Alexander Abercromby, Lord Abercromby
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Alexander Abercromby, Lord Abercromby of Tullibody (15 October 1745 – 17 November 1795) was a Scottish
advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. List of country legal systems, Different countries and legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a ba ...
, judge and essayist.


Life

Abercromby was born in Tullibody House in
Clackmannanshire Clackmannanshire (; ; ), or the County of Clackmannan, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, Council areas of Scotland, council area, registration counties, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland ...
on 15 October 1745, the fourth and youngest son of George Abercromby of
Tullibody Tullibody () is a village set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies north of the River Forth near to the foot of the Ochil Hills within the Forth Valley. The village is southwest of Alva, Clackmannanshire, Alva, northwest of Alloa and ...
(1705-1800) and Mary Dundas. Two of his brothers entered the army; one of them became general Sir
Ralph Abercromby Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby, (7 October 173428 March 1801) was a British Army officer, politician and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Trinidad in 1797. Rising to the rank ...
. Alexander was the brother-in-law of
Robert Bruce, Lord Kennet Robert Bruce of Kennet, Clackmannanshire, Kennet, Lord Kennet Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, FRSE (24 December 1718 – 8 April 1785) was a Scottish advocate, legal scholar and judge. Life Bruce was born in Edinburgh on 28 December 1 ...
and James Edmonstone. Alexander studied law at the
University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, where he seems to have been chiefly distinguished for his handsome person and engaging disposition. He was admitted a member of the
Faculty of Advocates The Faculty of Advocates () is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary. The Faculty of Advocates is a const ...
in 1766, and was soon afterwards (1770) appointed
sheriff-depute A sheriff court () is the principal local civil and criminal court in Scotland, with exclusive jurisdiction over all civil cases with a monetary value up to , and with the jurisdiction to hear any criminal case except treason, murder, and rap ...
of Clackmannanshire. However, personal residence was not required within the county served, and he continued the practice of his profession at the bar in Edinburgh. In 1780 he resigned his sheriffship and was appointed one of the advocates-depute by
Henry Dundas Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, Privy Council (United Kingdom), PC, FRSE (28 April 1742 – 28 May 1811), styled as Lord Melville from 1802, was a British politician who served as Home Secretary from 1791 to 1794 and First Lord of the Ad ...
, then
Lord Advocate His Majesty's Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (), is the principal legal adviser of both the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolution, devolved powers of the Scottish P ...
of Scotland, and acquired a good practice. He also helped
Henry Mackenzie Henry Mackenzie FRSE (August 1745 – 14 January 1831, born and died in Edinburgh) was a Scottish lawyer, novelist and writer sometimes seen as the Addison of the North. While remembered mostly as an author, his main income came from legal ro ...
, the author of the ''Man of Feeling'', to start the ''Mirror'', published at Edinburgh in 1779, and contributed to the ''Lounger'' in 1785 and 1786. In 1783 he was one of the original founders of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...
. Abercromby's papers show much correctness of style and tenderness of expression. In 1792 he took his seat on the bench of the
Court of Session The Court of Session is the highest national court of Scotland in relation to Civil law (common law), civil cases. The court was established in 1532 to take on the judicial functions of the royal council. Its jurisdiction overlapped with othe ...
under the judicial title of Lord Abercromby, and a few months afterwards was appointed one of the lords commissioners of justiciary. In Edinburgh his offices were at Parliament Square and his house was at Horse Wynd.Williamson's Edinburgh Street Directory 1784


Publications

Lord Abercromby's known contributions to literature consist of ten magazine articles in the ''Mirror'' and nine in the ''Lounger.''


Death

On 17 November 1795, he died of pulmonary disease at
Exmouth Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort situated on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe, southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of settl ...
.


References

;Attribution


Further reading

*


External links

*
The Grand Lodge of Scotland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abercromby, Alexander 1745 births 1795 deaths People from Clackmannanshire Alumni of the University of Edinburgh School of Law Founder fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Members of the Faculty of Advocates Scottish male essayists Abercromby 18th-century Scottish lawyers 18th-century Scottish essayists Scottish sheriffs
Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. 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 ar ...