Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Robinson
Designation:  
Born: 1734
Died: 1794
Bio Notes: Robert Robinson was born in 1734, the son of William Robinson, gardener, Durham, and younger brother of William Robinson. He worked as a draughtsman and ‘executor of the Designs of Lancelot [Capability] Brown’. He worked as both architect and landscape gardener.

It is not clear why or when he moved to Edinburgh but in 1757 he planned to open a school in Edinburgh to teach architecture and perspective. In 1760 he formed a partnership with William Boutcher ‘for designing, drawing and executing all kinds of policy and gardening', and that he would continue to ‘give designs, and carry on buildings, as formerly’. In 1764 he had a nursery near the 'Abbay' in which he sold a large variety of plants. When he was made a burgess of Edinburgh ‘for good services’ in 1773, he called himself an architect.

Robinson’s landscape gardening work is well-documented but little is as yet known of his architectural work. He was one of a large number of architects employed by the Clerks of Penicuik. He was also involved with buildings in the New Town of Edinburgh. He married the daughter of a Berwickshire gentleman. They had one son, Alexander Ramsay Robinson, who became the superintendent of royal farms at Windsor and Kew.

Robinson worked in esates in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire. In 1777 Robinson planned a new house for the tobacco merchant Alexander Speirs to replace a house known as King's Inch. The house was renamed Elderslie. At some point before 1782 Robert Robinson faced sequestration and he sold off property and goods to pay rents and bills. By that date he had left Edinburgh as he is described as 'Robert Robinson, late architect in Edinburgh'. It is not clear where he went after that and if he returned to Edinburgh before his death in 1794.

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1James RamsayBefore 178 Assistant 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 11777Elderslie House  GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 2 of 4Lewis, Anthony2014The Builders of Edinburgh New Town 1767-1795 Reading: Spire Bookspp41, 43 142-3, 150 etc
Item 3 of 4Scottish Record Society1933Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses  p136
Item 4 of 4Tait, A A1980The Landscape Garden in Scotland 1735-1835 Edinburghpp73-4, 85, 105n

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Caledonian Mercury8 March 1760   
Item 2 of 4Caledonian Mercury23 January 1764   
Item 3 of 4Caledonian Mercury12 January 1782   
Item 4 of 4Edinburgh Evening Courant5 November 1757