Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB1

(30 December 1877 - 16 March 1960)
FatherAdam Scott1 b. 9 Aug 1847, d. 14 Sep 1908
MotherJane Russell1 b. 26 Aug 1850, d. bet Mar 1884 - Jun 1884
Relationship3rd cousin 2 times removed of Lorna Henderson

BMDB data

     Robert Russell Scott was born on 30 Dec 1877 reg. Dist of Lancaster, LAN, ENG.2,1
     Robert Russell Scott married Helen Martin Fairbairn, daughter of Rev Andrew Martin Fairbairn and Jane Young Shields, bet Mar 1904 - Jun 1904 reg. Dist of Ormiskirk, LAN, ENG.1,3
     Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB died on 16 Mar 1960 1a Leachkin Rd, Inverness, INV, SCT; The cert shows him as Knight Commander of the Bath, permanent secretary to the Secretary of State (retired) and married to Helen Martin Fairbairn; s/o Adam Scott, Minister of the Congregational Church and Jane m.s. Russell, both dec. He died aged 82 of terminal pneumonia, the informant being a friend, Vera M B Williamson of Glenglass, Bundshaugh?, Forres;
His obit in The Times mentions: long career in the Civil Service, beginning in the Admiralty and closing as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office from 1932 to 1938 ... son of the late Rev. Adam Scott, of Sale and Southport, born Dec 30 1877. Educated Manchester Grammar School and Wadham College, Oxford, where he was a Scholar... took a first in Moderations in 1897 and a first in Greats in 1900 passed into the Civil Service the following year ... 1904 to 1907 private secretary to the Civil Lord and afterwards a Principal Clerk. 1912 seconded as joint secretary to the Royal Commission on the Indian Public Services, and 1915 made member of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) .. 1917 returned to the Admiralty as Acting Assistant Secretary and Secretary of the Controller's Department ... "outstanding ability had for long been recognized, and in 1921 he left the Admiralty for good to take up the onerous post, first of Deputy Controller and the following year of Controller of Establishments at the Treasury, and it fell to him to carry out the great post-war reorganization scheme of the Civil Service by which he has left his permanent mark in Whitehall" .. reduced the many classes and grades of Civil servants into four, "Writing Assistant, Clerical, Administrative, and Executive" .. spent some 11 years at the Treasury .. 1932 succeeded Sir John Anderson as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office .. laid the foundations of the Air Raid Precautions Department of the Home Office (before his retirement in Jan 1938, normal retirement age) "His health had not been good for some years, but after his retirement in 1938, during the war he was able to render valuable service in the Ministry of Food." "Russell Scott was popular in the service, and he carried the spirit of social cooperation into his personal relations with his staff, to whom he often extended hospitality. He was made C.S.I. in 1916, C.B. in 1919, and was promoted to K.C.B. in 1922. he married in 1904 Helen Martin, younger daughter of the late Rev. A.M. Fairbairn, D.D., Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford"
NB 1a Leachkin Rd appears to be the street address of Craig Dunain Hosp.1,4,5

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     The census of 1881 showed David and Robert and their sisters Christian and Margaret in the household of their parents Adam and Jane Scott 1 Lindow Sq, Lancaster, LAN, ENG, enumerated as SCOT: Adam 33 Minister of Centenary Congregtional Church; wife Jane 30 both b SCT: Children: David R 11, Christian P 8 both scholars b SCT; Margaret E 6, Robert R 3 both b Lancaster, Lancs; Serv Jefferson.6
     The census of 1891 showed Robert and Sydney and their sisters Christian, Margaret, Jeanie and Emily in the household of their parents Adam and Marion Scott Melrose Hse, Montague Rd, Sale, CHS, ENG, enumerated as SCOTT: Adam 43 Congregational Minister b SCT; wife Marion 37 b Manchester, LAN; Children: Christian P 18 private teacher b SCT; Margaret E 16, Robert R 13, Sydney 7 all scholars b Lancaster, LAN; Jeanie 6 scholar, Marion 1 both b Sale, CHS; Servant Acton; Visitor Elizabeth Pettigrew wid 66 living on her own means b Flinton, YKS.7
     The census of 1901 showed Robt Russell Scott in the household of his sister Christian and her husband Bertram Wagstaff 33 Egerton Gdns, Ealing, Par. of St Stephens, MDX, ENG, enumerated as WAGSTAFF: Bertram, 31 bank cashier, b ?Brockley, Kent?; wife Christian P 27 b Scotland (place indecipherable); Brother-in-law: Robt Russell Scott unm, 23 Class P 1st Div Admiralty (with Civ C written in above later) & 1 servant.8
     Bet 1932 - 1938 Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB was Permanent Under-Secretary, Home Office (a photo may be seen on the National Portrait Gallery web site).1,9
     In 1943 Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB and Helen Martin Scott were living Inverern Hse, Forres, MOR, SCT, along with Robert's sister Jeanie, according to his aunt Margaret Mossman's will.10

All the other info

     Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB was educated; Manchester Grammar School; Wadham College, Oxford (Scholar). First Class, Honour Moderations, 1897; First Class, Lit. Hum., 1900; Clerk, Class I. Admiiralty, 1901.11
     R Russell Scott attended the funeral service of Rev Andrew Martin Fairbairn on 14 Feb 1912 at the Corporation Cem., Wolvercote, ENG; Funeral report published Wed Feb 14th showed chief mourners as Mrs Fairbarin (widow), Dr John Fairbairn and Mr Andrew Fairbairn (sons), Dr E I Collis (son-in-law) and Mrs Collis (dtr), Mr R Russell Scott, of the Admiralty (son-in-law), and Mrs Scott (dtr) and Mr James Fairbairn (nephew) ...12
     Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB was one of the people mentioned in the will of Margaret Scott) written on 24 Aug 1943 35 Greenbank Cres, Edinburgh, MLN, SCT, "Jeanie Scott" was staying with him at Forres (probably his sister).10,13

