William Fraser (historian)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Fraser, KCB, (18 February 1816 - 13 March 1898) was a solicitor
and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography
, and genealogy
.
Fraser's family came of the stock of farmers and craftsmen in The Mearns. He was born the eldest of two sons and a daughter of James Fraser (1786 - 1834), a mason, and his spouse Ann (d. 1821), daughter of James Walker, tenant of the farm of Elfhill of Fetteresso, about 5 miles from Stonehaven
. The couple were settled and were feuholders at Links of Arduthie.
William Fraser was initially educated at a private school in Stonehaven kept by the Reverend Charles Michie, a M.A. graduate of Aberdeen's Marischal College
in 1810, who spent his life teaching.
On 23 August 1830, Fraser began a five-year apprenticeship with Messrs., Brand and Burnett, solicitors in Stonehaven. He went to Edinburgh
in December 1835, where he joined the firm of Hill and Tod, Writers to Her Majesty's Signet
. He continued his education at Edinburgh University in Scots' Law and conveyancing
. In 1838 he was taking classes in French.
It was his good fortune to be subsequently concerned in various cases requiring antiquarian and, in particular, genealogical research, and he was thus early introduced to those studies in which he became such an expert, and steadily built up a remarkable body of knowledge which made possible his great series of fifty or so volumes on the histories of between twenty and thirty of the leading noble and landed families of Scotland.
Fraser was frequently summoned to London to give evidence before the Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords
. In 1882 the University of Edinburgh
conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D. In 1885 he was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath and in 1887 he was made a Civil Knight Commander of the Bath, being invested by Queen Victoria at Osborne House
on 2 August that year. The knighthood was a unique distinction for a Scottish historian at that time.
An article in the Dundee Advertiser on 1 June 1896, stated: "There is no Scotsman living who has so much experience in deciphering ancient documents, nor one who can so skillfully extract information from faded and time-worn parchments" as Sir William Fraser.
Sir William Fraser died three months after his sister Ann, who had kept house for him since 1846.
The Sir William Fraser Chair of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh
, founded in 1901, is the oldest chair of Scottish History
. The professorship was named after and endowed by Sir William Fraser, who gave the university £25,000 for it. The chair has been held by a number of distinguished historians.
In his will he also endowed the Fraser Homes at Colinton
(Edinburgh) for 'authors or artists in necessitous circumstances'.
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...
, and genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
.
Fraser's family came of the stock of farmers and craftsmen in The Mearns. He was born the eldest of two sons and a daughter of James Fraser (1786 - 1834), a mason, and his spouse Ann (d. 1821), daughter of James Walker, tenant of the farm of Elfhill of Fetteresso, about 5 miles from Stonehaven
Stonehaven
Stonehaven is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's northeast coast and had a population of 9,577 in 2001 census.Stonehaven, county town of Kincardineshire, grew around an Iron Age fishing village, now the "Auld Toon" , and expanded inland from the seaside...
. The couple were settled and were feuholders at Links of Arduthie.
William Fraser was initially educated at a private school in Stonehaven kept by the Reverend Charles Michie, a M.A. graduate of Aberdeen's Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
in 1810, who spent his life teaching.
On 23 August 1830, Fraser began a five-year apprenticeship with Messrs., Brand and Burnett, solicitors in Stonehaven. He went to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in December 1835, where he joined the firm of Hill and Tod, Writers to Her Majesty's Signet
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...
. He continued his education at Edinburgh University in Scots' Law and conveyancing
Conveyancing
In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien....
. In 1838 he was taking classes in French.
It was his good fortune to be subsequently concerned in various cases requiring antiquarian and, in particular, genealogical research, and he was thus early introduced to those studies in which he became such an expert, and steadily built up a remarkable body of knowledge which made possible his great series of fifty or so volumes on the histories of between twenty and thirty of the leading noble and landed families of Scotland.
Fraser was frequently summoned to London to give evidence before the Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. In 1882 the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D. In 1885 he was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath and in 1887 he was made a Civil Knight Commander of the Bath, being invested by Queen Victoria at Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
on 2 August that year. The knighthood was a unique distinction for a Scottish historian at that time.
An article in the Dundee Advertiser on 1 June 1896, stated: "There is no Scotsman living who has so much experience in deciphering ancient documents, nor one who can so skillfully extract information from faded and time-worn parchments" as Sir William Fraser.
Sir William Fraser died three months after his sister Ann, who had kept house for him since 1846.
The Sir William Fraser Chair of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, founded in 1901, is the oldest chair of Scottish History
History of Scotland
The history of Scotland begins around 10,000 years ago, when humans first began to inhabit what is now Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last ice age...
. The professorship was named after and endowed by Sir William Fraser, who gave the university £25,000 for it. The chair has been held by a number of distinguished historians.
In his will he also endowed the Fraser Homes at Colinton
Colinton
Colinton is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 6 kilometres south west of the city centre. It is bordered by Dreghorn to the south and Craiglockhart to the north-east. To the north-west it extends to Lanark Road and to the south-west to the City Bypass...
(Edinburgh) for 'authors or artists in necessitous circumstances'.
Professors of Scottish History and Palaeography
- Peter Hume BrownPeter Hume BrownPeter Hume Brown was a Scottish historian and professor who played an important part in establishing Scottish history as a significant academic discipline...
1901-1918 - Robert Kerr HannayRobert Kerr HannayRobert Kerr Hannay FRSE was a Scottish historian. He served as Historiographer Royal of Scotland and Chair of Scottish History and Palaeography at the University of Edinburgh....
1919-1940 - William Croft Dickinson 1940-1963
- Gordon DonaldsonGordon DonaldsonGordon Donaldson CBE, FRHistS, FBA was a Scottish historian.Born in Edinburgh of Shetlander descent, Donaldson attended the Royal High School of Edinburgh, before being awarded a scholarship to study at the University of Edinburgh. He also supplemented his income by undertaking some tutoring...
1963-1979 - Geoffrey W.S. BarrowG. W. S. BarrowGeoffrey Wallis Steuart Barrow DLitt FBA FRSE is a British historian and academic. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Edinburgh, and arguably the most prominent Scottish medievalist of the last century....
1979-1992 - Michael Lynch 1993-2005
- Tom M DevineTom DevineThomas Martin "Tom" Devine OBE FRSE FRHistS FBA is a Scottish historian. His main research interest is the history of the Scottish nation since c.1600 and its global connections and impact....
2006-