James Stuart-Mackenzie
The Hon James Stuart-Mackenzie FRSE FSA (c.1717 – 8 April 1800) was a Scottish politician and joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783.
Life
Born James Stuart, he was a younger son of James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute, and his wife Lady Anne Campbell, daughter of Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, was his elder brother.
He was educated at Eton College 1728 to 1732 then travelled to Europe to study at the University of Leyden where he graduated in 1737.[1]
He inherited the Rosehaugh estates through his paternal grandmother Agnes Mackenzie and assumed the additional surname of Mackenzie. He was returned to Parliament for Buteshire in 1747, a seat he held until 1754, and then represented Ross-shire from 1761 to 1780. In 1761 he was sworn of the Privy Council. In 1763 he became Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland until 1765 and then again in 1766 until his death.
In 1752 we find that the Hon. James Stewart Mackenzie, sold Rosehaugh and bought from Sir Thomas and William Nairn the ecclesiastical lands of Kirkhill in Meigle, which belonged to the Holy Trinity of Dunkeld, and upon the site of the former Castle, which had been used as a grange for the Churchmen, he erected Belmont Castle, at a cost of £10,000.[2]
He was a very studious man and a great astronomer. A telescope, purportedly made for him, is in the Robert Whipple Collection at the University of Cambridge.[3] He was responsible for the building of the observatory on Kinpurnie Hill, then part of his estate. The observatory was designed by Alexander Bryce (1713 - 1786), Minister of Kirknewton and East Calder, but remained incomplete.
He died on 6 April 1800.
Family
Stuart-Mackenzie married his first cousin Lady Elizabeth Campbell,[4] daughter of John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, in 1749. They had no surviving children. She died in July 1799. Stuart-Mackenzie survived her by less than a year and died in April 1800. According to a decision in 1803 his estates were passed on to his nephew James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie.
He was brother-in-law to Robert Bruce, Lord Kennet.[5]
Notes
- ↑ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
- ↑ "Our Meigle Book." (Dundee:William Kidd & Sons,1930),41.
- ↑ http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple/explore/astronomy/twotelescopes/
- ↑ William Anderson, The Scottish Nation or, the Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland. (Edinburgh: Fullarton, 1877), I: 517.
- ↑ BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF FORMER FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 1783 – 2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
References
- Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
- Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Charles Campbell |
Member of Parliament for Argyllshire 1742–1747 |
Succeeded by Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell |
| Preceded by Patrick Campbell (to 1741) |
Member of Parliament for Buteshire 1747–1754 |
Succeeded by James Stuart (from 1761) |
| Preceded by Sir Henry Erskine |
Member of Parliament for Ayr Burghs 1754–1761 |
Succeeded by Lord Frederick Campbell |
| Preceded by Lord Fortrose |
Member of Parliament for Ross-shire 1761–1780 |
Succeeded by John Mackenzie |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by The Earl of Bristol |
British Minister at Turin 1758–1761 |
Succeeded by George Pitt |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Duke of Atholl |
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1763–1765 |
Succeeded by Lord Frederick Campbell |
| Preceded by The Earl of Breadalbane and Holland |
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1766–1800 |
Succeeded by Henry Dundas |