Family

Helen Martin Fairbairn (cir. 1875 - 11 Nov 1960)
Marriage*
     Robert Russell Scott married Helen Martin Fairbairn, daughter of Rev Andrew Martin Fairbairn and Jane Young Shields, bet Mar 1904 - Jun 1904 reg. Dist of Ormiskirk, LAN, ENG.1,3 
ChartsFAMILTON
RICHARDSON
RUNCIMAN
Last Edited20 Apr 2013

Citations

  1. Newspaper clippings, Obit 1960 "Sir Russell SCOTT, The Civil Service Reorganization", The Times, Saturday March 19 pg 8, copy d/loaded Jul 2007.
  2. Www FreeBMD ENG online at http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl, Birth 1878 Robert Russell SCOTT, reg. Lancaster, Mar qtr 8e/746, extracted Jul 2007.
  3. Ancestry.com online at http://search.ancestry.com, Marr. 1904 Robert Russell SCOTT & Helen Martin FAIRBAIRN, reg. Oxford Jun qtr 3a/1933, from England & Wales Marriage Index, 1837-1983, extracted Jul 2007.
  4. GRO, SCT, BDM searches at GRO SCT: Dth 1960 Robert Russell SCOTT KCB, transcr. Robert McC, rcvd Jul 2007.
  5. RootsChat Msge Board online at http://www.rootschat.com, 1a Leachkin Rd aka Craig Dunain Hosp., from conversation online at http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,610518.0.html, extracted Sep 2012.
  6. 1881 Census images, England & Wales, via Ancestry.com, Lancaster, ENG RG11/4264 Folio 83 ED 9 Pg 15 Sched 73, hsehold of Adam & Jane SCOT, extracted Jul 2007.
  7. 1891 Census images, England & Wales, via Ancestry.com, Sale, Altrincham, CHS RG12/2826 Folio 11 ED 23 Pg 17 Sched 108 hsehold of Adam & Marion SCOTT, extracted Jul 2007.
  8. 1901 Census images, England & Wales, via Ancestry.com, Ealing, Par. of St Stephens, MDX RG13/1190 Folio 162 ED 6 Pg 40 Sched 241, hsehold of Bertram & Christian P WAGSTAFF, extracted Jul 2007.
  9. Various authors, Assorted RICHARDSON Web searches/Correspondence, Copyrighted photo 1922 Sir (Robert) Russell SCOTT, by Bassano, taken from http://www.npg.org.uk, Jul 2007.
  10. Extended RICHARDSON family, assorted documents/photos etc ex Grace J Filed in sources folder & notebooks, Trust Disposition and Settlement and Codicil by Mrs Margaret SCOTT or MOSSMAN died 24th January 1945, p/copy referred to in a May 1961 letter as being sent from Rita LEGEAR to Gracie to help her find her relatives in Scotland, scanned May 2008.
  11. Various authors, Assorted RICHARDSON Web searches/Correspondence, 'SCOTT, Sir (Robert) Russell', Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920-2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007, extracted Jan 2008.
  12. Newspaper clippings, Funeral Report 1912 Andrew Martin FAIRBAIRN, The Times, Wed Feb 14, pg 11, copy d/loaded Jul 2007.
  13. "Lorna's Family History Musings", May 2008.

E. & O. E. Some/most parish records are rather hard to read and names, places hard to interpret, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area. Corrections welcome
 
  • Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.

    Abraham Lincoln
  • My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.

    Cary Grant
  • Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it.

    E. B. White
  • I'm living so far beyond my income that we may almost be said to be living apart.

    e. e. cummings
  • What then is time? If no one asks me, I know what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who asks, I do not know.

    — Saint Augustine
  • Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

    Mark Twain
  • If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.

    Henry David Thoreau
  • If two things look the same, look for differences. If they look different, look for similarities.

    John Cardinal
  • In theory, there is no difference. In practice, there is.

    — Anonymous
  • Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

    John Adams
  • People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.

    Abraham Lincoln
  • History - what never happened described by someone who wasn't there

    — ?Santayana?
  • What's a "trice"? It's like a jiffy but with three wheels

    — Last of the Summer Wine
  • Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened

    — Terry Pratchett
  • I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it.

    — Terry Pratchett
  • .. we were trained to meet any new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illuson of progress

    — Petronius (210 BC)
  • The time we have at our disposal every day is elastic; the passions that we feel expand it, those that we inspire contract it; and habit fills up what remains

    — Proust
  • So just as it is not the desire to become famous but the habit of being laborious that enables us to produce a finished work, so it is not the activity of the present moment but wise reflexions from the past that help us to safeguard the future

    — Proust "Within the Budding Grove"
  • You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

    William J. H. Boetcker
  • Only a genealogist thinks taking a step backwards is progress

    — Lorna
  • No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.

    — George Bernard Shaw
  • A TV remote is female: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.

    — Anon
  • Hammers are male: Because in the last 5000 years they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

    — Anon
  • The right thing to do is to do nothing, the place to do it is in a place of concealment and the time to do it is as often as possible.

    — Tony Cook "The Biology of Terrestrial Molluscs"
  • All that mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.

    — Thomas Carlyle "The Hero as Man of Letters"