Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable William Robert Rae, MBE

Leith Burgh Police 1900 - 1920

Edinburgh City Police 1920 - 1936

Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable William Robert Rae, MBE

Member (Civil Division) of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

King Edward VII Police Medal (Scotland) 1903 (‘Visit to Scotland Medal’)

King George V Coronation (Scottish Police) Medal 1911

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935

The Early Years

William Robert Rae was born in Achusal, Rogart in the County of Sutherland on 27 June 1880. His father was Thomas Rae, a Shepherd. His mother was Sarah McLeod or Rae. His father registered his birth. His parents were married in Tongue, Sutherland on 19 July 1871.

Census of Scotland 1881

In the Census of Scotland 1881, William was living with his father, mother, brothers and sisters, at Achusal near Rogart in Sutherland. His father was working as a Sheep Manager.

Census of Scotland 1891

In the Census of Scotland 1891, William was living with his father, mother, brothers and sisters, near Tongue in Sutherland. His father was now working as a Shepherd.

Leith Burgh Police

William Robert Rae was appointed as a Constable in Leith Burgh Police on 8 February 1900. He was described as 19 years old, just under 6’ tall, fair hair, fresh complexion and grey eyes. He was a Railway Porter before his appointment.

Census of Scotland 1901

In the Census of Scotland 1901, William was living as a Boarder with John Angus and his family at 22 Junction Street, Leith. It was not unusual for families to take in boarders then, especially if there was a geographical or family connection, plus it made economic sense.

William was appointed to the Detective Department on 19 April 1906, still as a Constable. He can be seen below in the representative group of Leith officers taken on the retirement of Chief Constable in 1906.

Promotion to Rank & Pay of Inspector 1910

On 15 February 1910, William was appointed to the rank and pay of Inspector as Chief Clerk.

Census of Scotland 1911

In the Census of Scotland 1911, William was living with the family of John George Rae, whom I believe to be his younger brother, at 93 Iona Street, Leith.

The 1911 Census was controversial as it was the first to require women to state how long they had been married, how many live births they had experienced, and how many of those children were still alive on the date of the Census. John and Annie had been married for 6 years, had four children together, all of whom were alive at the date of the Census. Annie’s maiden name was Annie Murray Mathieson. I think Sarah is named after her paternal Granny, Sarah McLeod, and the other middle names with ‘M’ are Murray after Annie’s mother, Annie Murray.

Promotion to Rank & Pay of Lieutenant 1912

On 15 May 1912, William was appointed to the rank and pay of Lieutenant in Leith Burgh Police. The Scotsman newspaper of the same date carried the following under the heading:

“LEITH POLICE PROMOTIONS

The new post of Lieutenant recently sanctioned by the Secretary for Scotland in the Leith Police Force is to be filled by Inspector Wm. Rae. Other promotions are:- Detective Constable John Mackay to Detective Officer and constable George Peebles to detective Constable.”

Register of Marriages in the Parish of Caputh in the County of Perth 1914

On 16 June 1914, at Meikleour in the Parish of Caputh. After Banns according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland, William Robert Rae, (34), Lieutenant of Police, of 38 Buchanan Street, Leith, married Catherine Fleming Hamilton, (26), a Ladies Maid, of Meikleour in the Parish of Caputh.

William’s parents were as listed above. Catherine’s were Duncan Hamilton, a Head Gamekeeper, and Clementina Cumming or Hamilton. The service was carried out by Alexander Ayton Grant, Minister of Clunie and the witnesses were Margaret Hamilton and James Doull.

Promotion to Rank & Pay of Superintendent & Deputy Chief Constable 1919

Superintendent and Deputy Chief Constable Alexander Ross died in April 1919 after a long illness. On 15 July 1919, William Rae was appointed Superintendent and Deputy Chief Constable of Leith Burgh Police.

Electoral Register of Voters for the Burgh of Leith 1919

The Register of Voters  in the Burgh of Leith 1919 shows William R. Rae, a Police Lieutenant, and his wife, Catherine F. Rae, living at 35 Blackie road, Leith. (The couple were still living at that address in 1932 – 1933).

Amalgamation with Edinburgh City Police 2 November 1920

On 2 November 1920, William Robert Rae and every other Leith officer, with the sole exception of Chief Constable John McLeod, were transferred from Leith Burgh Police  to Edinburgh City Police. William Rae was “Transferred with 20 years and 267 days Police service counting towards pension.”

After the amalgamation of the two forces, William Robert Rae was the Superintendent of E (Leith) Division  Edinburgh City Police and continued as the Burgh Prosecutor.

