William Skinner of Corra WS FRSE DL JP (1823 - 1901) was a 19th-century Scottish lawyer and author. He was Town Clerk of Edinburgh from 1874 to 1895.[1]
He was born on 26 July 1823, the son of John Robert Skinner WS and his wife, Ann Black. The family lived at 3 Roxburgh Place in Edinburgh's South side.[2]
William was educated at Edinburgh Academy. He was then apprenticed as a lawyer to John Hunter WS at 47 George Street in Edinburgh's New Town.[3]
In 1848, he qualified as a Writer to the Signet and joined his father at 2 Elder Street.[4]
In 1852, he set up his own practice at 12 Forth Street in the New Town.[5]
From 1874, he served as Town Clerk for Edinburgh, serving consecutively the Lord Provosts: Sir James Falshaw, Sir Thomas Jamieson Boyd, Sir George Harrison, Sir Thomas Clark, Sir John Boyd of Maxpoffle, Sir James Alexander Russell and Sir Andrew McDonald.[6]
In 1876, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Philip Kelland, John Hutton Balfour, Robert Christison, and Arthur Mitchell.[7]
On 31 August 1877, he wrote to Ulysses S. Grant to confer upon him the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh (in his capacity as Town Clerk).[8]
He died at 35 George Square on 4 May 1901.[9]
In 1850, he married Johann (Ann) Farish Kirk (d.1866) daughter of Robert Kirk of Drumstinchnell. They were parents to the eminent accountant William Henry Kirk Skinner (WHKS) and at least three other sons.[10]
In 1880, he married Charlotte Eremengarde Warren (d.1931) of Market Drayton.[11]
His brother Hercules Skinner was a Captain in the East India Company in Bengal.