Charles Dundas, 1st Baron Amesbury (5 August 1751 – 7 July 1832) was a British politician.

Background and education

Charles was a younger son of Thomas Dundas of Fingask, MP for

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

and

Shetland Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the ...

(1768–1771) and a commissioner of police in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

(31 January 1771), who died on 10 April 1786. His mother was his father's second wife, Janet, daughter of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale. He was educated at

Edinburgh Academy The Edinburgh Academy is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Stockbridge, is now part of the Senior Scho ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

. He was called to the bar from the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...

, but devoted himself to a political life. His father's younger brother

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

became a successful banker and an MP for over 30 years. Charles's older brother

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

was a British Army officer who became Governor of Guadeloupe.

Political career

Dundas first sat for the borough of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

in 1774, Orkney and Shetland from 1781 to 1784, Richmond again in 1784–1786, and finally for

Berkshire (UK Parliament constituency) Berkshire was a United Kingdom constituencies, parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain f ...

, which he represented in ten successive parliaments (1794–1832). He was, finally, the second eldest member in the house. He was a liberal in politics. In 1802, on the resignation of Mitford (afterwards Lord Redesdale), the then

speaker Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David ...

, he was nominated, by Sheridan, as his successor in opposition to

Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...

. He, however, withdrew from the contest. Dundas was

Counsellor of State Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the monarch can delegate royal functions through letters patent under the Great Seal, to prevent delay or difficulty in the dispatch of public business in the case ...

for Scotland to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, and

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the White Horse volunteer cavalry. He was raised to the peerage as Baron Amesbury, of Kintbury, Amesbury, and Barton Court in the County of Berkshire, and of Aston Hall in the County of Flint, on 11 May 1832. Apart from his political career he was also the first chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal Company and the

Dundas Aqueduct Dundas Aqueduct () is an aqueduct in England which carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon (the Somerset / Wiltshire border) and the Wessex Main Line railway. The aqueduct is near Monkton Combe, Somerset, and is about south-east ...

was named after him.

Personal life

Lord Amesbury was twice married. His first wife, Anne, daughter of Ralph Whitley of Aston Hall,

Flintshire Flintshire () is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, the Dee Estuary to the north-east, the English county of Cheshire to the east, Wrexham County Borough to the south, and Denbighshire to the west. ...

, by whom he had one daughter, Janet, wife of Sir

James Whitley Deans Dundas Admiral Sir James Whitley Deans Dundas, GCB (4 December 1785 – 3 October 1862) was a Royal Navy officer. He took part in the Napoleonic Wars, first as a junior officer when he took part in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in Autumn 1799 ...

, who brought him the considerable estate of

Kintbury Kintbury is a village and civil parish in the West Berkshire district, Berkshire, England, between the towns of Newbury and Hungerford. The village has a convenient railway to and , proximity to other transport and local cultural destinations ...

-Amesbury (otherwise Barton Court) in Berkshire as well as other property. His second wife, whom he married on 25 January 1822, was his cousin, Margaret, daughter of Charles Barclay and widow of (firstly) Charles Ogilvy and (secondly) Major Archibald Erskine. He died 7 July 1832 at his residence in

Pimlico Pimlico () is a district in Central London, in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by Lon ...

, whereupon the title became extinct. Lady Amesbury died 14 April 1841.

Issue

* Janet Whitley Dundas. Married on 28 April 1808 to Captain James Deans RN an Aide de Camp to the King, who assumed the additional names of Whitley Dundas. Only son of Dr Deans, by Janet sister of Lord Amesbury.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Amesbury, 1st Baron, Charles Dundas 1751 births 1832 deaths People from Kintbury People associated with Orkney People associated with Shetland People educated at Edinburgh Academy Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Members of the Middle Temple Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Kennet and Avon Canal Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 British MPs 1796–1800 Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles Dundas, Charles UK MPs who were granted peerages Peers of the United Kingdom created by William IV