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Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, PC,
FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...
(28 April 1742 – 28 May 1811), styled as Lord Melville from 1802, was a British politician who served as
Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...
from 1791 to 1794 and First Lord of the Admirality from 1804 to 1805. He was instrumental in the encouragement of the Scottish Enlightenment, in the prosecution of the war against France, and in the expansion of British influence in India. Prime Minister William Pitt appointed him Lord of Trade (1784–1786), Home Secretary (1791–1794), President of the Board of Control for Indian Affairs (1793–1801), Secretary at War (1794–1801) and First Lord of the Admiralty (1804–1805). As a political boss, Dundas's deft and almost absolute power over Scottish politics during a long period in which no monarch visited the country led to him being nicknamed "King Harry the Ninth", the "Grand Manager of Scotland" (a play on the masonic office of Grand Master of Scotland), and "The Uncrowned King of Scotland." He was, however, a controversial figure, over his amendment to a motion for abolition of the
Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...
, which called for gradual abolition. At that time, the leaders of the abolitionist movement sought an immediate end to the slave trade, while the West Indian interests opposed any abolition at all.


Background and education

Dundas was born in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
on 28 April 1742 in the house known as 'Bishop's Land' (a former lodging of the Archbishop of St Andrews) on the
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. He was the fourth son of Robert Dundas of Arniston,
Lord President of the Court of Session The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General () is the most senior judge in Scotland, the head of the judiciary, and the presiding judge of the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary. ...
, by his second wife, Anne Gordon, daughter of Sir William Gordon of
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. He first attended Dalkeith Grammar School before an attack of smallpox interrupted his studies, after which he moved to the Royal High School,
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, before enrolling 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 ...
to study law. While a student, he was a member of the Edinburgh University Belles Lettres Society, participating in its meetings and gaining his first experience of public speaking at the society's debates.


Legal career

Dundas set up his legal offices at the head of Fleshmarket Close on 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 ...
. Becoming a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1763, he soon acquired a leading position in the Scottish legal system. He became Solicitor General for Scotland in 1766; but after his appointment as Lord Advocate in 1775, he gradually relinquished his legal practice to devote his attention more exclusively to public affairs. From 1776–78, Dundas acted as counsel to an escaped slave, Joseph Knight, who had been purchased in
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
and later taken to Scotland. As a young man Knight tried to escape from his owner, and when that failed he launched a legal battle for his freedom. The case went to Scotland's highest civil court, where Dundas led Knight's legal team, in the case of '' Knight v. Wedderburn''. Dundas was assisted by prominent members of the Scottish Enlightenment, and also the writer
Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
, whose biographer James Boswell later wrote: "I cannot too highly praise the speech which Mr. Henry Dundas generously contributed to the cause of the sooty stranger. ...And I do declare, that upon this memorable question he impressed me, and I believe all his audience, with such feelings as were produced by some of the most eminent orations of antiquity. ." Dundas argued that "as Christianity gained ground in different nations, slavery was abolished", and, noting an earlier anti-slavery ruling in ''
Somerset v Stewart ''Somerset v Stewart'' (177298 ER 499(also known as ''Sommersett v Steuart'', Somersett's case, and the Mansfield Judgment) is a judgment of the English Court of King's Bench (England), Court of King's Bench in 1772, relating to the right of an ...
'' in England, Dundas said "he hoped for the honour of Scotland, that the
supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
of this country would not be the only court that would give its sanction to so barbarous a claim." Dundas concluded his remarks by stating: "Human nature, my Lords, spurns at the thought of slavery among any part of our species." His pleading in Scotland's highest court was successful, and the Court ruled: "the dominion assumed over this Negro, under the law of Jamaica, being unjust, could not be supported in this country to any extent". The result was a landmark decision that declared that no person could be a slave on Scottish soil. Michael Fry said that Dundas's success in ''Knight v Wedderburn'' was "instrumental in prohibiting not only negro slavery but also native serfdom in Scotland." Until 1785, he served also as Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. He was created a Legum Doctor by the University of Edinburgh on 11 November 1789, was Lord Rector of the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
from 1781 to 1783, and on 2 February 1788 was appointed Chancellor of the
University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
. He was also a trustee for the University of Edinburgh and South Bridge.


