Thomas Laurence Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas, FRS (16 February 1741 – 14 June 1820) was a British politician who represented

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

and

Stirlingshire Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling ( ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.Registers of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. It borders Perthshir ...

in the

House of Commons of Great Britain The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. In 1707, as a result of the Acts of Union 1707, Acts of Union of that year, it replaced the House of Commons of England and the Pa ...

from 1763 to 1794, when he was raised to the

peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself repla ...

as Baron Dundas. He was responsible for commissioning the '' Charlotte Dundas'', the world's "first practical

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

Biography

Marske Cheshire Home 1 by Francis Hannaway

Dundas was the only son of Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet, the "Nabob of the North" and Margaret Bruce (1716-1802). Following education at Eton and St. Andrews University he did the Grand Tour, then became Member of Parliament for

, 1763–1768, then for

, 1768–1794. He was elevated to the

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

as Baron Dundas of Aske in August 1794, and was also

Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ov ...

and Vice Admiral of Orkney and Shetland, Councillor of state to the Prince of Wales (later

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

), President of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries and

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the North York Militia. He acquired Marske Hall in North Yorkshire in 1762 after the death of Sir William Lowther, 3rd Baronet. He succeeded his father as 2nd Baronet in 1781, inheriting Aske Hall, also in North Yorkshire. Dundas also inherited policies from his father. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146660919

''Charlotte Dundas''

Dundas followed his father in having an interest in

Grangemouth Grangemouth (; , ) is a town in the Falkirk (council area), Falkirk council area in the central belt of Scotland. Historically part of the Counties of Scotland, county of Stirlingshire, the town lies in the Forth Valley, on the banks of the Firt ...

and in the

Forth and Clyde Canal The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allow ...

, under construction from 1768 to 1790, and he would have been aware of the 1789 trials on the canal of Patrick Miller of Dalswinton's double-hulled paddle boat powered with a steam engine fitted by William Symington. In 1800 Dundas, as Governor of the Forth and Clyde Canal Company, engaged Symington to design a steam tug on the lines of a failed attempt by Captain John Schank for the

Bridgewater Canal The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, Greater Manchester, Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester. It was ...

. At a meeting of the canal company's directors on 5 June 1800 Dundas "produced a model of a boat by Captain Schank to be worked by a steam engine by Mr Symington", and it was agreed this should be immediately put in hand. The boat was built to Symington's design. It had successful trials on the River Carron in June 1801 and further trials towing sloops from the

river Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic name for the ...

up the Carron and thence along the

. The other proprietors of the canal were concerned about wave damage to the canal banks, and the Committee decided that the boat would "by no means answer the purpose". Symington had proposals for an improved boat which were presented in the form of a model, shown to Lord Dundas, of the boat which would become famous as the '' Charlotte Dundas'', named in honour of one of his Lordship's daughters. One account states that Lord Dundas had advised Symington to prepare the model and bring it to his Lordship in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, where Symington was introduced to the

Duke of Bridgewater Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they a ...

who was enthusiastic enough to immediately order eight boats of similar construction for his canal. Unfortunately, the Duke of Bridgewater died a few days before the first sailing, and nothing came of this order. Lord Dundas and some of his relatives and friends were on board for the first sailing of the boat on the canal in 1803, but despite the success of the ''Charlotte Dundas'' fears of erosion of the banks prevailed, and the trials were ended leaving Symington

out-of-pocket An out-of-pocket expense, or out-of-pocket cost (OOP), is the direct payment of money that may or may not be later reimbursed from a third-party source. For example, when operating a vehicle, gasoline, parking fees and tolls are considered out-o ...

Family

Sir Thomas Dundas, 2nd Baronet married Lady Charlotte FitzWilliam, the daughter of William FitzWilliam, 3rd Earl FitzWilliam, on 24 May 1764 and they had 14 children: * Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland (1766–1839) * Anne Dundas (1767) * Thomas Dundas (born 1768; died young) * Lt-Col. William Lawrence Dundas (18 May 1770 – 1796), died in

Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...

Charles Lawrence Dundas Hon. Charles Lawrence Dundas (18 July 1771 – 25 January 1810) was a British politician and Whig Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. He represented Malton from 1798–1805 and Richmond from 1806 to his death. Early life and educat ...

(18 July 1771 – 25 January 1810), married Lady Caroline Beauclerk, daughter of Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans * Margaret Dundas (9 November 1772 – 8 May 1852), married Archibald Spiers * Charlotte Dundas (18 June 1774 – 5 January 1855), married Rev. William Wharton * Thomas Lawrence Dundas (12 October 1775 – 17 March 1848) * Frances Laura Dundas (24 May 1777 – 27 November 1844), married Robert Chaloner * R-Adm.

George Heneage Lawrence Dundas Rear Admiral (Royal Navy), Rear-Admiral George Heneage Lawrence Dundas (8 September 1778 – 7 October 1834) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy. As a junior officer he came to prominence due to his brave conduct during a fire on the first-r ...

(1778–1834) * Maj-Gen. Sir Robert Lawrence Dundas (27 July 1780 – 23 November 1844) * Dorothy Dundas (August 1785 – December 1790) * Mary Dundas (30 May 1787 – 1 November 1830), married Charles FitzWilliam, 5th Earl FitzWilliam * Isabella Dundas (25 February 1790 – 6 December 1887), married John Charles Ramsden

References

External links

William SymingtonZetland Estates
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Dundas, Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron 1741 births 1820 deaths Nobility from Falkirk (council area) Anglo-Scots People educated at Eton College Alumni of the University of St Andrews Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1761–1768 British MPs 1768–1774 British MPs 1774–1780 British MPs 1780–1784 British MPs 1784–1790 British MPs 1790–1796 North York Militia officers Fellows of the Royal Society Lord lieutenants of Orkney and Shetland Place of birth missing Barons in the Peerage of Great Britain Peers of Great Britain created by George III Scottish slave owners

Biography

''Charlotte Dundas''

Family

See also

References

External links