Robert Hamilton (advocate)

Prof Robert Hamilton FRSE (1763-1831) was a Scottish advocate and close friend of Sir Walter Scott. Enjoying boat trips and other excursions together, Scott termed him Our Lord High Admiral Hamilton in his diaries. He is noted as a gourmand and suffered repeatedly from gout.

He was born on 19 April 1763 one of eleven children to Alexander Hamilton of Gilkerscleugh near Crawfordjohn in Lanarkshire, and his wife Margaret (nee MacQueen).

He trained in Law at Edinburgh University under Prof John Millar, qualifying as an advocate in 1788. In 1796 he purchased (sic) the chair of Professor of Public Law at Edinburgh University from Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank. He never lectured (as was standard in this role at that time, which was largely titular, but held it until death, receiving £200 per annum for the title. From 1797 to 1822 he served as Sheriff of Lanark. From 1822 he served as Principal Clerk of Session in the High Court.

In 1795 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank, William Wright, and Alexander Keith of Ravelston. In 1799 he successfully pursued William Hamilton of Wishart’s claim to the title of Lord Belhaven.

He lived at 7 Hope Street, just off Charlotte Square in Edinburgh.

He died on 13 December 1831 and is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.

On his death his professorship was not refilled. The post was not recreated until 1867 when Prof James Lorimer took on the role.

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