Sir David Wedderburn, 1st Baronet

Sir David Wedderburn, 1st Baronet (10 March 1775[1] – 7 April 1858)[2] was a Scottish businessman and Tory politician.

Wedderburn was the oldest surviving son of John Wedderburn (1729–1803, styled 6th Baronet) of Ballindean and his first wife Margaret Ogilvy, daughter of David Ogilvy (styled Lord Ogilvy). Both his father's and his mother's family had been attainted after the Jacobite rising of 1745, losing their titles, but his father continued to style himself as a baronet.[3]

His father had escape to Jamaica after the execution of his grandfather, and had established a successful business trading with his brother and cousins in their London trading house Wedderburn, Webster & Co. In 1796 David Wedderburn joined the business, at 35 Leadenhall Street in London, and make large profits. In 1803, he inherited his father's estates in Jamaica and at Ballindean, and was made a baronet,[3] of Ballindean in Perthshire.[4]

He was elected at a by-election in 1805 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Perth Burghs. He had the support of the 9th Earl of Kellie, but was opposed by David Scott, son of the deceased MP David Scott. Scott had the support of the powerful Lord Melville, but by the time he began his canvassing Wedderburn was too far ahead to be dislodged. He was re-elected unopposed at the next three general elections.[5]

In the House of Commons he voted as a loyal Tory, though after 1812 he did not attend Parliament frequently. He is believed to have never spoken in the Commons.[3]

Wedderburn left Wedderburn, Webster & Co in 1816 and retired from Parliament at the 1818 general election. He sold Ballindean soon after, and served as Postmaster General for Scotland from 1823 to 1831.[3]

He married Margaret Brown; both their sons died before he did, so the title went to his half-brother, Sir John Wedderburn,[6] son of Alice Dundas.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "P" (part 1)
  2. ↑ "Deaths". Dundee, Perth, and Cupar Advertiser. British Newspaper Archive. 9 April 1858. Retrieved 9 August 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  3. 1 2 3 4 Fisher, David R. (1986). R. Thorne, ed. "WEDDERBURN, Sir David, 1st Bt. (1775-1858), of Ballindean, Perth". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "London August 25". Aberdeen Journal. British Newspaper Archive. 31 August 1803. Retrieved 9 August 2014. (Subscription required (help)).
  5. ↑ Escott, Margaret (2009). D.R. Fisher, ed. "Perth Burghs". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "Sir David Wedderburn 1st Bart. Profile & Legacies Summary". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
David Scott		 Member of Parliament for Perth Burghs
1805 – 1818 		Succeeded by
Archibald Campbell
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
(of Balindean, Perthshire)
1803 – 1858 		Succeeded by
John Wedderburn


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