The Society of Arts for Scotland
Sir John Robison (1778-1843), inventor and scientific writer. He was born in Edinburgh and was the son of the Scottish scientist and philosopher, Professor John Robison. In 1803 he travelled to Hyderabad where he was employed as Commanding Officer of the nizam’s artillery corps, at a time when British military intervention was strong. He imported machinery from England and procured modern western conveniences, including a mint from Boulton and his life-long friend Watt. The nizam awarded him well for his work and Robison returned to Britain in 1815 with a substantial fortune. He purchased an estate near Edinburgh and the following year was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1821, together with David Brewster, he founded the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, holding the position of secretary, twice the Vice-Presidency and finally Presidency (1841-2). Amongst the inventions presented to the society, Robison contributed sixty of his own and received medals and prizes for a number of them, including this medal which was awarded for determining the resistance to vessels at different speeds on the Forth & Clyde Canal. He travelled extensively throughout Europe and visited many manufacturing centres. This provided him with fresh ideas for his scientific writing which focused on introducing improvements in the mechanical arts, quite often from his observations made abroad. Robison’s house in Edinburgh served as a centre of hospitality and, as the “Gentleman’s Magazine” mentions in its obituary “at his house, foreigners of any merit of distinction, were constantly received in the most friendly manner, and introduced to persons of congenial tastes … there are few countries in Europe which have not, at one time or other, been represented at his hospitable board”. In 1822 Robison was admitted to the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Club. The following year he was appointed Secretary to the Physical Class of the R.S.E. and in 1828 he followed his father to become the Society’s General-Secretary. He was nominated to the Royal Guelphic Order of Hanover by William IV in 1837 and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1838.
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