Robert Hodshon Cay

Advocate | Number 11

Robert Hodshon Cay (5 July 1758-31 March 1810) lived at Number 11 from 1804 to 1810.  He also had an estate at North Charlton, Northumberland.

He enrolled at the University of Glasgow in 1778 to study Law under John Millar. He became an Advocate in 1780 and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in Scotland in 1800.  He was one of the Commissaries of Edinburgh from 1788 and was awarded an LLD from Edinburgh University in 1803.

In 1789 he married Elizabeth Liddell (1770-1831). She was a talented amateur artist, mainly with pastels and portraits. She received lessons from artist Archibald Skirving.

Robert and Elizabeth had nine children.

Their daughter, Frances, was the mother of James Clerk Maxwell.