Hamish Bain has been in touch with regard to Dr Robert Hamilton being the purebearer to the Queen (see here). He points out that he was actually pursebearer to The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, who every year lived in Holyrood Palace while the Assembly was sitting, and enjoyed a sort of vice-regal status. Robert was first appointed while his uncle the 8th Lord Belhaven was Lord High Commissioner but kept the place for more than 40 years. Hamish has sent a photograph from the Wellcome Institute showing Robert in court dress with knee breeches and sword.
Dr Robert Hamilton Ramsay Revisited
a tale of downward social mobility 