Political career


Election to Parliament: the early years

In 1774, Dundas was returned to Parliament for
Midlothian Midlothian (; ) is registration county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh council ar ...
, and joined the party of Frederick North, Lord North; he was a proud Scots speaker and he soon distinguished himself by his clear and argumentative speeches. He was appointed Lord Advocate in 1775. His name appears in the 1776 minute book of the Poker Club. In 1778, Dundas made an attempt at proposing a Bill to relieve Scottish Catholics of their legal disabilities, but in response to severe riots in Edinburgh and Glasgow abandoned the project. After holding subordinate offices under William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne and Pitt, he entered the cabinet in 1791 as Secretary of State for the Home Department.


Cessation of the slave trade

On 2 April 1792,
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...
William Wilberforce sponsored a motion in the House of Commons "that the trade carried on by British subjects, for the purpose of obtaining slaves on the coast of Africa, ought to be abolished." He had introduced a similar motion in 1791, which was soundly defeated by MPs, with a vote of 163 opposed, 88 in favour. Dundas was not present for that vote, but when it was again before MPs in 1792, Dundas tabled a petition from Edinburgh residents who supported abolition. He then went on to affirm his agreement in principle with Wilberforce's motion: "My opinion has been always against the Slave Trade." He argued, however, that a vote for immediate abolition would be ineffective, as it would drive the slave trade underground or into the hands of foreign nations, beyond Britain's control. He stated: "this trade must be ultimately abolished, but by moderate measures". He suggested that slavery and the slave trade should be abolished together, and proposed an end to hereditary slavery, which would have enabled the children born to present-day slaves to become free persons upon reaching adulthood. He then introduced an amendment that would add the word "gradual" to the Wilberforce motion. The amendment was adopted, and the motion passed with a vote of 230–85. For the first time, the House of Commons voted to end the slave trade. Three weeks after the vote, Dundas tabled resolutions setting out a plan to implement gradual abolition by the end of 1799. At that time he told the House that proceeding too quickly would cause West Indian merchants and landowners to continue the trade "in a different mode and other channels". He argued that "if the committee would give the time proposed, they might abolish the trade; but, on the contrary, if this opinion was not followed, their children yet unborn would not see the end of the traffic." MPs ignored his cautions, and voted in favour of ending the trade in slaves by the end of 1796. The motion and resolutions later failed to win the necessary support of the House of Lords, which deferred consideration then dropped the issue altogether. Alternative measures were proposed later in the 1790s. Dundas spoke against specific proposals tabled in 1796, while reiterating his support for abolition in principle, but abstained from voting. The loss of momentum was connected to three years of an ongoing war on three continents, including with revolutionary France. It was not until 1807 that the House of Lords voted in favour of abolishing the trade in slaves. Historian Stephen Farrell has noted that by that time, the political climate had changed, and the economic advantages of abolition had become apparent. The Slave Trade Act 1807 prohibited the trade in slaves in the British Empire. Ownership of slaves, however, remained legal in most of the British Empire until passage of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. Between 1792 and 1807, when the slave trade was eventually abolished, another half a million Africans were transported into slavery in the British colonies. Dundas insisted that any abolition of the slave trade could not succeed without the support of West Indian colonial legislatures. Abolitionists argued that West Indian assemblies would never support such measures, and that by making the abolition of the slave trade dependent on colonial reforms, Dundas was in effect indefinitely delaying it. There is evidence, however, that Dundas had secured agreement of the West Indians before proposing the eight-year timeline. Recent peer-reviewed scholarship has also identified new archival evidence showing that Dundas had the support of several leading abolitionists, while the West Indian slave owners opposed his plan just as much as they opposed immediate abolition. A few years after passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807, Wilberforce and Dundas encountered each other. Wilberforce recorded the event as follows: "We did not meet for a long time and all his connexions most violently abused me. About a year before he died ... we saw one another, and at first I thought he was passing on, but he stopped and called out, 'Ah Wilberforce, how do you do?' And gave me a hearty shake by the hand. I would have given a thousand pounds for that shake. I never saw him afterwards."


