Robert Bruce was the oldest male sibling and like his father, was a coal miner. He worked in the local colliery for all of his working life. For most of his adult life he lived in the slum dwellings of Maxwood Rows so was presumably working at Maxwood Colliery. His life was not without incident (or accident). Robert survived and continued to work as a miner providing, as head of the house, shelter for four sisters, two brothers, a nephew and a niece at 5 Maxwood Rows, Galston, as detailed in the 1901 Census. His sister Lillias was the house-keeper while sisters Marion, Mary and Jeanie worked in the lace industry. In 1904 Robert Bruce (aged 31) married Annie McNeish (aged 25). She was a bleachfield worker who was born and brought up in Paisley. She had an illegitimate child in 1902 in Paisley poorhouse and must have subsequently moved to Maxwood Rows, Galston, where she met Robert.