"We should
not think of Robert Adam as a kind of shooting star in the
Scottish architectural firmament but as the second son in a
family whose reputation as an architectural firm was already well
established by the time he was ready to set up for himself at the
age of almost 30"
(Robert Adam in Ayrshire, Margaret H B Sanderson)
It is with this quote in mind that I offer the following chronology of Robert, his family and some of their works. Far from exhaustive, but contextual.
Based upon "The Work of Robert Adam", by Geoffrey Beard, supplemented (*) with additional dates and facts as found from a wide variety of sources.
| Date | Fact | |
| 1689 | 30 October | William Adam, Roberts father, born at Kirkaldy |
| 1716 | 30 May | William Adam married Mary Robertson * daughter of William, his partner in a brick and tile manufactory |
| 1721 | 5 March | John Adam, Roberts elder brother, born |
| 1724 | * Hopetoun House - William Adam transformed the original house (built by Sir William Bruce in 1700) into a grand mansion and this resulted in his "masterpiece" | |
| 1728 | 3 July | Robert Adam born at Kirkaldy |
| 1728 | * Family moved to
Edinburgh * at this point nearly 20 projects were under William's care: Barley mills; Coal Works; Salt Pans; Marble Works; Highways; Farms; houses of his own building and for others. Clerk and Storekeeper of the Works in Scotland. |
|
| 1729 | William Adam appointed
Surveyor of the Kings' Works in Scotland *(disputed by Margaret Sanderson in her book: Robert Adan & Scotland) |
|
| 1730 | * William Adam appointed Mason to the Board of Ordnance | |
| 1731 | * Estate of Blair Crambeth in Kinross-shire purchased. Renamed Blair Adam or 'the Blair' | |
| 1732 | 21 July | James Adam, Roberts "architect brother", born |
| 1734 | Robert attended Edinburgh High School | |
| 1743 | Robert matriculated at Edinburgh University (then called "College" and entered on 1 November | |
| 1745 | Roberts college career was interupted by the '45 rebellion | |
| 1746 | Robert joined John as an apprentice-assistant to his father | |
| 1748 | 24 June | William Adam died.
Buried at Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh * Robert became Johns partner in the family business |
| 1750 | The Adam brothers'
first major commission started at Hopetoun House, near
Edinburgh - the decoration of the grand State Apartments
on the first floor. * John married Jean Ramsay |
|
| ? | * Roberts sister married John Drysdale | |
| 1753 | Robert working at Fort
George * Roberts sister Susannah married John Clerk |
|
| 1754 | Summer | * Robert working at Dumfries House and Inverary |
| 1754 | October | Robert left for his grand tour in the entourage of Charles Hope, younger brother of the Earl of Hopetoun |
| 1755 | 24 February | Robert arrived in Rome * his art tutors in Italy were Charles Lois Clérisseau and Giovanni Battista Piranesi |
| 1757 | Robert travelled to Dalmatia to survey Diocletian's Palace | |
| 1758 | 17 January | Robert returned to London and set up house in Lower Grosvenor Street with his brother James. He was soon joined by sisters Jenny and Betty (who kept house), and brother William (to keep the books). |
| 1758 | 1 February | Robert admitted to membership of the Royal Society of Arts |
| 1759 | * Harewood House: Robert co-operated with John Carr of York on the exterior and was responsible for all interior decorations, Roberts first great country house achievement | |
| 1760 | James Adam left on his
Grand Tour * completion of Ballochmyle House, Ayrshire |
|
| 1761 | July | Roberts mother, Mary Adam, died. His sister Peggy joined Roberts household in London |
| 1761 | November | Robert appointed "Architect of the King's Works", jointly with William Chambers |
| 1761 | 10 December | Robert admitted a
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London * John: completion of Douglas Castle, Lanarkshire; several smaller works at Inverary; a library at Whim, Peebleshire; Moffat House |
| 1762 | * John: plans for Balnagowan House accepted | |
| 1763 | October | James returned from
his Grand Tour and joined Robert in London * John: offices for Kerse House, Stirlingshire |
| 1764 | Robert published his
book Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian, at
Spalatra, in Dalmatia. William Adam & Company (* a firm of property developers and builders) established (* this included John after he incurred heavy losses after the failure of his bankers, and William as equal partners) |
|
| 1763-71 | * John: Continued work at Castle Grant; Stables at Dunrobin; remodelling of Broomhall, Fife | |
| 1768 | James appointed
"Architect of the King's Works" when Robert
relinquished the post * Lease acquired for the "Adelphi" (adelphoi, meaning brothers) development in the Strand, London. To include: Adam Street (east), Robert Street (west), John Street (north). |
|
| 1768-74 | Robert Member of Parliament for Kinross-shire | |
| 1770-8 | * Mellerstain, Berwickshire (completion of the work started by his father in 1725) | |
| 1772 | * Work suspended on
the Adelphi project through lack of finance * Plans accepted for Register House, Edinburgh |
|
| 1773 | Robert & James published the first volume of the "Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam." (Vol 2 - 1779,m Vol 3 - posthumously - 1822) | |
| 1773 | 25 February - 2 March | Christies sale of the Adams' antique collections (* to raise funds for the Adephi project) |
| 1773 | 3 March | * £200,000 raised through a lottery (to raise funds for the Adephi project) |
| 177? | * John retires from practice | |
| By 1775 | * Roberts household
installed at: 4 Royal Terrace, The Adelphi * Johns' son William, MP * Thomas, 9th Earl of Cassillis dies before plans made for Culzean can be carried out |
|
| mid 1770's onwards | * Scottish commissions prevailed, full development of his "castle style" | |
| 1777-92 | * Culzean built for David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassillis | |
| 1780's | * Plans for civic improvements in Ayr. Only a modified design for the New Bridge (opened Novemeber 1788) was used | |
| 1780-2 | * Oxenford, Midlothian | |
| 1781-5-90 |
* Dalquharran (John's
daughter, Jean, married Thomas Kennedy of Dunure) |
|
| 1782-4 | * Jerviston. Lanarkshire | |
| 1785-6 | * Sunnyside, Midlothian | |
| 1787-8 | * Kirkdale, Kircudbrightshire | |
| 1789 | * Founding of Edinburgh College (University) | |
| 1789-91 | * Newliston, West Lothian | |
| 1790- | * Gosford, East Lothian | |
| 1790-1 | * Archerfield House (interior), East Lothian | |
| 1792 | 3 March | Robert Adam died suddenly at his home, 11 Albermarle Street, from the bursting of a blood vessel in his stomach |
| 1792 | 10 March | Robert buried in the South Transept of Westminster Abbey |
| 1792 | 25 June | John Adam died in Edinburgh |
| 1794 | 20 October | James Adam died at the Albermarle Street House |
| 1801 | Bankruptcy of William Adam & Company | |
| 1881 | 20-2 May | The second Adam sale by Christies |
| 1821 | 9 July | William Adam, the youngest brother died in London |
| 1833 | Sir John Soane acquired the collection of Adam drawings | |
It should be noted that the above table does not claim to be anywhere near complete! (hopefully further research and time will allow updates)
Back to top | Contents | Culzean | Kennedy | Adam's Culzean |Ailsa Craig | Bibliography |
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