Robert Ferguson of Raith was born on 20 Aug 1802, the son of Ronald Craufurd Ferguson who was Colonel of the 79th from 1828 to 1841. His mother was Jean Munro. Robert grew up in Muirton, Fife, and joined the army as an ensign in the 43rd Regiment on 24 Feb 1820. According to the regimental history he exchanged as a major into the 79th Cameron Highlanders on 23 Mar 1827. He was appointed commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant-colonel on 13 Mar 1835 and commanded at the same time as his father was Colonel of the regiment. The regiment was serving in Canada but returned to Scotland in 1836, followed by service in the north of England. Robert retired on 8 June 1841.
The portrait, painted by an unknown artist, shows him in the uniform of the 79th Cameron Highlanders with light company wings on the shoulders and a chain and whistle on his shoulder belt. This suggests that he was a company officer (i.e. a lieutenant or captain) when he joined the regiment although the regimental history states that he joined as a major.
He was a Liberal MP for Kirkaldy Burghs from 1841 to 1862. His political views were in line with that of his father, supporting greater freedom, universal free schooling, electoral reform and lower income tax. On 17 May 1859 he married Emma Elizabeth Mandeville in London. His son, Ronald Craufurd Munro-Ferguson, 1st Viscount Novar, later became Governor General of Australia and then Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1864 Robert Ferguson inherited the baronies of Novar in Ross, and Muirton, Morayshire. The inheritance was conditional on his adding Munro to his surname. Colonel Robert Munro Ferguson died on 28 November 1868 and was buried on a hilltop overlooking Raith Lake in Kirkaldy.
