Sir Robert Basil Reid, prominent Scottish architect, was born on the 8th November 1774 in Edinburgh and was the son of a mason. His first commissions were the Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh (1802), and the Heriot Estate (1802-3), undertaken in partnership with Richard Crichton and William Sibbald respectively. Reid is known for his work on numerous public buildings including the refacing and extension of Parliament House (1807-10). By 1808 Reid had become the 'King's Architect and Surveyor in Scotland' which was followed in 1824, by his appointment as 'Sole Master of our Works and General Inspector and Overseer and Architect and Surveyor of all our Palaces and Public Buildings of whatever kind in Scotland'. In that year alone Reid undertook works at Holyrood, Fortrose Cathedral, Glasgow Cathedral, Elgin, and Linlithgow Palace. Reid died on the 20th March 1856.