Sir William Fettes
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| Artist | William Cuming (Irish b.1769, d.1852) VIAF ISNI LC ; Sir Henry Raeburn (Scottish b.1756, d.1823) VIAF ISNI LC |
|---|---|
| Title | Sir William Fettes |
| Description | Half length. The sitter is shown full face, seated on a red chair. His right arm rests on the arm of the chair, his left is extended diagonally. William Fettes was born in Edinburgh, educated at the High School, and entered business as a wine and tea merchant at the age of eighteen. He combined business with underwriting: he was also a contractor for military stores. Retiring in 1800, he devoted himself to the management of his estates which he purchased with part of his fortune. In 1804 he was created a Baronet, choosing the title 'Wamphray and Comely Bank'. His only son died in 1815; Sir William died twenty-one years later. Fettes entered the Town Council in 1785 and was Lord Provost in 1800-1802 and 1804-1806. As Lord Provost he was Rector of the University, a purely nominal office attached to the Provostship from 1665 till the passing of the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858. More important was the fact that as Lord Provost he guided the delibarations of the body that governed the University. So in 1805 Fettes, with the rest of the Town Council, is found upholding a cesion to appoint John Leslie to the Chair of Mathematics in face of strong protests from the ministers, who accused Leslie of heterodox tendencies. It was through Sir William's influence and patronage that George Dunbar, the tutor to Sir William's son, was appointed to the Greek Chair in 1805. In 1830 Sir William, who took an interest in many charitable causes, executed a trust forming an endowment for the maintenance and education of orphans and children of parents who had not sufficient means to provide for the education of their families. In 1838 the trust amounted to £166 000; and with the sum the trustees built a college, on Sir William's estate of Comely Bank. Fettes College, as it was named, was opened in 1870. |
| Material | oil paint (paint)/paint (coating) ; canvas (textile material)/textile materials/materials (substances) |
| Dimensions | 91.44 x 71.12 cm |
| Type | Painting |
| Collection | Art Collection |
| Classification | oil paintings (visual works) ; paintings 1801-1900 ; portrait |
| Accession Number | EU0048 |