Key positions in government

From June 1793, Dundas was appointed
President of the Board of Control President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
, generally responsible for overseeing the conduct of the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
and British affairs in India, a post he would hold until 1801. As the effective Minister for War as part of his Home Department responsibilities at the outbreak of the Wars of the French Revolution, he was Pitt's closest advisor and planner for Britain's military participation in the First Coalition. Although Dundas was replaced as Home Secretary by the Duke of Portland in July 1794, Pitt nonetheless wished to maintain direction of the war effort in Dundas's trusted hands, and so created for him the new office of Secretary of State for War. During the period Dundas also effectively led much of Britain's domestic and foreign intelligence activities, directly receiving reports from foreign and domestic agents, initiating paramilitary operations, and sponsoring propaganda. Dundas was responsible for organising several British expeditions to the Caribbean to seize vulnerable French and Spanish possessions, the largest being that led by Sir Ralph Abercromy in 1795–6. Dundas spearheaded a vain attempt by the British to capture Saint-Domingue from the French during the
Haitian Revolution The Haitian Revolution ( or ; ) was a successful insurrection by slave revolt, self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolution was the only known Slave rebellion, slave up ...
. After they lost territory to the armies of Toussaint L'Ouverture, and became bogged down in their retreat to the western towns of Mole St Nicholas and Jérémie in Saint-Domingue, the British accepted they could not defeat the armies of black ex-slaves, and negotiated to withdraw from the island, resulting in thousands of British deaths for no gain. Dundas also presided over a crisis in Britain's most important possession, the Colony of Jamaica. General George Walpole secured the surrender of the Jamaican Maroons of Cudjoe's Town (Trelawny Town), on condition they would not be transported off the island. The governor of Jamaica, Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres, used a contrived breach of treaty as a pretext to deport most of the Trelawny Town Maroons to
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
. Walpole was disgusted with the governor's actions, pointing out that he had given the Maroons his word that they would not be transported off the island. Walpole resigned his commission, and went back to England, where he became an MP and protested in vain in the House of Commons how Balcarres had behaved in a duplicitous and dishonest way with the Maroons. Dundas sided with Balcarres in the dispute, and turned down Walpole's requests to get the Maroons returned to Jamaica. Dundas was a vigorous advocate of a strong British presence in the Mediterranean. He promptly met the challenge of Napoleon's attack on Egypt with actions which were vigorous and pivotal. While he did not prevent the French landing, he did play a key role in defeating it, thus enhancing British security in India. From about 1798 on he pleaded frequently to be allowed to resign from his offices on health grounds, but Pitt, who relied on him greatly, refused even to consider it. Pitt's ministry left office in 1801. In 1802, Dundas was elevated to the Peerage of the United Kingdom as Viscount Melville and Baron Dunira, of Dunira in Perthshire. When Pitt returned to power in 1804, Dundas again entered office as First Lord of the Admiralty. Suspicion had arisen, however, as to the financial management of the Admiralty, of which Dundas had been
treasurer A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization. Government The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...
between 1782 and 1800.


Commission of Inquiry

In 1802 the Commissioners of Naval
Inquiry An inquiry (also spelled as enquiry in British English) is any process that has the aim of augmenting knowledge, resolving doubt, or solving a problem. A theory of inquiry is an account of the various types of inquiry and a treatment of the ...
commenced inquiries into
embezzlement Embezzlement (from Anglo-Norman, from Old French ''besillier'' ("to torment, etc."), of unknown origin) is a type of financial crime, usually involving theft of money from a business or employer. It often involves a trusted individual taking ...
of public funds 20 years earlier, when Dundas was treasurer of the Navy. Its report was presented in 1805. The Navy's paymaster, Alexander Trotter, admitted to the Commissioners that he had transferred public money from the
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...
to his own credit in a private account at Coutts Bank, investing and loaning the funds at interest, from which he benefited. Although his transactions caused no loss of public money, but rather the loss of interest on that money, impeachment proceedings were taken against Dundas in 1806, given that the misappropriation had occurred during his term as Treasurer of the Navy. The trial, in the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
, attracted considerable notice because of "dislike of patronage and the Pittite 'system', anti-Scottish bias, and advocacy of financial and parliamentary reform". The process ended in Dundas's acquittal. Dundas had already left the Privy Council in 1805 but he remained in the House of Lords. He was readmitted to the Privy Council in 1807. He declined an offer of an earldom in 1809.


