William Robinson Clark was born in Daviot, Aberdeenshire in 1829. After graduating from King's College Aberdeen M.A. with honours,
he went to Hertford College, Oxford. Foster's 'Alumni Oxonienses' indicates that his B.A. was conferred by Oxford in 1864 and his MA in 1865.
He was the Dean of Taunton and prebendary of Wells Cathedral from 1859 to 1880.
In 1882, aged about 53, he emigrated to Canada and became the professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy at Trinity College, Toronto, Ontario (from 1883 to 1908). He was noted as a lecturer and preacher. He was also Professor of Theology at Toronto University.
He was described as one of the foremost theologians in North America, and
there are records of him delivering lectures in Michigan, USA.
He was awarded an Honoury LL.D by the Hobart College - now part of the
Hobart and William Smith University (HWS) - in the USA in 1888.
He was the author of many biographical and theological works (both in the UK and in Canada). Many are held in The British Library.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He was elected in 1891 and later served as President of the Society from 1899 to 1900. It seems that he was involved in the formation of the Empire Club of Canada, and became President of the Empire Club of Canada 1905-6.
In Canada, he also became a close friend of the long-time Prime Minister and political figure, William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874-1950), who was also of Scottish descent, and the Reverend William Robinson Clark is referred to in the Archives of Canada.
He died in 1912.
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