Reid, Robert, Bishop of Orkney (1496 -1558)

Robert Reid was the son of John Reid of Aikenhead, who died at Flodden, and of Elizabeth Schanwell, sister of John Schanwell, Abbot of Cupar. He was educated at St Salvator's College, in the University of St Andrews, which he entered in 1511, and graduating in 1515. He then studied at the University of Paris, and on his return, was made Vicar of Gartly, Bruntkirk and Kirkcaldy and Subdean of Moray, and was provided as Abbot of Kinloss 4 July 1528, and created Bishop of Orkney in 1541. Nominated to the Court of Session on its first meeting, he served frequently as secretary to the King and was employed on embassies. On the 1 February 1549 he was named President of the Court of Session. He built the library of the Abbey of Kinloss in 1538, and left 8,000 marks for the foundation of a College at Edinburgh. John Spottiswoode wrote of him: “A man of excellent wit and great experience, imployed in divers legations, and selected amongst others by the Estates to assist the marriage of Queen Mary with Francis the Dolphin of France. He died in his return at Dieppe in Normandy, much lamented, for he was of great integrity, and careful in the administration of justice, 1558.” Two further stamps, mentioned in Durkan and Ross, are not armorial or personal.