Family

Lord Melville's first marriage was to Elizabeth Rannie, daughter of David Rannie, of Melville Castle, in 1765. She is believed to have been about 16 at the time of the marriage, although the date of her birth is not certain. She committed adultery (then known as " criminal conversation") with a Captain Everard Faukener in 1778, after 13 years of marriage, and abandoned Dundas and their four children, fleeing to an undisclosed location. Within days she confessed in a letter to Dundas, saying she was "undeserving of being your wife or the mother to your unhappy children." Approximately a month later they were divorced. She went on to marry Faukener and never saw her children again. Henry Dundas became the owner of the family patrimony she brought to the marriage, in accordance with the law of the time, and raised their four children at Melville Castle near Edinburgh. Dundas paid Elizabeth a monthly annuity until his death, which was not required by law. Their eldest son Robert inherited the estate in 1811. Robert, the 2nd Viscount Melville, continued the annuity until Elizabeth's death at the age of 98. Between 1785 and 1806, Dundas leased a large country home called Warren House on the edge of
Wimbledon Common Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Co ...
, where his guests included
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
, economist Adam Smith, abolitionist William Wilberforce, and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger. After his divorce Dundas was married again, to Lady Jane Hope, daughter of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun, in 1793. He died in May 1811, in Edinburgh, aged 69, and was succeeded in his titles by his son from his first marriage,
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
. The Viscountess Melville later married Thomas Wallace, 1st Baron Wallace, and died in June 1829. Dundas is buried in a family vault in Old Lasswade Kirkyard. His most famous family member is actor Kit Harington.


Legacy and memory

Late in life Dundas's health suffered and he was financially distressed. He attended debates in the House of Lords and maintained his position as a member of Privy Council, but kept a lower public profile. However at his death the immediate reaction was one of widespread praise from most quarters (apart from the Whigs in Scotland). By 1900, however, historians were harsh, denouncing him as the epitome of corruption and oppression who had sold out Scotland to the English. By the late 20th century his reputation had been restored. He was praised for his military policies, for giving Scotland a cohesive government, and for making it a major player in imperial affairs. Dundas was a friend of
John Graves Simcoe Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom), Lieutenant-General John Graves Simcoe (25 February 1752 – 26 October 1806) was a British army officer, politician and colonial administrator who served as the lieutenant governor of Upper Canada from 1791 u ...
, Lieutenant Governor of
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...
, who named a military road through Upper Canada (now southern
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
) after him. In the city of Toronto, Yonge–Dundas Square is a prominent landmark and commercial centre, while Dundas Street is a main thoroughfare. Dundas County, Ontario, and other highways and streets outside of Toronto, also bear his name. Dundas Island off the coast of British Columbia was named by Captain
George Vancouver Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...
in Dundas's honour. Vancouver originally believed it to be one island, Dundas's Island, but it was later determined that it was in fact a small archipelago. The group became known as the Dundas Islands, while constituent islands were given the names Melville Island, Baron Island, and Dunira Island, in respect of Dundas's titles. The District of Dundas in New South Wales was named after the Colonial Secretary, Henry Dundas. The District of Dundas was abolished in 1889 although the name still survives in the Sydney suburb of Dundas. In 1848, John Septimus Roe, the government surveyor (in the then colony of Western Australia), was searching for pastoral land and discovered the area around Norseman which he named Dundas Hills, after the colonial secretary. Gold was discovered there in 1893, the Dundas Field was proclaimed, and the town of Dundas established (ca. 40 km south of Norseman, later abandoned), which eventually led to the present Shire of Dundas. A monument to Dundas, modeled loosely on Trajan's Column in Rome, stands in the centre of St Andrew Square, Edinburgh. The cost of the Melville Monument was "met by contributions from officers and men of the Royal Navy." It was designed in 1821 by William Burn, who was advised by Robert Stevenson after residents of the square expressed concern about the adequacy of the foundations to support a column of such height. It cost £8,000. The garden surrounding the Melville Monument was opened to the public in 2008. A statue of Dundas, sculpted by Robert Forrest from a model by
Francis Chantrey Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (7 April 1781 – 25 November 1841) was an English sculptor. He became the leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, producing busts and statues of many notable figures of the time. Chantrey's most notable w ...
, was added to the top in 1828. The long-time headquarters of the
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, directly to the east, is Dundas House; construction was completed in 1774 for Sir Lawrence Dundas, a relative. In July 2020 temporary signs were erected by the City of Edinburgh Council to note that the plaque would be updated to note Dundas's role in delaying the abolition of slavery. A statue (1818), by Sir Francis Chantrey, of Dundas stands against the north wall inside Parliament Hall in Edinburgh. Furthermore, the Melville Monument, an obelisk erected in 1812 on Dunmore hill, overlooking the scenic village of Comrie in
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
, commemorates his life. Dundas Street, Hong Kong, was also named for him. Bonnyrigg Rose Football Club, in the Scottish Second Division have named their new stadium New Dundas Park, in honour of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville whose wife lived locally at Melville Castle, and who was a keen supporter of "the Rose". Namesake of Melville Island in Nova Scotia.


