A. E. Robertson

Rev. Archibald "Archie" Eneas Robertson FRSE FRSSA FRSGS (1870–1958), was a Church of Scotland minister. He is generally regarded as being the first mountaineer to climb all 282 Munros, the peaks of Scotland over 3,000 feet (910 m) in height, first listed by Sir Hugh Munro.^[1]

He was born in Helensburgh on 3 July 1870, the son of a prosperous merchant^[2] then educated at Glasgow Academy. He then studied divinity at Glasgow University, graduating MA in 1892 and BD in 1896.^[3]

From 1897 to 1906 he assisted in churches in Edinburgh and Musselburgh.

In 1907 Robertson became minister of Braes of Rannoch (near the Bridge of Gaur, on the River Gaur) where he made an effort to learn Scottish Gaelic, to deliver his sermons in Gaelic and try to keep the language alive.^[4]

The Reverend was known for his woodwork skills and crafted the altar at the Kirk and the door frames and bannisters at the manse (now a private residence called Craigriach).

In 1918 he moved to Edinburgh as chaplain of Astley Ainslie Hospital. In 1946 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were John (Ian) Bartholomew, Murray Macgregor, James Ernest Richey, Thomas Cooper, 1st Baron Cooper of Culross, Douglas Guthrie and James Ritchie.^[5]

He was president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club 1930–32. In 1946 he became the first president of the Scottish Rights of Way Society.^[6]

He died at home in Edinburgh on 22 June 1958.

Climbing reputation

Family

References

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