The Hon David Dalrymple, Lord Westhall (1719–1784) was an 18th-century Scottish lawyer who rose to be a

Senator of the College of Justice The senators of the College of Justice in Scotland 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 ...

Life

The Lord Advocates house at the foot of Advocates Close

He was born on 27 August 1719 the fourth son of Hew Dalrymple, Lord Drummore. His paternal grandfather was

Hew Dalrymple, Lord North Berwick Sir Hew Dalrymple, Lord North Berwick (1652–1737) was a Scotland, Scottish judge and politician. The third son of James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair, he was Commissary of Edinburgh; Commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland for New Gallo ...

. His maternal grandfather was Robert Hamilton, Lord Presmennan of

East Lothian East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In ...

. His siblings included General Robert Horn Dalrymple. He passed the Scottish Bar as an advocate in 1743. In 1746 he became Procurator to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. In 1748 he became Sheriff of Aberdeen. In 1777 he succeeded James Ferguson, Lord Pitfour as

. In Edinburgh he lived in former Lord Advocate's house at the foot of the aptly named Advocates Close, off the

Royal Mile The Royal Mile () is the nickname of a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal ...

, opposite

St Giles Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; significant alteratio ...

. He moved from Advocates Close to the briefly fashionable properties on the Buccleuch Street (just south of

George Square George Square () is the principal Town square, civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of six squares in the city centre, the others being Cathedral Square, Glasgow, Cathedral Square, St Andrew's Square, Glasgow, St Andrew's ...

just after it was built, around 1782, and died there in 1784.

Freemasonry

Dalrymple was a Scottish Freemason. He was Initiated in Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, on 7 October 1747.History of the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No.2, compiled from the records 1677-1888
By Alan MacKenzie. 1888. P.245.

Death

He died on 26 April 1784. His position as a Senator was filled by Alexander Gordon, Lord Rockville.

References

1719 births 1784 deaths Scottish Freemasons 18th-century Scottish judges Senators of the College of Justice {{Scotland-bio-stub