Alexander Craig Sellar (17 October 1835 – 16 January 1890) was a Scottish lawyer and

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

(later

Liberal Unionist The Liberal Unionist Party was a British political party that was formed in 1886 by a faction that broke away from the Liberal Party. Led by Lord Hartington (later the Duke of Devonshire) and Joseph Chamberlain, the party established a political ...

) politician. Sellar was the son of

Patrick Sellar Patrick Sellar (1780–1851) was a Scottish lawyer, factor and sheep farmer. In 1811, he was employed as factor by the Sutherland Estate in a joint (but subordinate) position with William Young. The estate had started some clearances, integral t ...

of Westfield, Morayshire, a lawyer, factor and sheep farmer, and his wife Ann (née Craig). He was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...

, and at

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...

where he was a favoured student of

Benjamin Jowett Benjamin Jowett (, modern variant ; 15 April 1817 – 1 October 1893) was an English tutor and administrative reformer in the University of Oxford, a theologian, an Anglican cleric, and a translator of Plato and Thucydides. He was Master of B ...

. He became a Scottish

Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

in 1862 and was legal secretary to the Lord Advocate for Scotland from 1870 to 1874.Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886
/ref> In 1873 he published ''Manual of the Education Act for Scotland''. He was a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

and Deputy Lieutenant for Argyllshire. In 1870 he married Gertrude Smith, daughter of Octavius Henry Smith. In 1880 he stoody unsuccessfully for

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

at Plymouth Devonport. In 1882 he was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for Haddington Burghs until the constituency was merged in the

Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...

. In 1885 he was elected MP for

Partick Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and ...

which he held until his death at the age of 54 in 1890. When the Liberal split in 1886 over

Irish Home Rule The Irish Home Rule movement was a movement that campaigned for self-government (or "home rule") for Ireland within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was the dominant political movement of Irish nationalism from 1870 to the e ...

, Sellar joined the breakaway Liberal Unionist Party. Sellar is commemorated with his scholar brother William Young Sellar on the south wall of Balliol College Chapel.Balliol College Archives & Manuscripts - Memorial Inscriptions
/ref>

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* 1835 births 1890 deaths People educated at Rugby School Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Scottish Liberal Party MPs UK MPs 1880–1885 UK MPs 1885–1886 UK MPs 1886–1892 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Glasgow constituencies Liberal Unionist Party MPs for Scottish constituencies 19th-century Scottish lawyers 19th-century Scottish politicians {{Scotland-Liberal-UK-MP-stub