Rev. Archibald (Archie) Eneas Robertson


(A. E. Robertson)

1870 - 1958

Munro-bagger. Robertson was born in Helensburgh, the son of a prosperous merchant. He was educated at Glasgow Academy and the University of Glasgow; amongst his classes he was taught Natural Philosophy by Sir William Thompson (Lord Kelvin). He began climbing Munros in 1889, two years before the list of Scottish mountains over 3000 feet (914m) was published by its creator Sir Hugh Munro (1856 - 1919).

Robertson had climbed 45 Munros by the time he joined the Scottish Mountaineering Club in 1893. He accumulated further conquests gradually through the succeeding years until, in 1898 and 1899, he undertook a determined campaign which resulted in him reaching the top of a further 147 Munros. This campaign made extensive use of both the developing rail system and his trusty bicycle, and was carefully planned to link the peaks in the most efficient manner, without unnecessary climbing. Unlike Munro himself, Robertson climbed just the main peak without all the subsidiary tops. Thus, in September 1901, Robertson climbed Meall Dearg (Glen Coe) and became the first to complete every Munro.

He served as Assistant Minister in churches in Edinburgh and Musselburgh (1897 - 1906), was ordained as Minister at Braes of Rannoch Parish Church in 1907 and remained there until 1920 before finally returning to Edinburgh where he served as Chaplain to the Astley Ainslie Hospital.

Robertson developed a keen interest in photography and went on to serve as President of the Scottish Mountaineering Club (1930-32) and as Chairman of the Scottish Rights of Way Society (1931). He was elected a Fellow of th Royal Scoiety of Edinburgh in 1946 and awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 1956.

He died at his home in Edinburgh. His diaries are held by the National Library of Scotland.


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