John Hay Forbes, Lord Medwyn (19 September 1776 – 25 July 1854) was a British judge.
Life
Forbes was born in
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 ...
on 19 September 1776
the second son of
Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet
Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet of Monymusk and Pitsligo, usually known as William Forbes of Pitsligo (1739–1806), was a Scottish banker. He was known also as an improving landlord, philanthropist, and writer.
Life and career
He was born i ...
, and his wife Elizabeth Hay.
He studied law at
Edinburgh University
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...
and was admitted to the Scottish Bar as an advocate in 1799. He was appointed
Sheriff Depute of Perthshire in 1807, and was made
Lord of Session
The senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of senator: Lords of Session (judges of the Court of Session) ...
in January 1825, when he assumed the courtesy title of Lord Medwyn, from his estate in Perthshire.
In the 1830s he is listed as living at 17 Ainslie Place on the Moray Estate in the west end 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 ...
.
In December 1830 he was made a Lord of Justiciary. He resigned that appointment in May 1849, retired from the bench in October 1852, and died in Edinburgh, 25 July 1854.
Works
He edited a new edition of ‘Thoughts concerning Man's Condition and Duties in this Life, and his Hopes in the World to come’, by
Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
(1678–1762), 1835, 4th ed. Edinburgh, 1854.
Family
Forbes married Louisa Cumming-Gordon, daughter of Sir
Alexander Cumming-Gordon
Sir Alexander Penrose Cumming-Gordon, 1st Baronet (19 May 1749 – 10 February 1806) was a Scottish politician.
Cumming-Gordon sat as member of parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live ...
of
Altyre,
Elgin. They had several children, including the sons William Forbes of Medwyn,
Alexander Penrose Forbes
Alexander Penrose Forbes (16 June 18178 October 1875) was a Scottish Episcopalian divine, born in Edinburgh. A leading cleric in the Scottish Episcopal Church, he was Bishop of Brechin from 1847 until his death in 1875.
Biography
He was the sec ...
(who became
bishop of Brechin
The Bishop of Brechin is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Brechin or angus, Scotland, Angus, based at Dundee. Brechin Cathedral, Brechin is a parish church of the established (presbyterian) Church of Scotland. The diocese had a long-es ...
) and
George Hay Forbes
George Hay Forbes (1821–1875) was a priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church and the brother of Alexander Penrose Forbes, Bishop of Brechin.
Despite severe physical adversity, Forbes was responsible for church building at Burntisland near ...
,
Episcopalian
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...
clergyman and founder of the
Pitsligo Press
The Pitsligo Press was a printing press founded in 1852 by Scottish Episcopal priest and scholar George Hay Forbes (1821–1875) in Burntisland, Scotland. It published sermons, periodicals, patristic texts, liturgical material, and used fonts in ...
. Their daughter were Louisa Penuel Forbes and Helen Forbes.
Artistic recognition
Forbes' portrait is held in the
University of St Andrews
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medwyn, John Hay Forbes, Lord
1776 births
1854 deaths
Lawyers from Edinburgh
18th-century Scottish people
19th-century Scottish people
Scottish sheriffs
Medwyn
Members of the Faculty of Advocates