William Fettes

Sir William Fettes, 1st Baronet (/ˈfɛtɪs/; 25 June 1750 – 27 May 1836) was a wealthy Scottish businessman and philanthropist, who left a bequest which led to the foundation of Fettes College, in Edinburgh.

Fettes' family came from north east Scotland, where the name can be encountered in such variants as "Vettese" (cf. the Scottish writer Raymond Vettese), "Fittes" and "Fiddes".

The eldest son of William Fettes, an Edinburgh merchant, and his wife Margaret, daughter of James Rae, he was born on 25 June 1750 and at 8 years old was sent to the Royal High School in Edinburgh. When he was eighteen years old he commenced his business life, trading in wine and tea from premises in the High Street. In 1787 he married Maria Malcolm and very quickly they had their only son, also William. His life covered a period of economic expansion in Scotland and, at the commencement of the Napoleonic Wars, he was ideally placed to establish connections with Durham, Leeds and Newcastle becoming an Underwriter, a military contractor and, in 1800, a director of the British Linen Bank.

A merchant, and underwriter, Fettes lived not far from the school’s present location on Comely Bank, in the district of Edinburgh. He had made his money trading tea during the Napoleonic wars, and used this to buy the estate of Comely Bank. He was by then living at Comely Bank in the Stockbridge district of Edinburgh and he had other estates which he had bought but he was to retire from trade in 1800 to look after these interests. He was involved in many public charities and the general welfare of Edinburgh, serving as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1804 to 1806 (two elected sessions). He became a baronet in 1804.

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