Gilbert Innes

Gilbert Innes of Stow FRSE DL MWS (1751–1832) was a Scottish banker, antiquarian and patron of the arts during the Scottish Enlightenment. He served as Deputy Governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland for 38 years. He was described as “the richest commoner in Scotland”. A notorious womaniser, another more damning quote was “the acts of his whoredom are written in the parish chronicles of Scotland”. He had at least 67 illegitimate children. Life He was born on 7 February 1751 the fourth son of Marion Lauder of Huntly Wood and her husband, George Innes of Stow. His father was second cashier of the Royal Bank of Scotland later becoming Cashier (the then equivalent of Chief Executive of the bank). He was the great grandson of John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall. Innes studied at the University of Edinburgh but did not graduate. By the time of his father's death in 1780, Innes was the sole surviving son, and inherited the family estate of Stow, near Lauder in the Scottish Borders. In 1787 Gilbert became a Director of the Royal Bank of Scotland. He helped the Bank survive the financial crises of 1793 and 1797.