Sir Robert Wigram, Bt., his wife Eleanor, eldest daughter Maria and son, William Pitt

Sir Robert Wigram of Wexford (1744-1830) began his career as a sailor in the East Indies. In 1772 he set up as a drug merchant in London and bought stock in the East India Company and in 1810 purchased the controlling interest in the Blackwall Yard, Deptford, one of the oldest and largest privately owned shipbuilding yards in England. Between 1788 and 1813, the East India Company contracted the use of 21 of his ships. He was M.P. for Fowey from 1802 to 1806 and for Wexford from 1806 to 1807. He was created a baronet in October 1805. He married Catherine Brodhurst in 1772 and following her death in 1786, Eleanor Watts (1767-1841) in 1787 and had 23 children. At his death his widow inherited the estate at Walthamstow, Essex and an annuity of £5000. Sir Robert was a staunch supporter of William Pitt and named his youngest son after him. William Pitt Wigram was the 21st child and fifteenth son of Sir Robert and his second wife to reach maturity. He married Sophia Smith of Selsdon Park and became rector of Wanstead from 1837-1864.
In 1912 the Aberdeen University Press printed R. S. Wigram's Wigram Family and in 1913 A Register of the Wigram Family 1743-1913 compiled by W. A. Wigram was privately printed.