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Robert Don Esquire

Robert Don was a successful Wine & Spirit Merchant, as indicated by his employment of four domestic servants- John Hendry 17, John Ogilvy 19, Isabella Taylor 19,and Sylvia Shepherd 14. There is no evidence of involvement in trade or public affairs.

Subscription value in 1863:

£10

Relative to inflation up to 2024:

£1000

Relative to income compared to 2024:

£8000

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Personal details and history

Full name

Robert Don

Date of birth

24-06-1808[1]

Place of birth

Camno, Meigle, Perthshire[1]

Gender

Male

Marital status

Married 10-06-1849 at Bendochy[2] - also registered in Dundee 12-06-1849[3]

Name of spouse

Isabella Dewar[2][3]

Children

William Dewar born 07-07-1850[4]

Home address

43 Union Street[5]
Dundee

later

Gowrie Cottage[6][7] - purchased by Robert Don in 1862[8]
Monifieth Road
Broughty Ferry

Age at death:

85 years[9]

Place of death:

Gowrie Cottage, Broughty Ferry[9]

Date of death:

10-04-1894[9]

Buried:

Western Cemetery Dundee (section VII lair no. 1b)

Affiliations, clubs, offices and related subscribers

Religious affiliation

Church of Scotland

Political affiliation

None found

Clubs / societies

Dundee Royal Lunatic Asylum - benefited from receiving 1/2 share of the residue of Robert Don's estate[10]

Public offices

None found

Related subscribers

Career and worklife

Occupation

Grocer[5] and Wholesale Wine & Spirit Dealer[5][6][7]

Employment

Self-Employed

Place of work

41 Nethergate, Dundee[5][6][7]

Work address

41 Nethergate, Dundee[5][6][7]

Career to date:

Robert Don set up his long standing business as a wholesale spirit, wine and tea merchant at 41 Nethergate, Dundee in 1846. His business continued to operate for many years at the same address.

More information

Robert Don made a successful career in his business as a wine and spirit merchant. His series of home addresses – 39 Albert Court(1846), 11 Thomson Street(1850), Seafield Road(1856-8), Magdalen Yard(1859-60) , 43 Union Street, culminating in Gowrie Cottage(1862-1894) were indicators of his success. He ceased to trade in 1869 although he continued to own property in the Nethergate.

Sources

  1. Old Parish Registers. Meigle. Births. 379/ 10 93. ScotlandsPeople website
  2. Old Parish Registers. Bendochy. Marriage. 1849. 332/ 30 79. ScotlandsPeople website
  3. Old Parish Registers. Dundee. Marriages. 1849. 282/ 230 284. ScotlandsPeople website
  4. Old Parish Registers. Dundee. Births. 1850. 282/ 200 17. ScotlandsPeople website
  5. Dundee Postal Directory, 1861-62. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  6. Dundee Postal Directory, 1864-65. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  7. Dundee Postal Directory, 1867-68. Dundee Central Library, Local Studies
  8. Dundee Advertiser. 02-08-1862. p.2. Findmypast website
  9. Statutory Registers. Monifieth. Deaths. 310/ 52. ScotlandsPeople website
  10. Dundee Courier. 09-01-1897. p.4. Findmypast website

Credits

My thanks to the Library Staff in the Local History Dept Central Library Dundee.

The information above about Robert Don has been collated from a range of digital and hard copy sources. To the best of our knowledge it is correct but if you are relying on any information from our website for the purpose of your own research we would advise you to follow up the sources to your own satisfaction. If you are aware of an inaccuracy in our text please do not hesitate to notify us through our Contact page.