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Frequently cited as being born in 1859 (vide Obituary below) a check of the statutory birth certificate confirms he was actually born in 1858 (see above). Reid was a student in the RSA Life School every year from 1879-80 to 1883-84 inc. In 1881 he was awarded the Prize for the best Drawing from the Life; in 1882 he took the Maclaine-Watters Medal and in 1883 was awarded both the Keith Prize [for the best work of a student in this year’s exhibition] and the Stuart Prize. The Visitors to the RSA Life School during his time were; J M Barclay; William McTaggart; Robert Herdman and W E Lockhart (1879-80); J M Barclay; William McTaggart; Robert Herdman and W E Lockhart (1880-1); J M Barclay, W McTaggart, Otto Leyde and Norman Macbeth (1881-2) and J M Barclay; William McTaggart; Robert Gibb and W E Lockhart (1882-3) and J M Barclay; William McTaggart; Robert Gibb and W E Lockhart (1883-4). He was elected ARSA in 1896. The RSA Annual Report 1945 carried the following Obituary to him; "Robert Payton Reid, A.R.S.A. On the 17th January the Academy lost its oldest member in R. Payton Reid, who was elected as far back as 1896. He was born in Edinburgh in 1859 [sic] and was educated at George Watson’s College. His art study began at the old school of the Board of Manufactures and the Life School of the Academy, where he gained the Stuart Prize and the Maclaine-Watters Medal. Thereafter he worked for four and a half years at Munich. Payton Reid was a regular exhibitor in the Academy up to his last year, and his work, such as the “ Dowie Dens of Yarrow, attracted considerable attention. During the recent war years, when members were permitted to send retrospective work, it was of great interest to have an opportunity to see examples of the earlier painting of our shy old friend. He married late in life and is survived by his widow and one daughter."