 "World Orders of Knighthood and Merit" by Guy Stair Sainty (published by Burke's Peerage) refers to Gayre as "...the late Robert Gayre (first Chief of the newly formed Clan Gayre)...".The "Glasgow Herald" Newspaper, on 14 June 1975, wrote "Robert Gayre, of Gayre and Nigg, is singular among genealogists, dynasts and the like, if only for the reason that, alone among them, he has been able to create a Scottish clan from scratch, providing it with traditions, rituals, precedences and privileges..."

In 1967 Gayre established a Commandery of the Order of St Lazarus.In 1971 he bought St Vincent's Church.