| Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet | |
| Birth Date: | 24 December 1766 |
| Birth Place: | Scotland |
| Death Date: | 18 September 1829 |
| Nationality: | Scottish |
| Occupation: | Landowner, Politician |
| Awards: | Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) |
Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet of Edinburgh FRSE (24 December 1766 – 18 September 1829) was a Scottish landowner and politician. He served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.[1]
William was the son of Robert Keith Arbuthnot FRSE (1728-1803) of Haddo Rattray, and Mary Urquhart of Cromarty. He was the elder brother of George Arbuthnot, 1st of Elderslie, and younger brother of Robert Arbuthnot FRSE (1760-1809).[2]
He attended the Edinburgh High School from 1773 to 1778.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in January 1800, being proposed by John Playfair.[2]
Arbuthnot managed a plantation on the island of Carriacou, in the Grenadines, on behalf of his uncle, William Urquhart of Craigston.[3]
Sir William served twice as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, from 1815 to 1817 and from 1821 to 1823. On the death of his father, he became Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Encouragement of the Manufactures and Fisheries of Scotland,[4] [5] a post later held by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Bt.[6]
Traditionally a knighthood was conferred on Lord Provosts, but Arbuthnot was created a baronet on 24 August 1822 (Letters Patent 3 April 1823) on the occasion of a banquet given by the Magistrates and Town Council of Edinburgh in honour of King George IV during his visit to Edinburgh.[5]
In his capacity as Lord Provost he opened the Edinburgh School of Arts on Adam Square on 16 October 1821.[7]
Sir William Arbuthnot matriculated Arms with the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1822.[8] Unusually, for a baronet, the arms include supporters, probably because he had accomplished two stints as Lord Provost.
Sir William is buried in St John's Episcopal Churchyard in Edinburgh at the west end of Princes Street.[2]
Arbuthnot married Anne Alves (d.1846), daughter of John Alves of Shipland, on 13 September 1800. They had ten children, including: