William Robinson, architect, was born in Durham in 1720. Robinson moved to London at an early age and began a career that was largely made up of public commissions. He was Clerk of the Works at Greenwich Hospital (1746-1775), Surveyor of the buildings to the Board of Customs (1752-1767), Clerk of the Works at Whitehall, Westminster and St James Palace (1754-1775) and Clerk of the Works at the Queen's House (Buckingham House) (1769-1775). He supervised the erection of the Horse Guards building at Whitehall with John Vardy (1750-59) and his most famous private commission was Horace Walpole's first alterations to Strawberry Hill, Twickenham (1748). He died of gout on the 10th October 1775 and was buried in the chapel at Greenwich Hospital.