Dispute over Dundas's impact on abolition


Academic discourse

In the 20th century, historians were divided over whether Dundas should be held solely responsible for prolonging the slave trade. Historians of the slave trade and the abolitionist movement, including David Brion Davis, Robin Blackburn, Roger Anstey, and Stephen Tomkins commented that Dundas's actions delayed rather than facilitated abolition. According to Davis, "By making the abolition of the slave trade dependent on colonial reforms, Dundas suggested possibilities for indefinite delay." Stephen Mullen, a research associate at Glasgow University, called Dundas "a great delayer" of abolition in 2021. These claims were criticized by historian Angela McCarthy, who rejected the notion that Dundas's actions were so singularly determinative of the course of events. Other historians of British history argue that delay was inevitable. Angela McCarthy notes that the revolutionary wars with France, and opposition in the House of Lords and in the royal family, presented enormous obstacles. Sir Tom Devine, whose publications include editing ''Recovering Scotland's Slavery Past: The Caribbean Connection'' (Edinburgh University Press, 2015), has said that blaming Dundas solely for delay in the abolition of the slave trade ignores the wider political and economic factors that were the true causes of delay. In another ''Scottish Affairs'' article, McCarthy held that leading anti-Dundas activist Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer repeatedly misrepresented published sources. Brian Young notes that in 1792, the motion for immediate cessation of the slave trade was heading for certain defeat. By inserting the word "gradual" into the motion, Young says Dundas ensured a successful vote for the ultimate abolition of the trade in slaves.


Controversy over legacy

Given accusations that he contributed to delay in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade during the 1790s, activists have argued against the memorialisation of Dundas. Over 14,000 people signed an online petition in June 2020 to rename Dundas Street, a major street in downtown Toronto. The petition arose from a Black Lives Matter protest on 5 June 2020, where Dundas Street was the site of the march. The protest was documented by Mark Terry in the film ''Scotland, Slavery, and Statues.'' In July 2021, Toronto City Council voted to rename the street and other civic assets, although the change is still pending. In December 2023, Toronto City Council approved "Sankofa Square" as the new name for Yonge–Dundas Square. In
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, demonstrators graffitied the Melville Monument in June 2020. In March 2021, the City of Edinburgh Council approved a permanent plaque dedicated to the memory of enslaved Africans. Numerous historians, including Scotland's most eminent historian Professor Emeritus Sir Tom Devine, as well as descendants of Dundas, criticised the content of the plaque as historically inaccurate.


Fictional references

Lord Melville, as First Lord of the Admiralty, is present or a background character in several of
Patrick O'Brian Patrick O'Brian (12 December 1914 – 2 January 2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series. These sea novels are set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and ...
's Aubrey–Maturin novels. As a major official favourably disposed to Jack Aubrey, Lord Melville's political interest is often helpful to the captain. O'Brian casts Melville's impeachment for malversation of public monies as a political attack using naval intelligence spending, the details of which cannot be disclosed for security and the safety of intelligence agents—such as Stephen Maturin. Additionally, Heneage 'Hen' Dundas, a real-life naval officer son of Thomas Dundas, appears as a son of the 1st Lord Melville. As a former crewmate and close friend of one of the eponymous main characters, Jack Aubrey, Heneage Dundas is one of the recurring characters of the series. He is also a supporting character in the legal drama '' Garrow's Law''. As a leading figure of the establishment, he is a bitter enemy of the radical hero, William Garrow. He is played by Stephen Boxer. Also, fictional references were made to Sir Henry Dundas in Chapter 24 of L. A. Meyer's third book in the ''Jacky Faber'' series, which was titled "Under the Jolly Roger" as well as the former Lord Dundas in Meyer's sixth book, which was titled, "My Bonny Light Horseman". He was portrayed as 'bookish', although a sweet and sincere man otherwise. A reference was made to Henry Dundas and his role in the abolition of the slave trade in the motion picture '' Amazing Grace'' (2006) where he was played by Bill Paterson. Dundas is also featured in '' Joseph Knight'', by James Robertson (Fourth Estate, 2003) – a fictional account of the true story of the former slave for whom Dundas successfully appealed to two levels of Scottish courts, ultimately winning a declaration of Knight's emancipation, and the emancipation of all purported slaves on Scottish soil.


