George Skene (9 May 1749 – 27 April 1825), of

Skene Skene may refer to: * Skene, Aberdeenshire, a community in North East Scotland, United Kingdom * Skene, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States * Skene, Sweden, a village now part of Kinna, Sweden * Skene (automobi ...

, was a Scottish army officer and politician.

Life

The eldest son of George Skene of Skene, George the younger was educated for the law, and became an

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, ...

at the Scottish bar, although he never practised. He subsequently entered the army, and rose to the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the 81st Highlanders in 1781, the year he succeeded his father in the estate of Skene. Skene was a committed Whig and supporter of

Charles James Fox Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled ''The Honourable'' from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-riv ...

. He was elected as the

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 ...

(MP) for

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire ( sco, Aiberdeenshire; gd, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially differe ...

at a by-election in 1786, defeating the

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...

James Ferguson James Ferguson may refer to: Entertainment * Jim Ferguson (born 1948), American jazz and classical guitarist * Jim Ferguson, American guitarist, past member of Lotion * Jim Ferguson, American movie critic, Board of Directors member for the Broadca ...

, but declined to contest the latter for the seat in 1790. He briefly returned to Parliament, representing Elgin Burghs, from 1806 to 1807. His "violent" Whiggery and

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...

much impaired his political career, but he remained influential in the public affairs of

, in part due to his pleasant manner. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his brother Alexander Skene, who was deaf, dumb, and nearly blind; upon Alexander's death two years later, an

entail In English common law, fee tail or entail is a form of trust established by deed or settlement which restricts the sale or inheritance of an estate in real property and prevents the property from being sold, devised by will, or otherwise alien ...

enacted by George brought the Skene estates to his nephew, the

Earl Fife The title Earl Fife was a title in the Peerage of Ireland created by letters patent dated 26 April 1759 for William Duff (1696–1763) after asserting (but not proving) his descent from Macduff, the medieval Earl of Fife. Though in the Irish pe ...

. At the end of his life he was living at 46 Moray Place in the fashionable Moray Estate on the west side of

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Skene, George 1749 births 1825 deaths 81st Regiment of Foot (Aberdeenshire Highland Regiment) officers Whig (British political party) MPs Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies British MPs 1784–1790 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies UK MPs 1806–1807