Hello William,
Welcome to Rootschat!
According to the
1901 Census ......
Living at Killearn Lodge, Killearn
Robert McNicol, Head, Gardener (Domestic Servant), age 37, born Killearn
Jemima McNicol, wife, age 37, born Edinburgh
Children:
Grace McNicol age 6, born Govan
Robert McNicol, age 3, born Glasgow
Mary F. McNicol, age 1, born Killearn
(no sign of your dad, so was he the youngest?)
Going back to the
1891 Census, this looks like it's Robert
Living at Dougalston Gardener's Bothy in New Kilpatrick.
Robert McNicol, age 27, Assistant Gardener, born
Hellearn (obviously Killearn!)

and James Bell, age 22 born in Dalkeith, aslo an Assistant Gardener
Going back to the
1881 Census finds Robert with his parents
Living at Kirkhouse, Killearn
James McNicol, Head, Shoemaker, age 63, born Killearn
Mary McNicol, wife, age 63, born Killearn
Robert McNicol, son, Baker, age 17, born Killearn
John McNicol, grandson, Shop Boy (Grocer) age 14, born Killearn
Mary Bell, grand-daughter, Scholar, age 11, born Killearn
John Munro,, Boarder, Shoemaker, age 61, born Rutherglen
Robert and Mary obviously had much older children than Robert if these details are correct. A son (whose son young John the Shop Boy's father was) and a daughter who married a Bell (whose daughter was the above Mary aged 11)
I'm not having much luck finding Robert in 1871 or his father in 1861, but I'll keep looking.
Anne