Scott's father was one of a group of Scottish wine merchants, settled in Madeira and trading to the West Indies and other colonies in Africa and America, the continental colonies, and the Guinea coast.
In about 1738 he left his partners John Scott and John Pringle in charge in Madeira, and moved to London and became senior partner in the firm of Scott and Pringle of Threadneedle Street.
[1] Robert Scott was educated at Eton College in 1757 and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
His political views differed from those of his friend John Pringle and he sold Crailing in 1786 and left Scotland.
He purchased Danesfield House in Buckinghamshire which he rebuilt in typical Georgian style.