Robert George Wardlaw Ramsay

Who was Robert George Wardlaw Ramsay?

Colonel Robert George Wardlaw Ramsay FLS, FZS was an army officer and naturalist. His father was Robert Balfour Wardlaw Ramsay while his mother Louisa was the third daughter of George, eighth Marquess of Tweeddale. He studied at Cheam and Harrow before joining the Hampshire Regiment in January 1871 to be stationed in India, Afghanistan and Burma. His interest in birds began as a young boy and in 1872 he was elected a member of the British Ornithologists' Union and was later to become its president. He was also a Fellow of the Zoological Society. During his various army postings he took a great interest in the local ornithology. He was a nephew of Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale and inherited a large collection of over 20,000 bird skins that was later presented to the British Museum. He also edited The Ornithological works of Arthur 9th Marquis of Tweeddale and towards the end of his life was writing a Guide to the birds of Europe and North Africa which was published posthumously.

He was married to the elder daughter of Charles Swinton Hogg, Administrator-General of Bengal.