McManus 168

Robert Small, the youngest of 5 children, was born to William Small, writer, and his wife, Charlotte Baxter, in December of 1818.^[1] He was not yet 4 years of age when his father, William (Town Clerk of Dundee), died in 1822.^[10][11] His mother, Charlotte (Baxter), was left to raise her family of six by herself, within the family home of Eden Bank (sometimes Edenbank), West of Springhill, on the North side of the Broughty Ferry Road.^[12] Her husband died intestate, having realised an estate valued at more than £10,000.^[11] Hopefully, Charlotte also had the additional support of her extended Baxter family.

Perhaps the most notable of Robert’s siblings was David, the eldest son, who became a prominent writer (solicitor) and Procurator Fiscal within Dundee, a partner in the firm of ‘Shiell & Small.’

Robert and his brothers, William and Henry, all became merchants in the town. Another brother, John (named after his maternal grandfather, John Baxter),^[13] was resident in Canada at the time of his mother’s death in 1860.^[14] His sister, Margaret, married her cousin, William Collier, also a merchant.

While his siblings David and Margaret married and left the family home of Eden Bank, William, Henry and Robert Small remained unmarried and lived with their mother, Charlotte. Henry Small died at Omoa, Honduras in 1846,^[15] leaving William and Robert remaining with their mother.

During the 1850s and 60s, Robert Small incorporated the making of bricks and tiles into his business. His name was associated with the Errol (Inchcoonans Tile Works) Brickworks, which opened in 1855,^[16] firstly producing pottery (a short-lived venture), bricks and field drainage tiles, using alluvial clay.^[16]

Robert Small’s estate identified him as having belonged to the firm of ‘Robert Small & Co.’ Merchants, Brick and Tile Manufacturers at Dundee and Pitfour^[17] (Pitfour Patent Brick Co) at St Madoes^[18] in the Glencarse. It also stated that he possessed a licence to use ‘Hoffman’s Patent Kiln’^[17] – this for the firing of the bricks and tiles. This kiln was patented in 1858 by German, Friedrich Hoffman.^[19]

Robert Small and his elder brother, William died within months of each other in 1870.^[20][2]

After William’s death in August of that year, their home at Eden Bank was put up for sale, the selling agent being older brother David, of ‘Shiell & Small.’

Robert, now on his own, purchased his new home at Miln’s Buildings, on the Nethergate,in September,^[21] – ‘A dwelling house in Miln’s Buildings was exposed for sale yesterday and was sold at the upset price of £1,100 to Mr John Shiell for Mr Robert Small, merchant,’^[21] this purchased just a few months before his death there in December.^[2]

After the death of Robert Small in December of 1870, a report appeared the following Spring, declaring;

‘It is understood that the contractors for the Tay Bridge have arranged for the obtaining of a large quantity of bricks from Messrs Robert Small & Co., brick and tile manufacturers, Dundee.’^[22]

It was claimed that the requirements were for ‘several millions of bricks,’^[23] – quite a coup for Robert Small’s successor, his nephew, Francis (Frank) Collier.^[24][25]