Claud Alexander

Sir Claud Alexander, 1st Baronet (15 January 1831 – 23 May 1899) was a Scottish Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.

Life

Alexander was the eldest son of Boyd Alexander and his wife Sophia Elizabeth Hobhouse, daughter of Sir Benjamin Hobhouse. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1849, he joined the Grenadier Guards. He served in the Crimean War including at the Siege of Sevastapol. He was awarded the Crimean Medal and Clasp, the Turkish War Medal and the Order of the Medjidie 5th Class. He reached the rank of Colonel in 1870. He was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.[1]

In 1868 Alexander stood unsuccessfully for parliament at Ayrshire South. At the 1874 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Ayrshire South. He passed the "Industrial Schools Acts Amendment Act" in 1880. He held the seat until 1885.[2] He was created a baronet in 1886.[3]

Alexander lived at Ballochmyle House, which he extended in 1886.[4] He died at the age of 68.

Family

Alexander married Eliza Speirs, daughter of Alexander Speirs of Elderslie who was Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire.[1] He was succeeded as baronet by his son, also called Claud, who founded the British Cat Club in 1901.[5]

References

1. Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1881
2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
3. "No. 25551". The London Gazette. 22 January 1886. p. 328.
4. Ayrshire Mansions
5. "Short-Haired Cats".

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Claud Alexander

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir David Wedderburn, Bt	Member of Parliament for South Ayrshire 1874–1885	Succeeded by Eugene Wason