William Robertson (1686–1745) was a Scottish minister of the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...

. He was minister of the famous

Greyfriars Kirk Greyfriars Kirk () is a parish church of the Church of Scotland, located in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is surrounded by Greyfriars Kirkyard. Greyfriars traces its origin to the south-west parish of Edinburgh, f ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and patriarch to the Robertson family who dominated Edinburgh society for a century.

Life

He was born at Chapel of Wemyss in

Fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...

on 30 June 1686, the third son of William Robertson of Gladney and Brunton (near

Cupar Cupar ( ; ) is a town, former royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland. It lies between Dundee and Glenrothes. According to a 2011 population estimate, Cupar had a population around 9,000, making it the ninth-largest settlement in Fife, and the ...

), and his wife, Margaret Mitchell. He was licensed to preach as a

minister by the presbytery of

Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy ( ; ; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest s ...

in 1711 and went to work in the Scots Church in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in the same year. In September 1714 he returned to Scotland as minister of Borthwick south of

. After almost two decades in Borthwick he translated to

Lady Yester's Church Lady Yester's Kirk was a parish church of the Church of Scotland and one of the burgh churches of Edinburgh. Founded in 1647, it served the south-eastern part of Edinburgh's Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town until its union with Greyfriars Kirk in 19 ...

in Edinburgh in November 1733. Three years later he moved to Old Greyfriars, one of the city's most important charges.''Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae''; by Hew Scott His interest in history was passed on to his son, William Robertson who followed in his shoes both to Lady Yester's Church and Greyfriars. He died in Edinburgh on 16 November 1745 and is buried in

Greyfriars Kirkyard Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 1 ...

probably in the same position where his son's mausoleum was built.

Family

In October 1720 he married Eleanor Pitcairn daughter of David Pitcairn of Dreghorn near

Colinton Colinton is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated southwest of the city centre. Up until the late 18th century it appears on maps as Collington. It is bordered by Dreghorn to the south and Craiglockhart to the north-east. To the north-w ...

. They were parents to: * Rev William Robertson (born 1721) noted historian and Principal of

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and offi ...

* Robert Robertson (born 1722) lived only two months * Mary (1723–1803) married Rev James Syme of

Alloa Alloa (Received Pronunciation ; Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; , possibly meaning "rock plain") is a town in Clackmannanshire in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot where some say it ceases to ...

mother-in-law to Henry Brougham and grandmother to Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham * Margaret (1725–1781) married Alexander Bruce an Edinburgh merchant * Elizabeth (born 1727) married Archibald Hope * Patrick Robertson (1729–1790) an Edinburgh jeweller * Helen (1734–1816) * James (born 1737) lived a few days * Jane (born 1738) married William Gifford * Eupham (1739–1807) married James Cunningham of Hyndhope * Archibald (1741–1742)

Publications

*Ministers Ought to Please God Rather Than Men (1737) * Paraphrase 25, 42 and 43 (1745)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, William 1686 births 1745 deaths Clergy from Fife 18th-century ministers of the Church of Scotland 18th-century Scottish Presbyterian ministers