Robert Grahame of Whitehill (1759–1851) was an 18th/19th century Scottish lawyer who served as

Lord Provost of Glasgow The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Glasgow is the convener of the Glasgow City Council. The Lord Provost serves both as the chair of the city council and as a figurehead for the entire city, and is elected by the city councillors from among i ...

1833 to 1834.

Life

He was born in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

in 1759 the son of Thomas Grahame a lawyer (d.1791) and trained as a lawyer. Around 1797 he purchased Whitehill House, from John Gordon but previously the home of John Glassford (who built the mansion). In 1820 he was living at 52 Miller Street with his office next door at 51 Miller Street. He was elected

in 1833 in Succession to James Ewing of Strathleven and was succeeded by William Mills in 1834. By 1835 he was living on the Whitehill estate with his wife and children and with his parents. His father is listed as partner in the legal firm of Mitchell, Grahame & Mitchell and he presumed to be in the same company. He sold Whitehill House to the Glasgow merchant John Reid around 1845 and moved to England. He died on 28 December 1851 in Hatton Hall near

Wellingborough Wellingborough ( ) is a market town in the North Northamptonshire, Unitary Authority area, England, from London and from Northampton, north of the River Nene. Originally named "Wendelingburgh" (the stronghold of Wændel's people), the Anglo ...

. After Grahame's death, Whitehill House was later bought by

Alexander Dennistoun Alexander Dennistoun (also known as Alex Dennistoun; 1790–1874) was a Scottish merchant, bank director, property developer and, for two years, from 1835 to 1837, a Member of Parliament for Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency), Dunbartons ...

, whose name now survives in the area where the house stood;

Dennistoun Dennistoun () is a mostly residential district in Glasgow, Scotland, located north of the River Clyde and in the city's Glasgow#East End, east end, about east of the city centre. Since 2017 it has formed the core of a Dennistoun (ward), Dennist ...

. It is remembered in the streetname Whitehill Street.

Family

He married Helen Geddes and they had two sons and two daughters. His son Thomas married Hannah Finlay daughter of

Kirkman Finlay Kirkman Finlay (April 1773 – 4 March 1842) was one of the leading merchants in Glasgow, Scotland. He was Lord Provost of Glasgow and Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament. Life Kirkman Finlay was born in the Gallowgate, ...

Artistic representation

His portrait was painted by Chester Harding. The portrait is held in Glasgow Resource Centre. His wife Helen was portrayed by Sir

Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a f ...

.Illustrated Catalogue of the Exhibition of Portraits in the New Galleries of Art in Corporation Buildings

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grahame, Robert 1759 births 1851 deaths Lawyers from Glasgow Lord provosts of Glasgow 18th-century Scottish lawyers 19th-century Scottish lawyers