| Authorised form of name | Gordon; Sir; Robert (1647 - 1704); landowner and natural philosopher |
| Dates | 1647 - 1704 |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| British |
| Place of birth | Gordonstoun, Drainie, Elgin, Scotland, Europe |
| Date of birth | 7 March 1647 |
| Date of death | 05 September 1704 |
| Dates and places | Burial:
His mausoleum on the site of the old church of Ogston, near Gordonstoun, Scotland, Europe |
| Occupation | Courtier; Virtuoso |
| Research field | Chemistry |
| Mechanics |
| Activity | Career:
Travelled abroad; devised a water pump and had a laboratory at Gordonstoun; MP for Sutherland in the Scottish Parliament (1672-1674, 1678, 1681-1682, 1685-1686); Gentleman of the Household to James II
Honours:
Kt 1673 |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 03/02/1686 |
| Proposer | Sir Christopher Wren |
| Other Royal Society activity | Had a paper on the treatment of rabies published in the 'Philosophical Transactions' |
| Relationships | Parents: Sir Ludovic Gordon and Elizabeth Farquhar; succeeded his father as baronet (1685)
Married: 1) Margaret Sutherland (née Forbes); 2) Elizabeth Dunbar
Children: 2) Robert Gordon; William Gordon; Lucy Gordon |
| General context | Some Gordon family manuscripts claim that he maintainted correspondence with Robert Boyle (FRS 1663) although no letters survive with sender or recipient. He was also in correspondence with Samuel Pepys (FRS 1665) regarding, for example, the trials of some nautical machinery. Around a year after his election to the Royal Society, he became largely inactive in its work. |
| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; Hunter; ODNB
References:
McKie, D. 1958. 'James, Duke of York, FRS', in Notes and Records, vol. 13, pp. 6-18
Notes:
ODNB has 5 September as date of death. |
| Royal Society code | NA5020 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| MS/390/88 | Bond of Sir Robert Gordon to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 3 February 1685 |
| CLP/14i/33 | Paper, 'A reciept [recipe] to cure mad dogs, or men or beasts bitten by mad dogs' by Rob [Robert] Gourdon [Gordon] | [1687] |