He was elected to represent Sutherland in Parliament as a Liberal in March 1840. In July 1846 he was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales. At the time, it was the normal practice that accepting ministerial office caused a by-election; he was re-elected on 28 July.
In February 1846, he was knighted, a traditional perquisite of the office, but he resigned the position in March 1848 due to ill-health and returned to the backbenches. In May 1849, he was appointed Judge Advocate General, again re-elected in a by-election on 5 June, and made a member of the Privy Council on 29 June.
In 1851, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being John Cockburn, the wine merchant who founded Cockburns of Leith.[2]
In 1852, he commissioned the architect William Burn to completely remodel the mansion at Dunira and lived there until the late 1860s.[3]
In retirement he lived and worked in his chambers at the Inner Temple; among other work, he served as a Trustee of the British Museum. His retirement from politics was not permanent; when Stafford was elevated to the House of Lords in March 1861 on becoming the third Duke of Sutherland, Dundas returned to Parliament. He stood down again in May 1867, being succeeded by Lord Ronald Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, the Duke's younger brother.
He died on 30 March 1877.
Familyedit
He married twice: firstly on 29 November 1841 to Catherine Whyte-Melville (d. 23 April 1856), sister of writer George John Whyte-Melville; secondly in 1858 to Lady Lucy Anne Pelham (1815–1901), daughter of Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester. Lucy was a gifted amateur artist.
He had seven children by his first marriage:
Georgina Catherine Dundas (1843–1859)
Robert Dundas (1844–1865), who died unmarried
David Pelham Dundas (1845–1856), who died in childhood
Sir Sydenham James Dundas, 3rd Baronet (1849–1904), who died unmarried
Sir Charles Henry Dundas, 4th Baronet (1851–1908), who died unmarried
Sir George Whyte Melville Dundas, 5th Baronet (1856–1934), who married Matilda Louisa Mary Wilson, and had children
Lady Jane Dundas (died 1929), who married Reverend Francis Agnew Bickmore and had children
Dundas's second marriage produced a son. Sydenham Jaspar Dundas (1859–1909).[4]
Publicationsedit
On the Potato Disease – Crop 1845 (1846)
Referencesedit
^Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002(PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN0-902-198-84-X.
^Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002(PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN0-902-198-84-X.
^Perth Post Office Directory 1860: List of Noblemen and Gentlemen's Country Seats.
Oliver & Boyd's new Edinburgh almanac and national repository for the year 1850. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh, 1850
Gordon Goodwin, "Dundas, Sir David (1799–1877)", rev. H. C. G. Matthew, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 11 July 2006
david, dundas, baronet, david, barnett, dundas, baronet, frse, august, 1803, march, 1877, scottish, advocate, liberal, politician, agricultural, improver, contents, life, family, publications, references, external, linkslife, edit, nbsp, beechwood, house, west. Sir David Barnett Dundas 2nd Baronet QC FRSE 28 August 1803 30 March 1877 was a Scottish advocate Liberal politician and agricultural improver Contents 1 Life 2 Family 3 Publications 4 References 5 External linksLife edit nbsp Beechwood House west Edinburgh birthplace of David Dundas He was the son of Robert Dundas of Beechwood 1st Baronet Dundas 1761 1835 and Matilda Cockburn daughter of Archibald Cockburn He was born at the family mansion of Beechwood House near Corstorphine west Edinburgh on 28 August 1803 1 In 1824 he acquired Henry Dundas s estate of Dunira in Perthshire On his father s death in 1835 David became the 2nd Baronet Dundas was educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church Oxford He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1824 and appointed Queen s Counsel in February 1840 He was elected to represent Sutherland in Parliament as a Liberal in March 1840 In July 1846 he was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales At the time it was the normal practice that accepting ministerial office caused a by election he was re elected on 28 July In February 1846 he was knighted a traditional perquisite of the office but he resigned the position in March 1848 due to ill health and returned to the backbenches In May 1849 he was appointed Judge Advocate General again re elected in a by election on 5 June and made a member of the Privy Council on 29 June In 1851 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposer being John Cockburn the wine merchant who founded Cockburns of Leith 2 In 1852 he commissioned the architect William Burn to completely remodel the mansion at Dunira and lived there until the late 1860s 3 He retired from politics in the 1852 general election and was succeeded by the Marquess of Stafford also a Liberal In retirement he lived and worked in his chambers at the Inner Temple among other work he served as a Trustee of the British Museum His retirement from politics was not permanent when Stafford was elevated to the House of Lords in March 1861 on becoming the third Duke of Sutherland Dundas returned to Parliament He stood down again in May 1867 being succeeded by Lord Ronald Sutherland Leveson Gower the Duke s younger brother He died on 30 March 1877 Family editHe married twice firstly on 29 November 1841 to Catherine Whyte Melville d 23 April 1856 sister of writer George John Whyte Melville secondly in 1858 to Lady Lucy Anne Pelham 1815 1901 daughter of Thomas Pelham 2nd Earl of Chichester Lucy was a gifted amateur artist He had seven children by his first marriage Georgina Catherine Dundas 1843 1859 Robert Dundas 1844 1865 who died unmarried David Pelham Dundas 1845 1856 who died in childhood Sir Sydenham James Dundas 3rd Baronet 1849 1904 who died unmarried Sir Charles Henry Dundas 4th Baronet 1851 1908 who died unmarried Sir George Whyte Melville Dundas 5th Baronet 1856 1934 who married Matilda Louisa Mary Wilson and had children Lady Jane Dundas died 1929 who married Reverend Francis Agnew Bickmore and had children Dundas s second marriage produced a son Sydenham Jaspar Dundas 1859 1909 4 Publications editOn the Potato Disease Crop 1845 1846 References edit 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 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 Perth Post Office Directory 1860 List of Noblemen and Gentlemen s Country Seats Person Page Oliver amp Boyd s new Edinburgh almanac and national repository for the year 1850 Oliver amp Boyd Edinburgh 1850 Gordon Goodwin Dundas Sir David 1799 1877 rev H C G Matthew Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 accessed 11 July 2006 Leigh Rayment s Peerage Page usurped Dundas David 1799 1877 Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 External links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by David Dundas Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byWilliam Howard Member of Parliament for Sutherland1840 1852 Succeeded byThe Marquess of Stafford Preceded byThe Marquess of Stafford Member of Parliament for Sutherland1861 1867 Succeeded byLord Ronald Sutherland Leveson Gower Political offices Preceded byJohn Jervis Solicitor General1846 1848 Succeeded bySir John Romilly Preceded byWilliam Goodenough Hayter Judge Advocate General1849 1852 Succeeded byGeorge Bankes Baronetage of the United Kingdom Preceded byRobert Dundas Baronet of Beechwood 1835 1877 Succeeded bySydenham Dundas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sir David Dundas 2nd Baronet amp oldid 1132586815, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
