My wife's ancestors - Skene - Contents

Sir George Skene, Knt., Provost of Aberdeen

• References:
  • Alexander M. Munro:
    • Old Landmarks of Aberdeen, 1886, repub as Landmarks of Auld Aberdeen, 1985, [ECL] X DA 1300.
    • Memorials of the Aldermen, Provosts and Lord Provosts of Aberdeen, 1897, [Aberdeen FHS], [ACL] Lo RR.

Sir George Skene, 1687, attributed to Sir John Baptist Medina.
From Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums collections (see here). Used with permission.
As at 1897 this picture was in the possession of "Miss Skene, Folkestone" (descendant of Skene of Rubislaw) [Munro, 1897].
Purchased from Colin H.C. Graham in 1975 by Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Hangs in Provost Skene's House, Aberdeen.

Sir George Skene, Knt., Provost of Aberdeen (see here),
born 1619,
his father died 1631, when he was 12,
his half-brother David took him to Poland and apprenticed him to George Ædie in Danzig,
he went on to make his fortune in Poland, trading in Danzig,

returned to Aberdeen 1665,
purchased Wester Fintray (E of Kintore, see map) 1666,
acquired in 1669, as a town house, a house in Guestrow, Aberdeen which is now known as "Provost Skene's House", the Skene coat of arms is in a number of places in the house,
never married, and after David's death he took care of his children to treat as his heirs, he married Katharine Skene to David Ædie, son of his old master, 1671,
but "his nephews George and Alexander turned out quite profligate and debauched" [Skene, 1887], and robbed him, so he disinherited them and settled everything on the Ædies and on his other half-brother's descendants,
Provost (mayor) of Aberdeen from 1676 until new election at Michaelmas 1685,
knighted 1681 in Edinburgh by James, Duke of York (later James II),
acquired Rubislaw house and lands, Aberdeen, 1687 (area round the Hill of Rubislaw, SW of the city, N of Mannofield, see map),

settled Wester Fintray on Giles Ædie by mar contract 1690,
sold "Provost Skene's House" 1694 to David Ædie,
settled Rubislaw on his grand-nephew George Skene,
died 2nd [grave, St.Nicholas', Aberdeen] or poss. 9th, Apr 1707, age 88 yrs.
Barbara Yates Gibbon said he "went to Poland on a diplomatic mission and was knighted on his return", and that he gave each of the Ædie girls ("celebrated beauties in their day") a good dowry.

Provost Skene's House at night.
Photo 2008 by Dale Walker. From here. See terms of use.
And similar shot from here.

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• Map of c.1869 shows "Mansion House of Rubislaw" a little to the E of the Hill of Rubislaw.

• Rubislaw was inherited by George Skene.