robert Carrick and his wife Margaret Paisley Simson, daughter of Rev Prof John Simson of Glasgow College. His brother John Carrick became a surgeon in Glasgow. He entered banking as an apprentice clerk in 1752 aged 15 in the

Old Ship Bank The Ship Bank or more usually Old Ship Bank was an independent bank formed in Glasgow in 1750: Glasgow's first bank. History The bank was created in 1750 by Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier and other "Virginia Dons": Glasgow tobacco lords of the ...

(then owned by Dunlop, Houston & Co). One of the partners of the bank was Andrew Buchanan, an old personal friend of his father from their student days, and it is likely that Buchanan took him under his wing. Robert Carrick senior had been personal tutor to the Buchanan family and therefore Robert spent part of his childhood in the Buchanan home and was treated somewhat like a son of Buchanan. In 1775 he became manager and partner in the Old Ship Bank then owned by Moores Carrick & Company. Around 1785 he appears to have acquired the estates of Braco north-east of Glasgow. From 1796 he was Bailie of the city and was

Dean of Guild A Dean of Guild, under Scots law, was one of a group of burgh magistrates who, in later years, had the care of buildings. The leader of the group was known as Lord Dean of Guild. Originally, the post was held by the head of the Guild brethren o ...

from 1802. He died in his private attic rooms over the Ship Bank (then owned by Carrick Brown & Co) on 20 June 1821. He lived there with a single servant: his niece Miss Paisley. Miss Paisley was equally infamous, as Carrick had instructed her to haggle every farthing when shopping for food. The building stood on the corner of Saltmarket and Bridgegate. The building no longer exists but is remembered by the "Old Ship Bank" public house on the ground floor. When he died he left over £1 million, an outstanding fortune. This mainly passed to David Buchanan (1760–1827), nephew of

Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier (1690–1759) was a Scottish tobacco merchant who was one of Glasgow's "Tobacco Lords". He served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1740 to 1742. Buchanan Street in Glasgow is named after him. Life Andrew Buchana ...

, who thereafter named the family Carrick-Buchanan in respect of this windfall. David was also a joint partner in the Ship Bank at the time of Carrick's death. Despite his wealth (and due to his lack of family and lack of pre-planning to secure a grave of note) he is buried in an unmarked grave in the

Ramshorn Cemetery The Ramshorn Cemetery is a cemetery in Scotland and one of Glasgow's older burial grounds, located within the Merchant City district, and along with its accompanying church, is owned by the University of Strathclyde. It has had various names, ...

in central

.The Glasgow Graveyard Guide, Jimmy Black

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carrick, Robert 1737 births 1821 deaths Scottish bankers Misers People from Renfrewshire