He spent several years abroad in Germany and Syria before returning in 1905 to St Andrews as an assistant professor of Hebrew language, and earned his D.Litt.
In 1962 he resigned as Librarian of the John Rylands Library and emigrated to Canada, when eighty-two years of age.
[7] He was born at Cameron, Fife, and in 1915 married the artist Gertrude Mary Coventry, by whom he had a son and two daughters.
At the time of his death on 29 April 1964 he resided at Hudson, Province of Quebec; his son had predeceased him.
[8] "His research work was done principally ... in the rather recondite field of Samaritan studies, to which he made memorable contributions, but his interests and competence as a scholar were very wide ... Robertson was an admirable teacher ... meticulous in his standards, but tolerant, patient, and always approachable ..."; from the resolution adopted by the Council and Senate of the Victoria University of Manchester after his death.