William & Harry Munro

For family tree see George Munro, writer, Dingwall on Ancestry (subscription required)

William and Harry [b1781] Munro were the sons of George Munro [1732-1815], writer (lawyer) in Dingwall, and Barbara MacIntosh [1746-1826]. George was factor to Sir Hector Munro of Novar, who left him his gold watch in his will. In 1788 he was appointed as the first Sheriff Substitute within the Island of Lewis.

He took a lease of the farm of Lemlair (Kiltearn) along with his son, Harry. Harry Munro had gone out to Demerara or Berbice but was then brought home. Gilbert Robertson wrote to his mother in September 1803 saying that he supposed 'Harry Munro would like as well to be still a planter there as farming Limlair'. His mother commented: 'Harry is set up in a shop with one Grant at Inverness in a Cloth & Haberdashery shop. He is a fine spirited lad. It was a great pity to bring him home he was doing so well where he was.' [NLS MS 19331 f79 Anne Robertson, Kiltearn, to her daughter Christian (Mrs Watson), Crantit, Orkney, 31 Dec 1803]

Earlier, in 1802, she had written that 'There is a good account of John Bethune and Willie & Harry Munro' [NLS MS 19331 f67 Anne Robertson, Kiltearn, to her daughter Christian (Mrs Watson), Crantit, Orkney, 20 Apr 1802] and in 1809 her son observed that 'Mr John Bethune & Mr Wm Munro are both well' [NLS MS 19332 f86 Hugh Munro Robertson to Dr Traill from Kiltearn, Berbice June 4th 1809].

William had returned to Scotland before his father's death in 1815 but was excluded from his will on the basis that he had already received ‘at different times more than a child’s share of my means’ [Court of Session cases].