Sir Robert Halkett

SIR ROBERT HALKETT (sometimes written as Halket), baptized. 2nd September 1576 and died, 3 August 1653, aged 76). He married on 10th June 1595, Margaret Murray, eldest daughter of Sir John Murray of Eddleston and Margaret Hamilton of Innerwick, and had two sons and eight daughters of whom more later.

Robert Halkett was the first of the family definitely known to have been knighted in the latter half of 1602. Robert was also Provost of Dunfermline from 1606 to 1608 and again 1630 to 1631. There was no great change in the extent of the family holdings although there was at first some difficulty with his mother over the retention of certain lands of her original marriage portion, but a settlement was reached by which she was to receive life rents in lieu of actual possession. There also seem to have been a dispute over Pitliver, for in 1588 the Moubrays there, on the one hand, and Robert Halkett and his mother on the other hand, had to enter into caution not to molest or do bodily harm to the other parties. The family retained its interest in the Overgrange of Kinghorn, Lumphinnans and in Ballingall as late as 1597.

Whether knighthood or his father's court connections had induced a higher standard of expenditure or had involved greater commitments is not apparent, but the number of sasines and charters resulting from a widespread pledging of the lands as security for sums borrowed markedly increase at this time. Knockhouse was pledged to William Murray, brother of Sir John, but was redeemed in 1606 when Sir Robert's mother resigned her interests in Pitfirrane, and Pitconnochie. £40 sterling was borrowed in 1609 from Andrew Hagget in St Martins in the Fields.

All did not go well however. In 1612 Sir Robert and his brother Patrick of Lumphinnans were summoned by John Bannatyne in Edinburgh for repayment of 1000 merks. In 1633, 5000 merks were borrowed from Robert Wellwood in Touch who was infefted in Pitfirrane as security, with an annual interest of 500 merks a transaction not redeemed until 1643. Half of Limekilns was disponed under reversion for £5284 Scots. Other amounts reveal further the extent to which a landed proprietor made use of his lands to raise ready money to keep up the style fitting to his position. £444 (requiring legal action for repayment, a further 4200 merks from Robert Wellwood in 1638 on a bond involving Sir Robert's son and his wife. 1100 from Robert Aleson, mason in Dunfermline (who is in trouble during the Commonwealth (Wood 160/1) and a further sum bearing on interest of £106 per year (a principal of £1060) are further examples. Some may have been for a relatively short term (all the discharges have not survived) but some run on for several years. Despite his involved financial affairs Sir Robert had time in indulge in country sports, perhaps over-indulge, for in May 1602, James VI had to order him to "desist from haulking, slaying pouttis and partricks" for James often lived at Dunfermline and was inordinantly fond of hunting and liked sports.

Sir Robert played little part in the troubles of the Civil War, but his son James, also knighted was much more active. Nothing has come to light regarding the activities of Sir Robert during the Covenant and the Bishop’s Wars, but by that time he was an elderly gentleman of 62. His son, James, was much more active in the cause, after all his wife was a niece of the great Marquess of Argyll, one of the foremost antagonists of the king.

Some of the sums borrowed may have been for expenses in support of the Kirk, but no evidence can be adduced. Nevertheless, Sir Robert added a little to the family possessions, buying for 3000 merks the lands of Mukil Meadow or New Meadow adjoining Pitfirrane (the farm of Meadows today) and the half of Limekilns, which though disponed were to remain under the superiority of Pitfirrane for some time.

Sir Robert died c. 1653 and left a large family by his marriage with Margaret Murray:

1) Anne Halkett, Annas, b. 9 Jan 1600, m. (1) Sir John Henderson of Fordell (who died by April 1619), with issue -

1) Jean b. 5 Apr 1616,

2) James bap 3 Feb 1618, Posthumous Military Career.

m. (2) 26 Feb 1622 Thomas Myretoun of Cambo, who was killed at Kilsyth in 1645.

2) Isobel Halkett, b. 17 Jul 1601, Dunfermline.

3) Grizel Halkett, bapt. 19 Oct. 1602 who married Thomas Ker of Cavers in June 1641.

4) James Halkett, b. 1 Jan 1605 who died in infancy.

5) Sir James Halkett, b. 12 Aug 1610 who succeeded his father. d. 24 Sept 1670.

6) Jean Halkett, bapt 4 Dec 1612 who married on 24 Aug 1647, William Scot

7) Captain John Halkett, b. 27 Sept 1614 Dunfermline.

8) Robert Halkett, bapt 9 Dec 1617 who married, 14 May 1652 at Torrie, Jean Hadden, daughter of Sir John Hadden of Gleneagles. He also served in the Covenanting army being designated Captain of horse in Fife in 1650. Robert was much more extreme than his brother James (he had no estates to lose) and is among the Protestors of Remonstrants in the West under the command of the Colonel Strachan who had been Sir James' colleague in the North against Montrose.

9) Margaret Halket, bapt. 6 Aug 1619, m. Mungo Murray of Myreside near Pitfirrane at Ballingry in 1609. Mungo Murray was a Colonel of the Scots Regiment in Holland. He served under David Leslie in the Scots Army in England in 1643.

10) Elspet Halket, bapt. 7 Feb 1620. m. James Gray by 1640.

11) Patrick Halkett, whose son William Halkett, occurs in the St Andrews Testaments in 1699, but nothing further is known of him.

b. 2 Sep 1575