Papers of Joseph Robertson

This material is held atUniversity of Aberdeen Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 231 MS 0525-0530, MS 0973, MS 2397
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1833 - 1855
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English.
  • Physical Description
    • GB 231 MS 0525 - 0530: 6 volumes; GB 231 MS 0525 - 0530: 6 volumes; GB 231 MS 0973: 1 file; GB 231 MS 0973: 1 file; GB 231 MS 2397: 1 leaf No physical characteristics affecting use of collection

Scope and Content

GB 231 MS 0525 - 0530 Records relating to Robertson's work on a Biographia Aberdonensis, 1833 - 1837. The collection comprises 3 small manuscript volumes, entitled Biographia Aberdonensis, which contain his detailed notes on notable persons and families associated with Aberdeen, compiled in Edinburgh and Aberdeen, 1833 - 1834; an index to these volumes, compiled by Jean Kennedy, in 1911; and 2 further volumes, also entitled Biographia Aberdonensis, compiled in 1837, but apparently incomplete.

GB 231 MS 0973 Correspondence between Joseph Robertson, John Stuart, and Patrick Chalmers, relating to New Spalding Club Publications, 1847 - 1853. Robertson is the principal correspondent.

GB 231 MS 2397 Letter from Joseph Robertson, Auchingramoch, Hamilton, to an unidentified correspondent, 21 November 1855

Administrative / Biographical History

Joseph Robertson was born in Aberdeen in 1810 and graduated from Marischal College, Aberdeen, MA 1825. He worked in journalism and book publishing for nearly 20 years, before being appointed in 1853, as Curator of the Historical Department in Register House, Edinburgh. He was co-founder of the Spalding Club (est. Aberdeen, 1839), with his friend John Stuart, lawyer and historian (from 1873 Principal Keeper of the Register of Deeds, Edinburgh), and editor of many of its early works, including Collections for a History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, 1843) and Fasti Aberdonensis (Aberdeen: Spalding Club, 1854). Other publications include, The book of Bon Accord: A guide to the city of Aberdeen (Aberdeen: Smith, 1939), and A Guide to the Highlands of Deeside (Aberdeen: Davidson, 1831).

For further details see W. Douglas Simpson, The Three Spalding Clubs: A century in retrospect, in Third Spalding Club Miscellany, vol. 2 (Aberdeen: Third Spalding Club, 1940)

Arrangement

None observed - listing in process.

Access Information

Open, subject to signature accepting conditions of use at reader registration sheet

Acquisition Information

GB 231 MS 0525 - 0530: deposited in the University in 1896, by Miss Robertson [?Joseph Robertson's daughter] GB 231 MS 0525 - 0530: deposited in the University in 1896, by Miss Robertson [?Joseph Robertson's daughter] GB 231 MS 0973: date and source not recorded - probably deposited by the Third Spalding Club in the 1930s GB 231 MS 0973: date and source not recorded - probably deposited by the Third Spalding Club in the 1930s GB 231 MS 2397: date and source not recorded - probably deposited c 1954

Other Finding Aids

Very brief collection level description available on Aberdeen University Library Catalogue, accessible online http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/library/

Alternative Form Available

No copies known

Conditions Governing Use

Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation.

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of Special Libraries and Archives (e-mail: speclib@abdn.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

Accruals

No accruals expected

Related Material

Records of the Spalding Club are deposited in the University. A separate collection level description is available on the Archives Hub

Bibliography

No known publications using this material

Additional Information

This material is original