Arms


References


Further reading

* Brown, David. "The Government of Scotland under Henry Dundas and William Pitt." ''History'' 83.270 (1998): 265–279. * Dwyer, John, and Alexander Murdoch. "Paradigms and Politics: Manners, Morals and the Rise of Henry Dundas, 1770–1784," in John Dwyer, Roger A. Mason, and Alexander Murdoch (eds.), ''New Perspectives on the Politics and Culture of Early modern Scotland'' (Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers, 1982), pp. 210–248. * Ehrman, John. ''The Younger Pitt: The Years of Acclaim'' (1969); ''The Reluctant Transition'' (1983); ''The Consuming Struggle'' (1996). Monumental scholarly study with extensive coverage of Dundas. * Fry, Michael. "Dundas, Henry, first Viscount Melville (1742–1811)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (2004) * Fry, Michael. ''The Dundas despotism'' (1992) on Scotland * Furber, Holden. ''Henry Dundas: First Viscount Melville, 1741–1811, Political Manager of Scotland, Statesman, Administrator of British India'' (Oxford UP, 1931). Long scholarly biography
online
* Hutchison, Gary D. "'The Manager in Distress': Reaction to the Impeachment of Henry Dundas, 1805–7." ''Parliamentary History'' 36.2 (2017): 198–217
PDF
* Ingram, Edward. ''Two Views of British India: Private Correspondence of Mr. Dundas and Lord Wellesley, 1798–1801'' (Adams & Dart, 1970) * Lovat-Fraser, J.A. ''Henry Dundas, viscount Melville'' (1916
online
* McCarthy, Angela. "Bad History: The Controversy over Henry Dundas and the Historiography of the Abolition of the Slave Trade." ''Scottish Affairs'' (2022): 1–26. * Matheson, Cyril. ''The Life of Henry Dundas, First Viscount Melville, 1742–1811'' (1933). * Mullen, Stephen. "Henry Dundas: a 'great delayer' of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade" Scottish Historical Review (2021)
online
* Murdoch, Alexander. "Henry Dundas, Scotland and the Union with Ireland, 1792–1801." in ''Scotland in the Age of the French Revolution'' (2005) pp: 125–39. * Taylor, Michael. ''The Interest: How the British Establishment Resisted the Abolition of Slavery'' (Penguin, 2020) * Wright, Esmond. "Henry Dudas—Harry the Ninth." ''History Today'' (March 1958) 8#3 pp 155–163


External links

* Finding aid to th
Henry Dundas papers
at th
University of Pennsylvania Libraries
* * Letters and memoranda (1792–1812) of Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville and Robert Dundas, Viscount Melville (1771–1851) are held b
SOAS Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melville, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount 1742 births 1811 deaths People from Dalkeith Nobility from Midlothian Dundas, Henry Dundas, Henry Dundas, Henry British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 British MPs 1796–1800 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Edinburgh constituencies UK MPs 1801–1802 Chancellors of the University of St Andrews Henry Dundas Governors of the Bank of Scotland Impeached British officials Lord advocates Lords of the Admiralty Dundas, Henry Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain Members of Parliament for the Isle of Wight Rectors of the University of Glasgow Deans of the Faculty of Advocates Secretaries of State for the Home Department Secretaries of state for war (UK) Solicitors general for Scotland Viscounts in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Peers of the United Kingdom created by George III People of the Scottish Enlightenment 19th-century Scottish politicians Founder fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Melville Presidents of the Board of Control