Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet

Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet (7 April 1739 – 12 November 1806), also known as William Forbes of Pitsligo, was a Scottish banker, landlord, philanthropist and writer.

Life and career He was born in Edinburgh on 5 April 1739. His father William Forbes, heir to a Nova Scotia baronetcy, was an advocate; the family estate at Monymusk in Aberdeenshire had been sold by his grandfather. Forbes's maternal grandmother was a sister of Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, whose activities in 1745 led to the forfeiture of his estate, also in Aberdeenshire. His mother, Christian Forbes, was a member of a collateral branch of the Monymusk family, and was left a widow when William, the elder of two surviving boys from a family of five, was only four years old. She settled in Aberdeen in 1745 for the education of her children, who were brought up as Scottish episcopalians. The younger boy died in 1749, and in October 1753 Lady Forbes, with her surviving son, settled in Edinburgh.

A friend of the family, Sir Francis Farquharson of Haughton, arranged with Messrs. Coutts, a prominent firm of bankers in Edinburgh, to admit Forbes as an apprentice, and he entered their service in 1754. The apprenticeship lasted four years, and then he was clerk in the counting-house for two years more, at the end of which he was given a small share in the business as a partner. Forbes was also involved in philanthropic projects in Edinburgh: the High School, the Merchant Company, the Morningside Lunatic Asylum, and the Blind Asylum. Forbes and his business partner Hunter Blair supported the construction of the South Bridge. He also succeeded in giving the Scottish episcopalians a surer standing in Edinburgh. Archibald Alison was brought to the city at his suggestion, and in Alison's works there is a funeral sermon to his memory. until around 1770 when he moved to a new property in the New Town, Edinburgh. Many of the partners of the firm where Forbes worked were involved in the Atlantic slave trade.

In March 1792 he was elected Rector of Marischal College, Aberdeen on the death of the incumbent rector, Sir William Fordyce. He retained this position until 1794 when he was succeeded by James Ferguson MP.

In 1801 he commissioned Edinburgh architect Richard Crichton to build a new mansion, Colinton House, in the grounds of Old Colinton House (which was left to become ruinous), all of which he had purchased from the Foulis family. The property passed to the son William on his death, and is now the main building of Merchiston Castle School.

Forbes declined invitations to stand for parliament. He was a member of Samuel Johnson's literary dining club, and he is mentioned in James Boswell's Tour to the Hebrides. Lady Forbes, with whom he made his only lengthy visit to the continent in 1792–3, died in 1802. He died at 39 George Street in Edinburgh on 12 November 1806.

They had thirteen children:

William Forbes of Pitsligo, 7th Baronet Forbes of Monymusk (21 December 1773 – 10 October 1828) Christian Forbes, daughter, (6 June 1775 – 1863), who married Sir Alexander Wood John Hay Forbes, Lord Medwyn (19 September 1776 – 25 July 1854) James Forbes (9 April 1778) Rebecca Forbes, daughter, (24 Dec. 1779–1826) who married Alexander Ranaldson MacDonell of Glengarry Elizabeth Forbes, daughter, (2 March 1781 – 1840), who married Colin Mackenzie of Portmore WS FRSE. Elizabeth was a great beauty and was painted by Sir Henry Raeburn Daniel Forbes (7 August 1782) Adam Forbes (7 September 1783) Grace Forbes, daughter, (23 March 1785) Jane Forbes, daughter, (10 June 1787–24 Nov. 1862) who married, 11 September 1806, James Skene of Rubislaw. Parents to William Forbes Skene Frances Farquharson Forbes, daughter, (10 August 1788) George Forbes (5 September 1790 – 26 September 1857), banker Charles Forbes (23 November 1791)

His grandchildren include James David Forbes and Sir John Stuart Hepburn Forbes and famous great-grandchildren include George Forbes.

Coat of arms