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Note: "William Robertson apprenticed with his father, Robert Robertson. He became a Freeman of the City of St. John, N.B. in 1850 and was listed as a "Sail maker" when he was 29 years of age. He is also listed as a Fire Warden of the City for several years in the Saint John Directories. When Robert retired in 1859, William Alexander took over the management of "Robert Robertson & Sons" and took in his brother Duncan as a partner. Saint John continued to be the largest shipping centre in the British Empire, though the actual building of ships was beginning to slow down. William Alexander continued to invest in new vessels being built. These were usually funded by groups of investors rather than individuals.
For many years he and his family lived at 6 Queen St., near Prince William. The more wealthy businessmen of the City were beginning to build mansions in the Mount Pleasant Ave. area, then considered a suburb of the City. He built a house there in 1869, calling it "ROCK TERRACE." This house stands today, a tall, solid looking mansion, now painted blue with white trim to relieve the unimaginative square shape. It is at the entrance of Mount Pleasant Court.
There is a record of a vessel built the following year, 1870, for William Alexander and "others," called the "CARMEL," a barque of 780 tons. She was owned by James U. Robertson of Liverpool when she sold to some Norwegians in 1884, and was still afloat in 1891. In 1875 William Alexander felt that he had to be closer to his shipping interests which were now based for the most part in Liverpool, England. He sold "Robert Robertson & Sons" to his sons, Robert, Jr., and George Stymest Robertson and set sail with the younger members of his family and his father, Robert. Robert returned that summer and died that fall.
William Alexander Robertson, Jr. died, aged 58, a very wealthy man, leaving most of his estate in Saint John; personal property of $200,000 and real estate valued at $18,000. His estate in Liverpool proved at 225 pounds sterling.
Robert Robertson and son William Alexander Robertson, Jr. were canny businessmen. They made sure that their ships or their shares in the ships were insured whether the rest of the shares were or not. In the 1877 fire which wiped out practically all the business district and the south end, William Alexander lost property on Johnson's Wharf, between Princess & Church Streets and also on Water Street. William and Mary Ann (Stymest) are buried in Liverpool, England.
Copy of Probate Records in the local history department, Liverpool City Library: #192 June 24, 1879 The Will of William Alexander Robertson of Ullet-road, Princess Park, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, died 16 May, 1879 at the Ullet-road, was proved at Liverpool by James Underhill Robertson of 9 Red cross-street, Liverpool, Ship broker, George Stymest Robertson of 12 Ullet-road, Merchant, and Louis Alexander Robertson of 12 Ullet-road, Merchant, the sons three of the executors. Personal Estate under 600 pounds sterling.
William was baptized "William Alexander" We find so named in the Liverpool Probate. Someone wishing to put a name to the "A" in the Fredericton probate, christened him "William Albert", probably after the Queen's consort. However, he is also known as "William Alexander" or "William Albert", but often referred to as "William A."
Source: "Robertson: The Sept of Duncan, 1753-1831 of Dunkeld, Scotland & Saint John, N.B., Canada", H. E. McMullin, Vancouver, B.C., June, 1998; pp.39-40.
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