Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet (21 March 1793 – 28 April 1849) was a Scottish politician and a prominent promoter of Sunday Sabbatarianism, which brought him to the notice of Charles Dickens who criticised both his cause and his character.[1][2]
The grave of Sir Andrew Agnew, Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh
Agnew was Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire, 1830–1837. He stood as a moderate reformer, but soon became deeply attached to the cause of Sabbatarianism, and pressed for the banning of all secular labour on Sunday. For this purpose he introduced no less than four Sabbath Observance Bills in the Commons, none of which passed.[1] It was the third attempt which drew on him the wrath of Charles Dickens, whose essay Sunday Under Three Heads (1836) is very largely a personal attack on Agnew,[2] whom he described as a fanatic, motivated by resentment of the idea that those poorer than himself might have any pleasure in life. While Dickens made many cogent arguments against the Bill, the strongest perhaps being that people cannot be forced to go to Church on Sunday, his personal attack is probably unjust: the Dictionary of National Biography speaks of Agnew's "genial and kindly nature".[1] He left Parliament in 1837, and no further effort to proceed with a Sabbath Observance Bill was made.
He died from scarlet fever in 1849 and he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son.[1][3]
McCrie, Thomas (1850). Memoirs of Sir Andrew Agnew, of Lochnaw, Bart. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Hansard's Debates
Dickens, Charles (1958). The Uncommercial Traveller and Reprinted Pieces. Oxford University Press. pp. 647–655.
Lundy, Darryl (14 February 2011). "Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw, 7th Bt". The Peerage. p. 12135 § v. Endnotes:
Cokayne, George Edward (1983) [no date (c. 1900)]. The Complete Baronetage (5 volumes). Vol. II (reprint ed.). Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing. p. 370.
andrew, agnew, baronet, march, 1793, april, 1849, scottish, politician, prominent, promoter, sunday, sabbatarianism, which, brought, notice, charles, dickens, criticised, both, cause, character, grave, andrew, agnew, grange, cemetery, edinburgh, contents, biog. Sir Andrew Agnew 7th Baronet 21 March 1793 28 April 1849 was a Scottish politician and a prominent promoter of Sunday Sabbatarianism which brought him to the notice of Charles Dickens who criticised both his cause and his character 1 2 The grave of Sir Andrew Agnew Grange Cemetery Edinburgh Contents 1 Biography 2 Family 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditAndrew Agnew was the son of Andrew Agnew and Martha daughter of John de Courcy 19th Lord Kingsale 1 3 He attended the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford 1 He succeeded his grandfather as 7th Baronet Agnew of Lochnaw on the latter s death on 28 June 1809 3 The family lived at Lochnaw Castle in the parish of Leswalt Agnew was Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire 1830 1837 He stood as a moderate reformer but soon became deeply attached to the cause of Sabbatarianism and pressed for the banning of all secular labour on Sunday For this purpose he introduced no less than four Sabbath Observance Bills in the Commons none of which passed 1 It was the third attempt which drew on him the wrath of Charles Dickens whose essay Sunday Under Three Heads 1836 is very largely a personal attack on Agnew 2 whom he described as a fanatic motivated by resentment of the idea that those poorer than himself might have any pleasure in life While Dickens made many cogent arguments against the Bill the strongest perhaps being that people cannot be forced to go to Church on Sunday his personal attack is probably unjust the Dictionary of National Biography speaks of Agnew s genial and kindly nature 1 He left Parliament in 1837 and no further effort to proceed with a Sabbath Observance Bill was made He died from scarlet fever in 1849 and he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son 1 3 He is buried in Grange Cemetery in Edinburgh against the north wall Family EditHe married Madeline Carnegie daughter of Sir David Carnegie 4th Baronet and Agnes Murray Elliot on 11 June 1816 and had issue Agnes Agnew d 1893 married Rev Thomas Blizzard Bell in 1845 4 Martha Agnew d 1904 married Frederick Lewis Maitland Heriot in 1848 4 They are ancestors of actor Charlie Cox Mary Graham Agnew d 1885 married James Douglas in 1858 4 Sir Andrew Agnew 8th Baronet 1818 1892 3 Captain John de Courcy Agnew 1819 1916 5 Reverend David Carnegie Andrew Agnew 1821 1887 5 He was the minister of the Free Church of Scotland in Wigtown from 1851 to 1875 6 James Andrew Agnew 1823 1918 5 Sir Stair Andrew Agnew 1831 1916 5 Thomas Frederick Andrew Agnew 1834 1924 4 Lt Col Gerald Andrew Agnew 1835 1927 4 Notes Edit a b c d e f Blaikie 1885 p 178 a b Dickens 1958 pp 647 655 a b c d Lundy 2011 cites Cokayne 1983 pp 369 370 a b c d e Lundy 2011 cites Mosley 2003 p 48 a b c d Lundy 2011 cites Mosley 2003 p 47 Ewing William Annals of the Free ChurchReferences EditBlaikie William Garden 1885 Agnew Andrew 1793 1849 In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 1 London Smith Elder amp Co p 178 Endnotes McCrie Thomas 1850 Memoirs of Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw Bart London a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Hansard s Debates Dickens Charles 1958 The Uncommercial Traveller and Reprinted Pieces Oxford University Press pp 647 655 Lundy Darryl 14 February 2011 Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw 7th Bt The Peerage p 12135 v Endnotes Cokayne George Edward 1983 no date c 1900 The Complete Baronetage 5 volumes Vol II reprint ed Gloucester U K Alan Sutton Publishing p 370 Mosley Charles 2003 Burke s Peerage Baronetage amp Knightage 3 volumes Vol 1 107th ed Wilmington Delaware U S A Burke s Peerage Genealogical Books Ltd pp 47 48 External links EditArchival material at Leeds University LibraryParliament of the United KingdomPreceded bySir William Maxwell Bt Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire1830 1837 Succeeded byJames BlairBaronetage of Nova ScotiaPreceded byStair Agnew Baronet of Lochnaw 1809 1849 Succeeded byAndrew Agnew Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sir Andrew Agnew 7th Baronet amp oldid 1159140572, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
