Tke late Robert Romanes, F.S.A. (Scot), Harryhurn, 



Lauder. By the Rev. Thomas Martin, M.A., 



Lauder. 



During last year the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club lost 

 one of its most euthusiastic members in the death of Mr 

 Robert Romanes, which took place at Harryburn, on the 

 28th July 1898. The deceased had been a member of the 

 Club since September 1869. He was frequent in attendance 

 at its meetings, and took great interest in historical and 

 antiquarian subjects, especially those relating to Lauderdale 

 and Berwickshire. More than once thp proposal was made 

 to elect him President of the Club, but he, much to the 

 regret of the members, was unable to entertain it. 



At the time of his death, he was the most prominent 

 and best known public man in Lauderdale. He held many 

 appointments in the district and the county, and had done 

 good public service. He had served as a volunteer from 

 the commencement of the movement till 1886, when he 

 retired with the rank of major. 



His family has an ancient connection with the town and 

 burgh of Lauder. As far back as either burghal or ecclesi- 

 astical records go, the names of his ancestors are honourably 

 mentioned in them. They appear as magistrates in the 

 burgh, as elders in the Parish Church, and often as 

 Treasurers for the Kirk Session, and distributors of the 

 charity given by the church to the poor. It is interesting 

 to note the changes through which the spelling of the family 

 name passed in coming down to the present. It appears 

 first as Rollmanhous, then Romanhous, afterwards Romanous, 

 and at the end of last century Romanes, which is its present 

 form. The town clerkship of Lauder had become almost 



