James Wedderburn-Colville (1739-1807) was born James Wedderburn, the second son of Sir John Wedderburn, 5th Baronet of Blackness, an impoverished Perthshire gentleman who was executed following the Jacobite rising of 1745. Following his father's death, James travelled to Jamaica where, like his brother John Wedderburn, he made a fortune in the sugar trade. In 1773, he returned to Scotland where he married the heiress Isabella Blackburn in 1774, and purchased a country seat at Inveresk Lodge; raising a family of six children. In his later years, Wedderburn lived the life of a country gentleman (adding the extra name Colvile for reasons of inheritance) until his death in 1807.
James Wedderburn's illegitimate son Robert Wedderburn, 1824
Early lifeedit
James Wedderburn was born on 28 August 1739 in Perthshire, Scotland, the second surviving son of Jean Fullerton and Sir John Wedderburn, 5th Baronet of Blackness, a Colonel in the Jacobite rising of 1745 who was captured, taken to London and executed for treason. Following this catastrophe, James and his older brother John Wedderburn travelled to Jamaica in 1747, where both brothers established themselves as "practitioners in physick and chirurgery" - despite having no medical qualifications.[1]
Jamaicaedit
While in Jamaica, James and John purchased land and slaves, becoming wealthy in the sugar trade. James Wedderburn had children with a number of slave women. His son Robert Wedderburn later settled in England and, in 1824, wrote the anti-slavery tract The Horrors of Slavery.[2][3]
Return to Scotlandedit
James Wedderburn returned to Scotland in 1773; he married Isabella Blackburn in 1774 and bought Inveresk Lodge, Midlothian, where he lived in comfort until his death in 1807.[1] Isabella Blackburn was the daughter of Andrew Blackburn and the Honourable Margaret Aytoun and, when she inherited the property of Craigflower in Fife, she and James Wedderburn adopted the additional surname Colvile.[1]
At some point in the late 1700s, Robert Wedderburn visited his father at Inveresk Lodge, but the encounter was not a success. In The Horrors of Slavery, Robert Wedderburn wrote: "He [his father] called me a lazy fellow and said he would do nothing for me. From his cook I had one draught of small beer, and his footman gave me a cracked sixpence".[4]
Familyedit
James and Isabella had four sons and two daughters [1]
Wedderburn died on 14 December 1807. In his will, dated 1802, the bulk of his estate was left in trust to his eldest legitimate son Andrew Wedderburn Colvile.[1] He also left a small annuity of £20 to his "reputed" daughter Lydia, who had married a grocer in Musselburgh.[1] Of his mixed-race children in Jamaica, no mention was made.[1]
In fictionedit
James Wedderburn features as a character in James Robertson's novel Joseph Knight (2003).[5]
Notesedit
^ abcdefghijklmJames Wedderburn Colvile at the Centre for the Study of British Slavery Retrieved 15 September 2021
^Robertson, James (2004), Joseph Knight, Fourth Estate, ISBN9780007150250
Referencesedit
McCalman, Iain (1986). "Anti-Slavery and Ultra-Radicalism in Early Nineteenth Century England: The Case of Robert Wedderburn". Slavery and Abolition. 7 (2): 99–117. doi:10.1080/01440398608574906.
External linksedit
James Wedderburn Colvile at the Centre for the Study of British Slavery Retrieved 15 September 2021
January 01, 1970
james, wedderburn, colville, 1739, 1807, born, james, wedderburn, second, john, wedderburn, baronet, blackness, impoverished, perthshire, gentleman, executed, following, jacobite, rising, 1745, following, father, death, james, travelled, jamaica, where, like, . James Wedderburn Colville 1739 1807 was born James Wedderburn the second son of Sir John Wedderburn 5th Baronet of Blackness an impoverished Perthshire gentleman who was executed following the Jacobite rising of 1745 Following his father s death James travelled to Jamaica where like his brother John Wedderburn he made a fortune in the sugar trade In 1773 he returned to Scotland where he married the heiress Isabella Blackburn in 1774 and purchased a country seat at Inveresk Lodge raising a family of six children In his later years Wedderburn lived the life of a country gentleman adding the extra name Colvile for reasons of inheritance until his death in 1807 James Wedderburn ColvilleBorn28 August 1739Perthshire ScotlandDied14 December 1807Perthshire ScotlandNationalityScottishOccupationPlanter Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Jamaica 1 3 Return to Scotland 1 4 Family 2 Death and legacy 3 In fiction 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography edit nbsp James Wedderburn s illegitimate son Robert Wedderburn 1824 Early life edit James Wedderburn was born on 28 August 1739 in Perthshire Scotland the second surviving son of Jean Fullerton and Sir John Wedderburn 5th Baronet of Blackness a Colonel in the Jacobite rising of 1745 who was captured taken to London and executed for treason Following this catastrophe James and his older brother John Wedderburn travelled to Jamaica in 1747 where both brothers established themselves as practitioners in physick and chirurgery despite having no medical qualifications 1 Jamaica edit While in Jamaica James and John purchased land and slaves becoming wealthy in the sugar trade James Wedderburn had children with a number of slave women His son Robert Wedderburn later settled in England and in 1824 wrote the anti slavery tract The Horrors of Slavery 2 3 Return to Scotland edit James Wedderburn returned to Scotland in 1773 he married Isabella Blackburn in 1774 and bought Inveresk Lodge Midlothian where he lived in comfort until his death in 1807 1 Isabella Blackburn was the daughter of Andrew Blackburn and the Honourable Margaret Aytoun and when she inherited the property of Craigflower in Fife she and James Wedderburn adopted the additional surname Colvile 1 At some point in the late 1700s Robert Wedderburn visited his father at Inveresk Lodge but the encounter was not a success In The Horrors of Slavery Robert Wedderburn wrote He his father called me a lazy fellow and said he would do nothing for me From his cook I had one draught of small beer and his footman gave me a cracked sixpence 4 Family edit James and Isabella had four sons and two daughters 1 John Wedderburn 1776 1799 1 Andrew Wedderburn Colvile 1779 1856 who became Governor of The Hudson s Bay Company 1 Peter Wedderburn Ogilvy 1781 1873 1 James Wedderburn 1782 1822 1 Margaret Wedderburn 1 Jean Wedderburn 1786 1871 1 married Thomas Douglas 5th Earl of SelkirkDeath and legacy editWedderburn died on 14 December 1807 In his will dated 1802 the bulk of his estate was left in trust to his eldest legitimate son Andrew Wedderburn Colvile 1 He also left a small annuity of 20 to his reputed daughter Lydia who had married a grocer in Musselburgh 1 Of his mixed race children in Jamaica no mention was made 1 In fiction editJames Wedderburn features as a character in James Robertson s novel Joseph Knight 2003 5 Notes edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m James Wedderburn Colvile at the Centre for the Study of British Slavery Retrieved 15 September 2021 Robert Wedderburn The Horrors of Slavery 1824 McCalman 1986 107 McCalman 1986 60 Robertson James 2004 Joseph Knight Fourth Estate ISBN 9780007150250References editMcCalman Iain 1986 Anti Slavery and Ultra Radicalism in Early Nineteenth Century England The Case of Robert Wedderburn Slavery and Abolition 7 2 99 117 doi 10 1080 01440398608574906 External links editJames Wedderburn Colvile at the Centre for the Study of British Slavery Retrieved 15 September 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Wedderburn Colville amp oldid 1221415196, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
