Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB

BMDB data

     Robert Russell Scott was born on 30 Dec 1877 reg. Dist of Lancaster, LAN, ENG.^2,1
     Robert Russell Scott married Helen Martin Fairbairn, daughter of Rev Andrew Martin Fairbairn and Jane Young Shields, bet. Mar 1904 - Jun 1904 reg. Dist of Ormskirk, LAN, ENG.^1,3
     Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB died on 16 Mar 1960 1a Leachkin Rd, Inverness, INV, SCT; The cert shows him as Knight Commander of the Bath, permanent secretary to the Secretary of State (retired) and married to Helen Martin Fairbairn; s/o Adam Scott, Minister of the Congregational Church and Jane m.s. Russell, both dec. He died aged 82 of terminal pneumonia, the informant being a friend, Vera M B Williamson of Glenglass, Bundshaugh?, Forres;
His obit in The Times mentions: long career in the Civil Service, beginning in the Admiralty and closing as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office from 1932 to 1938 ... son of the late Rev. Adam Scott, of Sale and Southport, born Dec 30 1877. Educated Manchester Grammar School and Wadham College, Oxford, where he was a Scholar... took a first in Moderations in 1897 and a first in Greats in 1900 passed into the Civil Service the following year ... 1904 to 1907 private secretary to the Civil Lord and afterwards a Principal Clerk. 1912 seconded as joint secretary to the Royal Commission on the Indian Public Services, and 1915 made member of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) .. 1917 returned to the Admiralty as Acting Assistant Secretary and Secretary of the Controller's Department ... "outstanding ability had for long been recognized, and in 1921 he left the Admiralty for good to take up the onerous post, first of Deputy Controller and the following year of Controller of Establishments at the Treasury, and it fell to him to carry out the great post-war reorganization scheme of the Civil Service by which he has left his permanent mark in Whitehall" .. reduced the many classes and grades of Civil servants into four, "Writing Assistant, Clerical, Administrative, and Executive" .. spent some 11 years at the Treasury .. 1932 succeeded Sir John Anderson as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office .. laid the foundations of the Air Raid Precautions Department of the Home Office (before his retirement in Jan 1938, normal retirement age) "His health had not been good for some years, but after his retirement in 1938, during the war he was able to render valuable service in the Ministry of Food." "Russell Scott was popular in the service, and he carried the spirit of social cooperation into his personal relations with his staff, to whom he often extended hospitality. He was made C.S.I. in 1916, C.B. in 1919, and was promoted to K.C.B. in 1922. he married in 1904 Helen Martin, younger daughter of the late Rev. A.M. Fairbairn, D.D., Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford"
NB 1a Leachkin Rd appears to be the street address of Craig Dunain Hosp.^1,4,5

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     The census of 1881 showed David and Robert and their sisters Christian and Margaret in the household of their parents Adam and Jane Scott 1 Lindow Sq, Lancaster, LAN, ENG, enumerated as SCOT: Adam 33 Minister of Centenary Congregtional Church; wife Jane 30 both b SCT: Children: David R 11, Christian P 8 both scholars b SCT; Margaret E 6, Robert R 3 both b Lancaster, Lancs; Serv Jefferson.⁶
     The census of 1891 showed Robert and Sydney and their sisters Christian, Margaret, Jeanie and Emily in the household of their parents Adam and Marion Scott Melrose Hse, Montague Rd, Sale, CHS, ENG, enumerated as SCOTT: Adam 43 Congregational Minister b SCT; wife Marion 37 b Manchester, LAN; Children: Christian P 18 private teacher b SCT; Margaret E 16, Robert R 13, Sydney 7 all scholars b Lancaster, LAN; Jeanie 6 scholar, Marion 1 both b Sale, CHS; Servant Acton; Visitor Elizabeth Pettigrew wid 66 living on her own means b Flinton, YKS.⁷
     The census of 1901 showed Robt Russell Scott in the household of his sister Christian and her husband Bertram Wagstaff 33 Egerton Gdns, Ealing, Par. of St Stephens, MDX, ENG, enumerated as WAGSTAFF: Bertram, 31 bank cashier, b ?Brockley, Kent?; wife Christian P 27 b Scotland (place indecipherable); Brother-in-law: Robt Russell Scott unm, 23 Class P 1st Div Admiralty (with Civ C written in above later) & 1 servant.⁸
     Bet. 1932 - 1938 Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB was Permanent Under-Secretary, Home Office (a photo may be seen on the National Portrait Gallery web site.)^1,9
     In 1943 Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB and Helen Martin Scott were living Inverern Hse, Forres, MOR, SCT, along with Robert's sister Jeanie, according to his aunt Margaret Mossman's will.¹⁰

All the other info

     Sir Robert Russell Scott KCB was educated; Manchester Grammar School; Wadham College, Oxford (Scholar). First Class, Honour Moderations, 1897; First Class, Lit. Hum., 1900; Clerk, Class I. Admiiralty, 1901.¹¹
     R Russell Scott attended the funeral service of Rev Andrew Martin Fairbairn on 14 Feb 1912 at the Corporation Cem., Wolvercote, ENG; Funeral report published Wed Feb 14th showed chief mourners as Mrs Fairbarin (widow), Dr John Fairbairn and Mr Andrew Fairbairn (sons), Dr E I Collis (son-in-law) and Mrs Collis (dtr), Mr R Russell Scott, of the Admiralty (son-in-law), and Mrs Scott (dtr) and Mr James Fairbairn (nephew) ...¹²