Robert Graham of Fintry (1749-1815) was the 12th Laird of Fintry near Dundee and was one of Robert Burns's most supportive patrons, correspondent and loyal associate. Appointed a Commissioner of the Scottish Board of Excise he assisted Burns with his Excise career and during his 'loyalty' difficulties. He was a great admirer of his poetry and Burns wrote several epistles to him. Burns referred to him as "Friend of my Life - True Patron of my Rhymes."
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Life and character
He was the son of Robert Graham, 11th Laird of Fintry who died in October 1756 when Robert junior was only seven. He was tutored and then educated in Haddington, followed by St Andrews University. In 1770 he took over and managed the family estate in the old county of Forfarshire until in 1780 he was forced to sell the property because of financial difficulties, although a condition of the sale was that he retained his title. For a time he was the factor to Archibald Douglas of Douglas and the Earl of Strathmore, managing their lands in Forfar and Perth. He was appointed in 1787 as a Commissioner of the Scottish Board of Excise.
On 12 April 1773 he married Margaret Elizabeth Mylne of Mylnfield, his second cousin, and the couple went on have no fewer than ten daughters and four sons. He died aged 65 in 1815. He was related to Sir Robert Graham of Strathcarron and John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee, Bluidy Clavers, persecutor of the Covenanters. Graham was a Whig rather than a Tory and had Jacobite sentiments. His Edinburgh address was George Street.
A 1990s revelation is that Graham was in 1793 paid £26 6s 0d. from Henry Dundas's spy network funding to spread pro William Pitt propaganda. He wrote a series of letters to Robert Dundas about radical activists in the Dundee area where he ran a group of paid informers.
Association with Robert Burns
On 31 August 1787 Graham met Robert Burns in Blair Atholl at Athole House, seat of the Duke of Atholl whilst he was on his Highland Tour. In January 1788 Burns wrote to Graham requesting his patronage in his efforts to join the Excise and Graham gave his friend his full support. Later, when in December 1792 his loyalty to the crown was called into question, Graham gave him his support.
Burns's doctor in Edinburgh was 'Lang' Sandy Wood and he is said to intervened on the poet's behalf to Graham after the poet had confided his interest in joining the excise.
On 5 September 1787 Burns made his first mention of Graham in a letter to Josiah Walker. Burns described the experiences he had enjoyed at Athole House and one was "Mr Graham of Fintrie's charms of conversation".
Writing to Frances Dunlop on 2 August 1787 Burns said of Graham "Mr Graham of Fintry, one of the worthiest and most accomplished Gentlemen, not only of this Country, but I will dare say it, of this age."
Burns lost James Cunningham, Earl of Glencairn, as his principal patron due to his untimely passing in 1790 and then saw Graham as his main remaining supporter who wielded significant influence.
Burns commented that Graham was a "Friend of the Poet, Tried and Leal (loyal)." Burns sent Graham many manuscript copies of his poems and songs.
Burns's Excise training was due to take place in Edinburgh however Burns, probably assisted by Graham, had it transferred to Tarbolton. He had to pay his Ayr supervisor, George Johnston and Graham for elements of his training.
Burns in July 1789 confided in Graham that "I am deliberating whether I had not better give up farming altogether." By January 1790 he had made up his mind, making him entirely dependent on his Excise career and promotions, which he hoped his patron would assist him with.
Correspondence with Robert Graham and family
Around twenty letters survive from their correspondence. Burns's poetry sometimes covered controversial political topics and he clearly had great faith in Graham's friendship and tact. The letters are held by the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, South Ayrshire.
On 7 January 1788 Burns wrote to Graham regarding his application to join the Excise "I now solicit your Patronage. You know, I dare say, of an application I lately made to your Board, to be admitted an Officer of Excise. I have according to form, been examined by a Supervisor, and today I give in his Certificate with a request for an Order for instructions."
In September 1788, writing from Ellisland Farm, Burn's commented that he saw his appointment to the Excise "As my sheet anchor in life" and enclosed his "Epistle to Robert Fintry Esq., of Fintry."
On 10 September 1788 Burns wrote the following epistle "To Robert Graham of Fintry, Esq., with a request for an Excise Division":
This epistle accompanied a letter to Graham telling him that his home, Ellisland Farm "does by no means promise to be such a Pennyworth as I was taught to expect". Burns also revealed that he had lent money to keep Gilbert and his sisters on a 'farm in Ayrshire' so he had no financial reserves to help him with Ellisland. Then he came to the crux of the letter: "There is one way by which I might be enabled to extricate myself from this embarrasment, a scheme which I hope and am certain is in your power to effectuate. I live here, Sir, in the very centre of a country Excise-Division; the present Officer lately lived on a farm which he rented in my nearest neighbourhood; and as the gentleman, owing to some legacies, is quite opulent, a removal could do him no manner of injury; and on a month's warning, to give me a little time to look again over my Instructions, I would not be afraid to enter on business. I do not know the name of his Division, as I have not yet got acquainted with any of the Dumfries Excise People; but his own name is Leonard Smith. It would suit me to enter on it, beginning of next Summer..."
Smith was moved, however Burns's machinations have been seen to portray the poet in the poor light of self-interest, however his experience of his father's trials and tribulations regarding farm leases and legal disputes would have preyed upon his mind. The final decision was however that of Collector Mitchell.