McManus 168

Subscriber no.29 – Sir David Baxter – was a good friend of D.S. Robertson^[3].

Robertson and Laird was a short lived business, beginning around 1861 and the partners going their separate ways in 1867^[2]. It is likely that the subscription to the Albert Institute was the idea of Robertson, a friend of Sir David Baxter, and a member of many local literary societies.^[3]

David Stephen Robertson, was the son of Thomas Robertson, shipmaster, Dundee and his wife Margaret Smith^[4] and was born in Dundee on 15 November 1842.^[5] His career began as a clerk with the Dundee & Newtyle Railway around 1858 when he was living at McKay’s Land, Todburn Lane, Dundee.^[6] Shortly before he began his partnership with John Laird he was a clerk in New Inn Entry, Dundee and was living in Albert Street.^[7] On the 1861 census he is living with his father and sister at 48 Blackscroft and is described as a commission agent.^[8] This seems quite an achievement for a 19 year old, but may have been less unusual in the Dundee of this period. He had gained experience as  a clerk since at least the age of 16 and his older brother, Thomas, had been employed as a clerk from the age of 12.^[9]

David married Jessie, or Janet, Fotheringham Dryden in 1862.^[4] Shortly after the subscription to the Albert Institute David Stephen Robertson was living at Ann Street, Hillbank, Dundee and John Laird was at 116 Princes Street, Dundee. Both men were described as merchants.^[10] By 1867 David had become a manufacturer and was operating his business as D.S. Robertson & Co. at 47 Cowgate, Dundee. His old partner, John Laird, was described as a merchant, 45 Cowgate. By this time John Laird, linen merchant, had moved to Primrosebank, West Newport, Fife.^[11] David also moved across the Tay and was at Tayview, Newport by 1869.^[12]

John Laird was to continue the firm after 1867, but by 1869 the firm was sequestrated and John Laird had left town^[13]. Laird was charged with the crime of forgery and uttering a forged bill of exchange in 1869^[14] and his case was heard at the High Court in Dundee on 9 September 1869.^[15] It appears that Laird forged a bill of exchange in the name of John Petrie Smith, tailor, Reform Street to the value of £58 10s. The indictment went on to state that Laird, “having been conscious of his guilt, absconded and fled from justice.” Laird did not appear at the trial and “sentence of fugitation was pronounced against him.”^[16]

David went into business with his father-in-law, William, as D.S. Robertson and Dryden, merchants and manufacturers of canvas, sheetings and sackings, 55 Cowgate and latterly also at 6 Westfield Place, Perth Road, Dundee^[17] after the partnership with Laird was dissolved in 1867. However, this was to last only a few years as David died at Tayview, Newport in 1873, aged just 31.^[18]