John Hay Forbes

John Hay Forbes, Lord Medwyn (1776–1854) was a Scottish judge.

Life

Forbes was the second son of Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet, and was born at Edinburgh. He was admitted advocate in 1799, was for some time sheriff-depute of Perthshire, and was made lord of session in January 1825, when he assumed the courtesy title of Lord Medwyn, from his estate in Perthshire. In December 1830 he was made a lord of justiciary. He resigned that appointment in May 1849, retired from the bench in October 1852, and died in Edinburgh, 25 July 1854. He was a committed Episcopalian, and promoted the interests of his church there.

Works

He edited a new edition of ‘Thoughts concerning Man's Condition and Duties in this Life, and his Hopes in the World to come’, by Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo (1678–1762), 1835, 4th ed. Edinburgh, 1854.

Family

Forbes married Louisa, daughter of Sir Alexander Cumming Gordon of Altyre, Elgin, and by her had, with other children, the sons Alexander Penrose Forbes, bishop of Brechin and George Hay Forbes, Episcopalian clergyman and founder of the Pitsligo Press.

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Forbes, John Hay". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.