Robert Bruce of Kennet, Lord Kennet

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". ...

(24 December 1718 – 8 April 1785) 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 ...

, legal scholar and judge.

Life

Bruce was born in Edinburgh on 28 December 1718, the son of Mary Balfour, daughter of Robert Balfour, 4th Lord Burleigh and Alexander Bruce of Kennet (1691-1747). He was admitted to 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 January 1743. He served as Professor of Law of Nature and Nations 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 ...

(1758–64) and was 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 ...

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

Clackmannan Clackmannan ( ; , perhaps meaning "Stone of Manau"), is a small town and civil parish set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated within the Forth Valley, Clackmannan is south-east of Alloa and south of Tillicoultry. The town is within ...

in 1760. He was elected 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 ...

, as Lord Kennet, in 1764 and

Lord of Justiciary The High Court of Justiciary () is the Supreme Courts of Scotland, supreme Scottish criminal law, criminal court in Scotland. The High Court is both a court of first instance, trial court and a court of appeal. As a trial court, the High Cour ...

in 1769. In 1783 he was a founder member 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 ...

. His Edinburgh address at this time was at

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 ...

. He died at Kennet House on 8 April 1785.

Family

He married Helen Abercromby (b. 1731) 6 June 1754. They had seven sons and one daughter, including his heir, Alexander (1755-1808) who was born in Edinburgh. The remaining six children were born between 1757 and 1771 at Kennet House. Bruce was the uncle of

James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline FRSE (7 November 177617 April 1858), was a British barrister and Whig politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1835 and 1839, the first Scottish MP to hold that position. Backgr ...

(1776-1858). His brothers-in-law included

James Stuart-Mackenzie James Stuart-Mackenzie (30 October 1718 – 8 April 1800) was a Scottish politician and joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783. The second son of James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute, he served as Member of Parliament for various S ...

(1719–1800),

Alexander Abercromby, Lord Abercromby Alexander Abercromby, Lord Abercromby of Tullibody (15 October 1745 – 17 November 1795) was a Scottish advocate, judge and essayist. Life Abercromby was born in Tullibody House in Clackmannanshire on 15 October 1745, the fourth and younge ...

(1745–1795),

James Edmonstone James Edmonstone FRSE (1793) was a Scottish army officer and agriculturalist. He was a joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783. He was a close friend of fellow founder David Hume. Life and career He was born in Old Newton House ne ...

(d.1793) and

Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet (22 October 1712 – 21 September 1781) was a British merchant and Whig politician. Life He was the son of Thomas Dundas and Bethia Baillie. He made his first fortune as Commissary General: supplying goods to ...

(1712-1781) who had married his older sister Margaret (b. 1716). The National Records of Scotland Old Parish Records 685/1-160/180.

Notes

1718 births 1785 deaths 18th-century Scottish judges People from Clackmannanshire Academics of the University of Edinburgh Founder fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Members of the Faculty of Advocates Kennet {{Scotland-law-bio-stub