Sir James Montgomery, 2nd Baronet
Sir James Montgomery, 2nd Baronet Stanhope FRSE (9 October 1766 – 27 May 1839) was a Scottish peer, politician and lawyer who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland 1804 to 1806.
Life
James Montgomery was born in Peebleshire on 9 October 1766, the son of Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet Stanhope and Margaret Scott. The family moved to Stobo Castle when he was an infant. He was educated at the High School in Edinburgh from 1773 to 1778. He trained as an advocate passing the bar in 1787. He worked as an advocate at Argyll Square in Edinburgh through the 1790s.[1]
He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1803. He immediately set about remodelling Stobo Castle, commissioning the Edinburgh architect Archibald Elliot to rebuild it in a castellated style. The very large project was completed in 1811 and brought the castle to its current appearance.[2]
In 1810 he inherited £20,000 on the death of the family friend, William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry, who had died childless. This was a true fortune at that time.[3]
From 1817 he served as Deputy Governor of the British Linen Company Bank.[4]
He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Peeblesshire between 1800 and 1831. His maiden speech as an MP was on the prevention of forgery of bank-notes.[5] In 1807 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir James Hall, Alexander Dirom, and Thomas Charles Hope.[6]
He died on 27 May 1839 aged 72.
Family
He married, firstly, Lady Elizabeth Douglas (d.1814), daughter of Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk[7] and Helen Hamilton, on 1 August 1804. His brother-in-law during this marriage was Basil William Douglas.[8] They had two daughters and one son, James Montgomery (d.1833).
He married, secondly, Helen Graham (d.1828), daughter of Thomas Graham of Kinross House, in 1816. They had two daughters and three sons including Graham Graham-Montgomery (1823-1901) who later became the third baronet of Stanhope.[9]
Artistic Recognition
Montgomery was sketched in pastels by Richard Cosway.[10]
References
- Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1797
- http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/montgomery-sir-james-1766-1839
- http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/montgomery-sir-james-1766-1839
- http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/montgomery-sir-james-1766-1839
- http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/montgomery-james-1766-1839
- 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.
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p10985.htm
- http://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I46283&tree=CC
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p10985.htm#i109848
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p10985.htm#i109848
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir James Montgomery
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Montgomery his elder brother |
Member of Parliament for Peeblesshire 1800 – 1800 |
Succeeded by Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Parliament of Great Britain |
Member of Parliament for Peeblesshire 1801 – 1831 |
Succeeded by Sir George Montgomery, 2nd Bt |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Charles Hope, Lord Granton |
Lord Advocate 1804–1806 |
Succeeded by The Hon. Henry Erskine |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet |
Baronet (of Stanhope) 1803–1839 |
Succeeded by Sir Graham Graham-Montgomery, 3rd Baronet |