Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hay, Robert

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1412070Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 25 — Hay, Robert1891Lionel Henry Cust

HAY, ROBERT (1799–1863), Egyptian traveller and archæologist, born 6 Jan. 1799, was fourth son of Robert Hay of Drumelzier and Whittinghame in Scotland (a great-grandson of John Hay, first earl of Tweeddale) and Janet, daughter of James Erskine of Cardross. Hay, who inherited the estate of Linplum from his brother James, was a pioneer of Egyptian exploration. He was in Egypt as one of the leading members of an archæological expedition between 1826 and 1838. Among his companions were the artists Arundale, Catherwood, J. Bonomi the younger, and E. W. Lane. Besides Egyptian antiquities presented to the British Museum, there are in the department of manuscripts there forty-nine large volumes of archæological and other drawings made during this expedition (Add. MSS. 29812–60), and also part of Hay's own diary (Add. MS. 31054). In 1840 Hay published a folio volume of ‘Illustrations of Cairo,’ lithographed by J. C. Bourne from drawings by O. B. Carter [q. v.] and others. Some of the original drawings for this work are in the print room at the British Museum. Hay married, in 1828, Kalitza, daughter of Alexandros Psarakè, chief magistrate of Apodhulo in Crete, by whom he left two sons. He died at Amisfield, East Lothian, on 4 Nov. 1863.

[Cat. of Addit. MSS., Brit. Mus.; Burke's Landed Gentry.]

L. C.