Charles Erskine, Lord Tinwald
Charles Erskine | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Erskine, 1750 | |
| Lord Justice Clerk | |
| In office 1748–1763 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Fletcher |
| Succeeded by | Gilbert Elliot |
| Lord Advocate | |
| In office 1737–1742 | |
| Preceded by | Duncan Forbes |
| Succeeded by | Robert Craigie |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | |
| In office 1725–1737 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Binning |
| Succeeded by | William Grant |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1680 |
| Died | 5 April 1763 (aged 82–83) |
| Spouse(s) |
Grizel Grierson
(m. 1712, divorced)Elizabeth Maxwell |
| Children | Charles and James |
| Parent(s) | Charles Erskine Christian Dundas |
Charles Erskine also spelled Areskine (1680 – 5 April 1763), of Tinwald and Barjarg, Dumfries, and Alva, Clackmannan was Lord Advocate, a Scottish judge, and a politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1742.
Life
Erskine was the fourth son of Charles Erskine of Alva, Clackmannanshire and his wife Christian Dundas, daughter of James Dundas. His older brothers included Robert Erskine, physician to Peter the Great.
He was educated at the High School of Edinburgh and studied law at the University of Edinburgh from 1693.[1] At the age of 20, he was a candidate for the office of one of the four Regents of the University of Edinburgh, and after an examination with several competitors obtained that appointment on 26 November 1700 until 17 October 1707. On 7 November 1707, he was appointed the first Professor of Public Law at the University, despite the protests of the council. He was at Utrecht around 1710 and became a member of the Faculty of Advocates on 14 July 1711.[2]
Erskine was elected Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire in 1722, 1727, and 1734, for the Dumfries Burghs in 1734, for the Tain Burghs in 1741. He was Solicitor General for Scotland from 2 June 1725, Lord Advocate from 20 January 1737 to 1742. He was raised as a Lord of Justiciary, and also to the bench on 23 November 1744 as Lord Tinwald. He was also Lord Justice Clerk from 15 June 1748 until his death.[1]
In 1749, he purchased Alva House from his nephew and enlarged and remodelled the property.[3] His Edinburgh property at this time (required to attend the Edinburgh courts) was at Mylne's Square, opposite the Tron Kirk 200m east of the courts.[4]
In 1755, he purchased Drumsheugh House west of Edinburgh. He commissioned James Adam to extend the property and refront in a more modern idiom.[5] The house was two storey and basement in form.[6] The house was demolished to create Drumsheugh Place.
Family
He married Grizel Grierson, daughter of John Grierson of Barjarg on 21 December 1712,[1] through whom he inherited Barjarg Tower.
Erskine married as his second wife Elizabeth Maxwell, widow of Dr William Maxwell of Preston, Lancashire, and daughter of William Harestanes of Craigs, Kirkcudbright on 26 August 1753. He died in Edinburgh on 5 April 1763 leaving two sons by his first wife:
- Charles Erskine (1716–1749) - a lawyer, and MP for Ayr Burghs from 1747 to 1749.
- James Erskine, Lord Alva (1722 – 1796)
Erskine's brother John Erskine was also an MP.[1]
Ancestry
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In fiction
Charles Erskine, Lord Tinwald, features as a character in Andrew Drummond's fantasy novel, The Books of the Incarceration of the Lady Grange (2016).
References
- ^ a b c d Sedgwick, Romney R. (1970). R. Sedgwick (ed.). "ARESKINE, Charles (1680-1763), of Tinwald and Barjarg, Dumfries, and Alva, Stirling (now in Clackmannan)". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ^ Dalrymple
- ^ Clackmannanshire and the Ochils by Adam Swan ISBN 07073 0513 6
- ^ Grant's Old and New Edinburgh vol.2 p.236
- ^ "Lord and Lady Alva's Georgian House: The House". 28 September 2016.
- ^ Kirkwood's Plan of the New Town 1819
- An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice of Scotland, by Sir David Dalrymple of Hailes, Bt., with some further editing and additions, Edinburgh, 1849.