Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet

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Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet
Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Bt
Arms of the Arbuthnot baronets of Edinburgh

Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet of Edinburgh FRSE (24 December 1766 – 18 September 1829) was a Scottish landowner and politician. He served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.[1]

Life[]

William was the son of Robert Keith Arbuthnot FRSE (1728-1803) of , and Mary Urquhart of Cromarty. He was the elder brother of George Arbuthnot, 1st of Elderslie, and younger brother of Robert Arbuthnot FRSE (1760-1809).[2]

He attended the Edinburgh High School 1773 to 1778.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in January 1800, being proposed by John Playfair.[3]

Arbuthnot managed a plantation on the island of Carriacou, in the Grenadines, on behalf of his uncle, William Urquhart of Craigston.[4]

Sir William served twice as Lord Provost of Edinburgh, from 1815 to 1817 and from 1821 to 1823. On the death of his father, he became Secretary of the Board of Trustees for the Encouragement of the Manufactures and Fisheries of Scotland,[5][6] a post later held by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Bt.[7]

Traditionally a knighthood was conferred on Lord Provosts[citation needed], but Arbuthnot was created a baronet on 24 August 1822 (Letters Patent 3 April 1823) on the occasion of a banquet given by the Magistrates and Town Council of Edinburgh in honour of King George IV during his visit to Edinburgh.[8][9]

Sir William Arbuthnot matriculated Arms with the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1822.[10] Unusually, for a baronet, the arms include supporters, probably because he had accomplished two stints as Lord Provost.

Sir William is buried in St John's Episcopal Churchyard in Edinburgh at the west end of Princes Street.[11]

Family[]

Arbuthnot married Anne Alves (d.1846), daughter of John Alves of Shipland, on 13 September 1800. They had five children:

  • Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot, 2nd Baronet (1801–1873)
  • John Alves Arbuthnot (1802–1875)
  • George Clerk Arbuthnot (1803–1876), married firstly Agnes Rait, daughter of John Rait on 7 November 1837, married secondly, Caroline Ramsay Hay, daughter of James Hay on 10 January 1845 and had Charles Ramsay Arbuthnot
  • Archibald Francis Arbuthnot (1805–1879), married Hon. Gertrude Sophia Gough, daughter of the 1st Viscount Gough on 12 December 1837 and had and Sir George Gough Arbuthnot
  • James Edward Arbuthnot (1809–1868), married Harriet Frances Staveley, daughter of William Staveley in June 1837

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Adams, Thomas, Harvey, William, Whitson, Thomas, editors, Edinburgh 1329 - 1929, Edinburgh, 1929: 140
  2. ^ http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf
  3. ^ http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf
  4. ^ Gordon Slade, H (1984). "Craigston and Meldrum Estates, Carriacou". Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 114: 481–537.
  5. ^ Anderson, William, The Scottish Nation, Edinburgh, 1867, vol.IX: 560
  6. ^ Mosley, Charles, Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, Crans, Switzerland, 106th edition, 1999, vol.1, p. 93, ISBN 1-57958-083-1
  7. ^ Stewart-Smith, J., The Grange of St. Giles, Edinburgh, 1898, p. 357
  8. ^ Mosley, Charles, Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, Crans, Switzerland, 106th edition, 1999 vol.1, p. 93, ISBN 1-57958-083-1
  9. ^ "No. 17846". The London Gazette. 24 August 1822. p. 1386.
  10. ^ Balfour Paul, Sir James, An Ordinary of Arms, Edinburgh, 2nd edition, 1903, p. 96, no.1430
  11. ^ http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf

External links[]

Political offices
Preceded by
Sir John Marjoribanks, Bt
Lord Provost of Edinburgh
1815–1816
Succeeded by
Kincaid Mackenzie
Preceded by
John Manderston
Lord Provost of Edinburgh
1821–1822
Succeeded by
Alexander Henderson of Press
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
(of Edinburgh)
1823–1829
Succeeded by
Robert Keith Arbuthnot
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