George Lewis Sinclair, of Dalreoch

Reference:
“From Kircudbright to Kircudbright, The Life & Work of William Robson (1863-1950) by Haig Gordon, Forward by Beryl Robson Moultrie (my first cousin once removed), St. Cuthbert Publications, 2005. Pp 53-54.

  - George Louis Sinclair of Dalreoch, Writer to the Signet, Justice of the Peace (27 May 1804 Halkirk, Caithness, Scotland - 22 October 1878 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland)

  - Frances Ann Boazman (13 January 1808 Aycliffe, Durham, England-4 June 1875 Reay, Caithness, Scotland)

  - James Sinclair, Lt. 78th Highlanders (1829 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland - 11 March 1856 Camp Bushire, India)

  - Eliza Richardson Robson (Abt 1832 Mitcham, Surrey, England-2 December 1915 St. George, Edinburgh, Scotland)

  - Clair Robson Leitch (6 August 1859 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland -4 April 1951 Edinburgh, Scotland)

  - Thomas Leitch, spirit merchant (6 May 1845 Fowlis, Wester, Perth, Scotland -18 March 1906 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland)

  - Eva St. Clair Leitch (10 November 1893 -26 September 1896 Moffat, Dumfries, Scotland)

  - William Robson, artist (31 May 1863 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland-3 December 1950 Kircudbright, Kircudbrightshire, Scotland) 

  - Carmela Spadaro, model (1871 Capri, Naples, Campania, Italy-30 November 1950 Kircudbright, Kircudbrightshire, Scotland)

This account states that George Louis (Lewis) Sinclair “married but there were no children from that union.“ Upon further research it has been revealed that George Louis Sinclair had a son, Lieutenant James Sinclair, 78th Highlanders. James was born to George in 1829 with his wife Francis Ann Bozeman when he was 24 years old and Francis was 20. They married on February 11, 1830 at St. John’s Parish, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland England. They were married for 45 years until Frances died.

The 1851 Scotland census shows George Louis Sinclair, age 45 with his wife Frances, 41, and son James, 19, living together in Edinburgh with six other people, ages 17 to 25, possibly domestic servants.

Their son James died at age 27 on March 11, 1856 at Camp Bushir in India, cause unknown.

Four years after James’ death, the 1861 census shows George age 56 living alone with two domestic servants, Janet Matheson, age 62 and Alexander Bridge, 16. Ten years later, the 1871 shows him still living alone, with two different servants Jane G. and Margaret Haxton, ages 29 and 16.

It is unknown when he met Eliza Richardson, but her occupation was also a domestic servant. It is assumed that she worked for George. Three years after the death of James, George and Eliza had a daughter, Clair Richardson, born on August 6, 1859. George was 55 years old, Eliza was 27. Their son William Richardson was born four years later, on May 31, 1863.

George’s wife Frances died on June 4, 1875 in Caithness, so she must have been aware of his second family.

Since George had two children with Eliza within four years, it can be assumed that their relationship was not fleeting. In fact, George’s last will and testament tells of his affection for his mistress and their children. His Will, which was revealed after his death on October 22, 1878 in Edinburgh, shows that he bequeathed a considerable sum of money, as well as the unencumbered, asset-free use of his home and furnishings to Elizabeth Richardson, her daughter Clair Richardson, and her son William Richardson. This document is the first written acknowledgment I could find which connects George with Eliza, other than the accounts in this book.

His Will states, “I George Lewis Sinclair of Dalreoch, Writer to the Signet” state that there is to be made available a yearly annuity of 50 pounds between sisters Elizabeth and Janet Sinclair, “to Elizabeth or Eliza Richardson of one hundred pounds sterling and of an annual annuity of two hundred pounds to Clair Richardson her daughter,” “paid half yearly at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas after my death”.

The Will also makes provisions for “the annual expenditure on the education, maintenance and outfit of William Richardson, son of Eliza Richardson, with reference to the income of my estate. My estate is to be held in trust and for the use and behalf of William Richardson until he attends the age of 21 when the estate shall be conveyed to him.”

William was only 13 years old when his father George passed away. He lived at his father’s home for at least 30 years. He was living at Dalreoch at the time of the passing of his brother in law, Thomas Leitch, in 1906. The sale of the Dalreoch estate is what gave William the lifelong financial security to pursue his life as a renowned Impressionist painter and President of the Society of Scottish Artists.

As for the surname Robson, as the book states, George Louis Sinclair was on a hunting expedition sometime after his wife Frances passed, and he became very ill. Concerned that he would die and his son William would not have a name, he implored Eliza to marry him. He had never offered to leave his wife for her, and now that his wife had recently died, she refused.

The use of the surname Robson had been a mystery up until the discovery of his Will. It states, “I nominate and appoint the said trustees along with the said Eliza Richardson, to be tutors and curators to the said Clair and William Richardson, who with their mother, assumed the name of Robson.” From this point forward, Eliza used the name Robson, as did both Clair and William. She is listed on George’s death certificate as “Eliza Robson, widow of George Louis Robson, fund holder”. We still do not know the origin of the surname Robson other than it was chosen by George for his second family upon his death.

No record could be found of a divorce between George and his wife Frances. In fact they are interred together along with their son James, and George’s sisters Elizabeth and Janet, at the Grange cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland. George and Eliza’s daughter Clair Robson Leitch, husband Thomas Leitch, and young daughter Eva St. Clair Leitch are also buried at Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh. Their son William Robson and his wife Carmela Spadaro are interred at St. Cuthbert Church cemetery, Kircudbright, Scotland.

-Kathleen Lloyd Boehm
A great granddaughter of William Robson,
through her mother, Moira Elaine Gordon Lloyd,
daughter of Maud Robson Gordon,
daughter of William Robson
20 October 2021
Updated 13 February 2022