Sir John RobisonKHFRSEFRSSA (11 June 1778 – 7 March 1843) was a Scottish inventor and writer on scientific subjects. He was the son of the physicist and mathematician, Professor John Robison.
In 1802 he entered the service of Nizam of Hyderabad as a contractor for the establishment and maintenance of military service. He left India a wealthy man, in 1815.
In 1821, with David Brewster he jointly founded the Scottish Society of Arts. He served as its Secretary from foundation until 1824, Vice President 1828-9 and 1833–4, and as President 1841–2.[2]
In the 1830s he is listed as living at 9 Atholl Crescent, a large townhouse in Edinburgh's west end.[3]
Law Enforcement
From 1834 he was the Edinburgh Commissioner of Police.
He died at his final house in Edinburgh, 13 Randolph Crescent,[4] on 7 March 1843. A memorial exists to Sir John Robison on the south wall of St John's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh a few hundred yards east of his house.
He married twice, firstly in 1816 to Jean Grahame who died in 1824 and secondly to Miss Benson who died in 1837.[1] His granddaughters were the novelists Emily Gerard (1849-1905) and Dorothea Gerard (1855-1915).
