Robert Foulis (1707-1776) and Andrew Foulis (1712-1775)

Printers and book-sellers

Robert Foulis (1707-1776) was appointed printer to the University of Glasgow in 1741 and took his younger brother, Andrew Foulis (1712-1775), into partnership. They produced very accurate editions of Latin and Greek works, including an 'immaculate' Horace with only six misprints. In 1753 they founded an academy of art in Glasgow,  the first of its kind in Scotland. Students received tuition in drawing, painting, engraving and sculpture. The academy was forced to close due to financial difficulties after the death of Andrew in 1775, and Robert had to sell off all the artwork in London.

Robert Foulis (1796-1866), grandson of Robert, and great-nephew of Andrew, was an engineer, artist, entrepreneur and inventor. According to the 'Dictionary of Canadian Biography' he was born in Glasgow on 5 May 1776 but his birth isn't recorded in the Old Parish Registers. He moved to Belfast before settling in Canada where he invented the first steam-operated fog alarm. It was erected on Partridge Island, Saint John, in 1859. Its system of coded blasts is the basis of fog alarms in use world-wide today.

Birth of Robert Foulis in 1707

Robert Foulis was baptised on 20 April 1707, the son of Andrew Faulls and Marionn Paterson. The entry in the Old Parish Register (OPR) for Glasgow includes the names of two witnesses.

Baptism entry for Robert Foulis (65 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 644-1/8, page 745

Birth of Andrew Foulis in 1712

Andrew Foulis was baptised on 23 November 1712, the son of Andrew Fauls and Marrion Paterson. The entry in the OPR for Glasgow gives another different spelling of the surname but the same two witnesses.

Baptism entry for Andrew Foulis (21 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 644-1/9, page 161

Testament of Robert and Andrew Foulis

National Records of Scotland, CC9/7/70 pp 505-523

View transcript (110 KB PDF)

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