Richard Alexander Oswald

Richard Alexander Oswald (17 February 1771 - 19 June 1841) was a Scottish Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1835.

Oswald was the son of George Oswald, a merchant of Scotstoun, Rector of Glasgow University[1] and the grand nephew of Richard Oswald (merchant) of Auchincruive.[2]

At the 1832 UK general election Oswald was elected Member of Parliament for Ayrshire. He held the seat until 1835.[3]

Oswald died at the age of 70.

Oswald married Louisa or Lucy Johnstone. The poet Robert Burns composed his verses, "O wat ye wha's in yon town?" to her. She died of consumption at Lisbon. They had no children and as Oswald did not marry again the family estates passed to his cousin James Oswald.[4]

Other evidence suggests Oswald had at least one child by Louisa Johnston, a son Richard Oswald who married Lady Mary Kennedy.[1]

This book states that Oswald went on to marry Lady Lilias Montgomerie (daughter of Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton[5]), and widow of Robert Dundas MacQueen.

This is supported by Oswald’s will which also shows that a beneficiary was his grand daughter Margaret Nina Lindsey,[6] who was likely the child of Thomas Spencer Lindsey and Margaret Hester Oswald described as "the only daughter of the late Richard Alexander Oswald, Esq. of Auchencruive"[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Smith, John Guthrie & Mitchell, John Oswald “The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry” (James MacLehose & Sons, Glasgow, 1878)
  2. ↑ Ayrshire History
  3. ↑ Leigh Rayment Commons constituencies
  4. ↑ The History of Glasgow Volume 3 - Chapter XXIX - A Typical Glasgow Family
  5. ↑ Burke’s Peerage Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1284 cited on The Peerage
  6. ↑ Will of Richard Alexander Oswald "Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384 - 1858)" in National Archives on-line database (purchase required) purchased 22 November 2011
  7. ↑ Death Announcement Margaret Hester Lindsey nee Oswald , The Times, Thursday, Nov 22, 1855; pg. 1; Issue 22218; col A in on-line database (subscription required) accessed November 26, 2011
  8. ↑ Smith, John Guthrie & Mitchell, John Oswald “The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry” (James MacLehose & Sons, Glasgow, 1878)

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Richard Oswald