Auction of Old Masters
Robert was a keen collector of paintings, both new and old masters. In 1855, he drew up a catalogue of oil paintings in Whitehill, which…
Read more...5. The Quest for Beauty
This section is devoted to Robert Balfour Wardlaw Ramsay, who built Whitehill – the grand new house. We feel we know him, because he and his brothers wrote so much; lively journals about their Grand Tours, and many letters home. However, when Robert inherited Whitehill, after his older brother’s death in Damascus, he destroyed some of his letters. As a wealthy mine owner and landlord, engaged in building a massive, extravagant house, he was a prominent figure locally. He was also a keen collector, and knew a great deal about Italian paintings. His lack of business acumen, though, led to bankruptcy and the loss of the Ramsay mines.
Wardlaw Ramsay book plate
This book plate is inside the fine two-volume Dore bible that was presented to Robert by his mother, Lady Anne, on the occasion of his…
Read more...Children of Robert and Louisa – A
This charming group was painted by Dubacly when the family was living in Paris, and shows Robert cuddling the large dog, with two sisters, Elizabeth…
Read more...Lady Louisa Hay
Lady Louisa Hay, by Sir Daniel MacNee PRSA (1806-1882) with Whitehill house in the background. Lady Louisa Jane Hay was the third daughter of George,…
Read more...Robert Balfour Wardlaw Ramsay
As a younger son of Lady Anne and Robert Wardlaw Ramsay, Robert was a gangly boy, described by his aunt, Lady Anne Lindsay, as a…
Read more...Whitehill House, the new build
Whitehill, the Georgian front. The transformation of the medieval tower house took place in the early 18th century when Sir John (or his son) added…
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