He was born in
Edinburgh in 1754. He had a shop and house at the head of Jacksons Close on the
Royal Mile (now 217 High Street). In 1780 he commissioned the building of Morningside Lodge (later renamed Falcon Hall) in the
Morningside district. It stood on 7.3 hectares of ground between Canaan Lane and Newbattle Terrace. He joined Edinburgh Town Council around 1800 and served as
Dean of Guild from 1806 and as
Lord Provost from 1808 (replacing
Donald Smith). He was
ex officio Colonel of the 1st Royal Edinburgh Volunteers (part of the
British Volunteer Corps) raised on 26 May 1803 during the
Napoleonic Wars). On 8 June 1809, in his capacity as Lord Provost, he laid the foundation stone of the new Edinburgh Asylum in Morningside. He died in Edinburgh on 14 April 1810. He is buried in
Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. He died in office as Lord Provost and was succeeded by
William Calder. His house, Morningside Lodge was acquired by Alexander Falconer and renamed Falcon Hall, being remodelled by
Thomas Hamilton in 1815. The house was last occupied by
John George Bartholomew in 1909, when it was demolished. Its gatepiers were re-used at
Edinburgh Zoo and its portico was re-used at Bartholomew's offices on Duncan Street in the Newington district. ==Artistic recognition==