Robert Kerr Hannay was born in Glasgow in 1867. He was educated at Albany Academy, Glasgow, and then studied at Glasgow University where he was awarded the degree of MA. He also obtained an MA at University College, Oxford. Hannay's academic teaching began with Greek and Roman History, and he first taught at St. Andrews University as a Lecturer in Ancient History, 1901-1911. Between 1911 and 1919 however, he held the Curatorship of the Historical Department of the Register House in Edinburgh. Hannay became the Fraser Professor of Scottish History and Palaeography at Edinburgh University in 1919, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1922. His many publications include: The College of St Leonard: being documents with translations, notes and historical introductions (1905), and St. Andrew of Scotland (1934). He collaborated on: The archbishops of St. Andrews (1907-1915), Extracts from the records of the Burgh of Edinburgh. A.D. 1589 to 1603 (1927), and Charters, Statutes, and the Acts of the Town Council and the Senatus, 1583-1858 (1937). He was appointed Historiographer Royal in Scotland in 1930. He died on 19 March 1940.
From the guide to the Papers of Professor Robert K. Hannay (1867-1940), [190-]-1938, (Edinburgh University Library)
