James Hunter's Tomb in Restalrig - Mrs Juliet Robertson (née Parish)

[Fordyce]

Restalrig Churchyard burial register has this:
14 Mar 1827 : "Robertson : Interred in the centre of James Hunter's Esq Tomb Mrs Juliet Parish Robertson, wife of William Robertson, Esq., aged 63 years, Mortcloth £1-1-, Safe £1-15-0"
James Hunter was a prominent banker in Ayr (married to Sarah Ballantine who is buried there too).

What can I infer from the wording "Interred in the centre of..."? The Robertsons and Hunters don't appear to be related. But William Robertson had been assistant-secretary at the Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh until 1806 (before he moved to Glasgow), so banking is a common factor.

It looks as though as a couple of years later her husband was buried there too.
22 May 1829 : "Robertson : Interred in J Hunter's tomb William Robertson Edinburgh, aged 61 years, Mort Cloth £1-1-, Safe rent 6 wks £1-4-0"

I'm trying to identify William Robertson's parentage. His wife was Juliet Parish dau of a very prominent merchant in Hamburg. In 1806 she lived at Summerhall thus: Mrs Juliet Robertson, Summerhall; no record of hubby.

[eilthireach]

Where do you get the daughter of a merchant in Hamburg? ScotlandsPeople has this entry in the Old Parochial Registers for North Leith which shows a Juliet Wright (normal English-language surname!) who married William Robertson, a banker. William Robertson looks like the person you are looking for ....

OPR 692/1 1791 - William Robertson accountant to the Bank and Juliet Wright of Canongate after due proclamation were married Aug^t 11 by Dr Johnston (and kudos to the indexer who correctly interpreted the flowery handwriting in the entry!)

[MonicaL]

OPR 692/1 1797

1791 rather than 1797?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Parish v Wilson?

Their first two children, John Duncan (1792) and William (1793) were born or baptised in Kelso. From the OPRs, mother showing as Juliet Wright. In later years, they showed as John Parish Robertson and William Parish Robertson in an entry for John in the Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 16. I see that in this entry, mother is referred to as Juliet Parish, daughter of Hamburg merchant of Scottish Extraction. There are also numerous newspaper reports for both entrepreneurial brothers.

Monica

[MonicaL]

14 Mar 1827 : "Robertson : Interred in the centre of James Hunter's Esq Tomb Mrs Juliet Parish Robertson

Depending on the size of James Hunter's tomb, I wonder if this could refer to a central lair section? It would help to see all those buried in his tomb area to get a sense of space involved.

I'm trying to identify William Robertson's parentage. His wife was Juliet Parish dau of a very prominent merchant in Hamburg. In 1806 she lived at Summerhall thus: Mrs Juliet Robertson, Summerhall; no record of hubby.

The entry in the Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 16, states that son John Parish Robertson accompanied his father to South America in 1806.

Monica

[eilthireach]

OPR 692/1 1797

1791 rather than 1797?

Monica

Yes, you are absolutely right. My mistake. It's a typo.

I have corrected the post.

[Fordyce]

Where do you get the daughter of a merchant in Hamburg?

Many places, Dictionary of National Biography for son John Parish Robertson is one, see also his Wikipedia entry.

ScotlandsPeople has this entry in the Old Parochial Registers for North Leith which shows a Juliet Wright (normal English-language surname!) who married William Robertson, a banker. William Robertson looks like the person you are looking for ....

OPR 692/1 1797 - William Robertson accountant to the Bank and Juliet Wright of Canongate after due proclamation were married Aug^t 11 by Dr Johnston (and kudos to the indexer who correctly interpreted the flowery handwriting in the entry!)

I had noticed that several people had cited the couple William Robertson & Juliet Wright, who married 11 Aug 1791 according to Scotlands People et al. She is not Juliet Parish, not least because Robertson/Wright had a son John Duncan and Robertson/Parish had a son John Parish. Many references to this family cite the Robertson/Wright data as being for the Robertson/Parish family.

So I hadn't bothered buying the OPR entry, so I'm intrigued that this other William Robertson was an accountant. It has been my belief that they are two different family groups, but as MonicaL points out there is a curious parallel in the forenames of their first two children. Robertson/Parish had a third child Juliet c1798.

The entry in the Dictionary of National Biography Vol. 16, states that son John Parish Robertson accompanied his father to South America in 1806.

Yes, I know. But John Parish Robertson in his own words contradicts that in his Letters on Paraguay and South America. Another source gives a variation in saying John Parish Robertson "began life, at age 13, as powder-monkey aboard one of Admiral Stirling's vessels in the attack on Montevideo in 1806, his father having come out to establish a house of business in the River Plate."  Yet another source states his father left the Bank of Scotland in 1806 due to ill-health and moved to Glasgow to be 'engaged in business' in a 'commercial house' - being in ill-health does not suggest him going out to the River Plate to set up a merchant house! But - open mind - the truth might out one day!

Whatever the real truth, still doesn't help with finding William's parents.

Depending on the size of James Hunter's tomb, I wonder if this could refer to a central lair section? It would help to see all those buried in his tomb area to get a sense of space involved..

I have got the printed Restalrig Burial Index and the original list is on Ancestry. I'm not aware of any photo (e.g. FindaGrave). I've no idea if a Lair Book survives.

The reason I'm trying to pin all this down is that he could very well be the brother of James Robertson from Portsoy (my relly) who was a merchant in Dunkirk then a merchant in London. And that's because they both had an association with J J Labalmondiere & Co merchants in Dunkirk. If I could find out the connection between William Robertson and James Hunter's bank and/or family....