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6. The Quest for Order

Robert George Wardlaw Ramsay ran away from home at the age of 16, hoping to join the army. He was helped by his uncle, Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale, who paid for his commission, and he travelled to India with his regiment. He began sending birds back to his uncle, a respected ornithologist, and between them they built up a huge and fascinating collection, now in the British Museum. He retired from the army in 1882, and took over Whitehill House, where he made sure to add two huge portraits of himself and his wife to the family collection.

Whitehill Aisle – the vault

The vaults were opened in 1835, presumably in anticipation of Robert Wardlaw Ramsay’s death in April 1836, and again in 1882, when Robert Balfour tried…

Children of Robert and Louisa – B

The group photo shows five daughters and three granddaughters. The caption is in Robert’s hand, rather shaky (he died in 1885). I think it may…

Mary Alice Hogg

Mary Alice Hogg was the daughter of Charles Swinton Hogg, Administrator General of Bengal, and Harriet Anne Stirling. She married Colonel Robert George Wardlaw-Ramsay of…

Collecting Birds: Robert George WR

Robert George was born on 25 January 1852 in their Queens Street home, Edinburgh. He was baptised at Whitehill by Dean Ramsay. The Whitehill art…

David Wardlaw Ramsay

Lieutenant-Commander David Wardlaw Ramsay (11 June, 1890 – 11 March, 1924) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was sent directly to the Royal…

Euphan Wardlaw Ramsay

Keeping the side up! Euphan was the elder of Arthur Wardlaw Ramsay’s two daughters. She was born in 1931, and spent her childhood in Devon,…

Arthur Wardlaw Ramsay – the last of his ilk

Arthur Balcarres Wardlaw Ramsay (1887 – 1956) As a younger son, Arthur (he used his middle name Balcarres) did not expect to inherit Whitehill. He…

Lady Mary Fraser

Mary Fraser was the only daughter of Alasdair Fraser, Lord Saltoun. The family lived in Philorth House, Fraserburgh, and this sketch of the house and…

The last Wardlaw Ramsay at Whitehill

Four of the children at Whitehill, 1896 During the first part of the twentieth century the family did live a few…