The House of Commons, 1833 by Sir George Hayter

Richard Alexander Oswald (17 February 1771 – 19 June 1841) was a Scottish

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 ...

politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1832 to 1835.

Life

Oswald was the son of

George Oswald George Oswald of Scotstoun (1735–1819) was a Scottish merchant of Glasgow. In 1797 he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow. Life He was the son of the Rev. James Oswald (1703–1793), and nephew of the merchant Richard Oswald (1705? ...

, a merchant of

Scotstoun Scotstoun ( gd, Baile an Sgotaich) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Garscadden and Yoker to the west, Victoria Park, Jordanhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde ...

, Rector of

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and the grand nephew of

Richard Oswald Richard Oswald (5 November 1880 – 11 September 1963) was an Austrian film director, producer, screenwriter, and father of German-American film director Gerd Oswald. Early career Richard Oswald, born in Vienna as Richard W. Ornstein, began h ...

Auchincruive Auchincruive is a former country house and estate in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, on the north bank of the River Ayr. Auchincruive House was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier mansion. In 1927, the estate ...

. At the 1832 general election Oswald 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

Ayrshire Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Àir, ) is a historic county and registration county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine and it borders the counties of Re ...

. He held the seat until 1835. Oswald died at the age of 70.

Family

Oswald married twice. His first wife was Louisa or Lucy Johnstone; the poet

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

composed his verses, "O wat ye wha's in yon town?" to her. She died of consumption at Lisbon.The History of Glasgow Volume 3 – Chapter XXIX – A Typical Glasgow Family
/ref> Oswald then married in 1817 Lady Lilias Montgomerie, daughter of

Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton Colonel Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton KT (5 November 1739 – 14 December 1819) was a Scottish peer, politician, soldier and composer. Biography Montgomerie was styled Lord Montgomerie from 1769. He sat as a Member of Parliame ...

, who was widow of Robert Dundas MacQue(e)n. Oswald and Louisa had a son, Richard Oswald. He married Lady Mary Kennedy, daughter of

Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa Archibald Kennedy, 1st Marquess of Ailsa KT, FRS (February 1770 – 8 September 1846), styled Lord Kennedy between 1792 and 1794 and known as the Earl of Cassilis between 1794 and 1831, was a Scottish peer. Early life Kennedy was the eldest so ...

, and died in 1833. The family estates passed to a cousin, James Oswald, in 1841. Thomas Spencer Lindsey married in 1818 Oswald's daughter Margaret Hester. Margaret Hester Oswald was described in an obituary as "the only daughter of the late Richard Alexander Oswald, Esq. of

Auchencruive Auchincruive is a former country house and estate in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, on the north bank of the River Ayr. Auchincruive House was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier mansion. In 1927, the estate ...

" Oswald's will shows that a beneficiary was a granddaughter Margaret Nina Lindsey.Will of Richard Alexander Oswald, "Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384–1858)

in National Archives on-line database (purchase required) purchased 22 November 2011

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oswald, Richard Alexander 1771 births 1841 deaths UK MPs 1832–1835 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Scottish constituencies Politicians from Glasgow Scottish Liberal Party MPs