William can be seen in the picture below along with Edinburgh Chief Constable Roderick Ross, at the head of the parade in Queen Charlotte Street, Leith, to mark the amalgamation.

Census of Scotland 1921

In the Census of Scotland 1921, William and Catherine Rae were living at 35 Blackie Road, Leith.

The Scotsman 3 June 1930

An article in the Scotsman of 3 June 1930, under the Heading “WILLIAM ROBERT RAE”, states the following:

“Superintendent William Robert Rae, of the Edinburgh City Police, who receives the M.B.E., was Superintendent of the Leith Police before the amalgamation with the City of Edinburgh, is now Superintendent of Leith Division and has been for nearly 30 years in the Police Force. He is Public Prosecutor in Leith.”

The End of Leith Court

The Scotsman of the 16 May 1932 carried the following article:

“CLERKS RECORD THE END OF LEITH COURT

 History Read at Last Sitting

DATING BACK 365 YEARS

The history of Leith Police Court was the subject of reference on Saturday, when the last sitting of the Court took place. Councillor John Hay was the presiding Magistrate and was accompanied on the Bench by Councillor T .T. McCrow.”

The following minute, which had been entered in the Court Book, was read by the Clerk of the Court:-

“The clerk, J. Kinghorn Miles S.S.C., mentioned that this was the last sitting of the Leith Police Court, and that from this date the administration of justice in the Port of Leith would cease. The Court was closed by virtue of Section 186 of the Edinburgh Corporation Order Confirmation act 1932.”

“Although as finally constituted, the Leith Police Court dates back only 100 years – to 1833, when Leith obtained its independence and became a Parliamentary Burgh – long prior to that date – from the year 1567 – the Corporation of Edinburgh was in use to appoint a Baron Bailiff and Judge Admiral of Leith to dispense justice in Leith, who had a Deputy.”

MARITIME QUESTIONS

“At first these officials were citizens of Edinburgh and resident in Edinburgh, but following complaints in 1753, residents in Leith were appointed the Bailiff’s Deputy while later three persons resident in Leith were appointed Magistrates. These Magistrates were prominent gentlemen of the Port, of position and standing, whose duties were somewhat onerous, as they not only had to deal with criminal cases, but also with some civil and maritime questions.”

“The book therefore which is closed today, is a very old volume dating back 365 years, and time alone will tell whether the volume will require to be reopened or whether it has been closed permanently.”

The minute was signed by Councillors Hay and McCrow, and also by Mr Miles and Mr William Rae, interim City Prosecutor.

Mr Miles, on behalf of the Court officials thanked the Magistrates of the City for their kindness and consideration.

Councillor Hay thanked the Court officials for the excellent manner in which they had carried out their duties and commented on the fairness of the police  in the stating of the cases in Court. He also expressed the thanks of the Magistrates to the various Court workers for the splendid service they had rendered.”

The Scotsman 1 August 1936

William Robert Rae retired from Edinburgh City police on 1 August 1936. The Scotsman newspaper reported the following:

“POLICE SUPERINTENDENT’S RETIREMENT

Superintendent William Rae, who has had 36 ½ years police service, has retired from Edinburgh City Police. A native of Tongue, Sutherland, Mr Rae joined the Leith Police in February 1900.

A year’s street duty in uniform was followed by four years service as Office Clerk, and after that by five years on plain-clothes duty in connection with the CID. He had a further spell of office duty, and February 1910 was appointed Inspector and Chief Clerk.

In May 1912 Mr Rae was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and in July 1919 became Superintendent and Deputy Chief constable of Leith. For a number of years he acted as Burgh Prosecutor at the Leith Police court.

When the Edinburgh and Leith Police forces were amalgamated in 1920, Mr Rae was ranked as Superintendent of the Leith Division.

He holds the King Edward and King George Medals and the Silver Jubilee Medal. In June 1930, he received the M.B.E. at the hands of the late King George at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Rae was one of the two police representatives from Scotland holding the rank of Superintendent who attended the funeral of the late King.”

The End of the Story

Catherine Fleming Hamilton or Rae, (79), of 145 Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh, died in the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh on 26 May 1967. Her death was registered by George M. Shearer, Solicitor.

William Robert Rae, (91), Police Superintendent (Retired), Widower, died in Southfield Hospital, Edinburgh on 23 June 1972. His death was registered by his niece, Christina Reid.

Author’s Note:

If you know the location of William Robert Rae’s King Edward VII 1903 medal and his two George V medals, please get in touch with the website. Thank you.