Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Robertson, George (1750?-1832)

by Thomas Seccombe (1866-1923)

ROBERTSON, GEORGE (1750?–1832), topographical writer, was born in Midlothian about 1750, occupied a farm at Granton, near Edinburgh, for many years, and was actively engaged in agricultural affairs in different parts of Scotland from 1765 until shortly before his death. He moved from Granton to Kincardineshire in 1800 and migrated to Ayrshire in June 1811. He devoted the latter portion of his life to genealogical investigations, working in the library at Eglinton Castle and among the Glasgow libraries. He died at his residence, Bower Lodge, near Irvine, in 1832 (Retrospect in Rural Recollections).

Robertson's more important publications were:

1. ‘General View of the Agriculture of the County of Midlothian, with Observations on the Means of its Improvement; drawn up for the Consideration of the Board of Agriculture and Internal Improvement,’ Edinburgh, 1793, 4to; London, 1794, 4to; ‘with the additional remarks of several respectable gentlemen and farmers in the country,’ Edinburgh, 1795, 8vo. This report enjoyed a good reputation among its fellows both for matter and style; two appendices treat of dairy and garden management. For the same board, in 1813, he sketched the ‘Agriculture of Kincardineshire, or the Mearns.’
2. ‘Topographical Description of Ayrshire; more particularly of Cunninghame; together with a Genealogical Account of the principal Families in that Bailiwick,’ Irvine, 1820, 4to (a useful compilation, with index to genealogies).
3. ‘A Genealogical Account of the Principal Families in Ayrshire, more particularly in Cunninghame,’ Irvine, 3 vols. 12mo, 1823; with index and supplement, issued at Irvine, 1827, 12mo.
4. ‘Rural Recollections; or the Progress of Improvement in Agriculture and Rural Affairs [in Scotland],’ Irvine, 1829, 8vo. The author judiciously confines himself to such changes in agriculture and in the condition of the agricultural population as fell under his own immediate and very capable observation; and says McCulloch, ‘his work is highly interesting,’ for the advance made by Scotland in industry, wealth, and their correlatives since 1765, when these recollections commence, ‘has, we believe, been quite unprecedented in any old settled country, and is hardly, indeed, surpassed by anything that has taken place in Kentucky and Illinois.’ It has an interesting appendix of ‘Extracts respecting Manners and Customs.’

Robertson issued, in 1818 (Paisley, 4to), ‘A General Description of the Shire of Renfrew,’ including an account of its noble and ancient families, being a new edition, with an elaborate continuation of ‘The Genealogical History of the Royal and Illustrious Family of the Stewarts,’ &c. (1710), of George Crawfurd [q. v.] He also contributed to Arthur Young's ‘Annals of Agriculture’ (London, 1808, &c.) and to the tracts of the Highland Society.

[McCulloch's Literature of Political Economy, 1845, p. 219; Donaldson's Agricult. Biogr. p. 78; Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, Edinburgh, 1829; Allibone's Dict. of English Lit.; Advocates' Library Cat. v. 785; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

T. S.