He was born in Dundee and rose to the rank of surgeon in the British army. He then became secretary to Sir John Lindsay who was appointed to enquire into the relations between the East India Company and the Nawab of the Arcot in 1769. The successful Scotsman then married the Honourable Anne Gray and bought Castle Huntly in Perthshire, which his wife's ancestors had built in 1452 and sold to the Strathmore family.

Provenance

By descent to Charles Paterson of Castle Huntly, Longforgan until 1938; Christie's, 1943; Fine Art Society; private collector.