Alexander Chisholm (MP) facts for kids

Alexander William Chisholm, 25th of Chisholm (1810-1838) was an important Scottish landowner and the chief of Clan Chisholm. He was also a member of the UK Parliament for Inverness-shire from 1835 to 1838. He became the clan chief at just seven years old after his father passed away. Sadly, he died young at 28 due to a health issue, shortly after leaving Parliament.

In 1831, Alexander Chisholm was involved in a difficult time known as the Highland Clearances. During this period, many families who had lived on his lands in Strathglass for a long time were asked to leave. This was done to make space for sheep and deer farming.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Alexander Chisholm was born on February 15, 1810, in Castlehill, Inverness, Scotland. His father was William Chisholm, the 24th Chief of Clan Chisholm. His mother was Elizabeth MacDonell. Their family home was Erchless Castle, located near Inverness.

When Alexander was only seven years old, his father died in 1817. Alexander then became the chief of Clan Chisholm. Because he was so young, a group of guardians managed his family's lands. These guardians included his mother and several important people like Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg.

Alexander and his younger brother, Duncan, went to school with different teachers. Alexander had rheumatic fever, which meant he often had to move to different towns like Clifton and Bath. These towns were known for their spas, where people went to "take the cure" for their health problems.

In 1822, when Alexander was 12, he and his brother started attending Eton College, a famous school. They had private tutors, including Alfred Ollivant. After Eton, Alexander went to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1828. He studied there for three years but left without finishing his degree due to his health and other distractions.

Managing His Lands

In 1831, when Alexander turned 21, he took full control of his family's estate at Erchless Castle. He had been away for 14 years, mostly for his education.

When he was younger, Alexander had shown kindness. At 14, he suggested that some tenants who owed rent should be forgiven. His guardians also allowed some tenants to stay on their land even when they could have been evicted.

However, in 1831, Alexander decided to make big changes to his properties. He believed this would "improve" the lives of the people. But this "improvement" meant that many families who had lived on the land for generations were asked to leave. This was part of the Highland Clearances, a time when landowners moved people off their land to create large areas for sheep or deer.

Alexander arranged a meeting for his tenants, who were worried about their leases ending. They gathered at an inn, expecting to hear about new agreements. But Alexander did not show up. Hours later, his manager arrived and told them that Alexander had no plans to renew their leases. Instead, Alexander had rented the best farms and grazing lands to shepherds from other areas. This left many local families without homes.

Many people from the Chisholm lands had already moved away over the years, especially to Canada. After 1831, only a few native farmers remained on Alexander's land. Even so, Alexander's standing as the chief of Clan Chisholm did not seem to suffer much. In 1832, he received a letter of loyalty from about 80 Canadian Chisholms. Many of them had become important people in Canada.

Becoming a Politician

Alexander Chisholm became involved in politics in Inverness-shire starting in 1831. He supported Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg in the 1831 election. He also spoke in favor of electoral reform, which aimed to make voting fairer. This led to the Reform Act 1832.

Alexander was generally a conservative in his views. He was careful about how far reforms should go. He worried that too much change might lead to problems. He disagreed with some parts of the proposed Church Temporalities Act 1833. This act suggested using church money for non-church purposes. This disagreement caused problems within the government at the time.

Locally, Alexander supported setting up schools in the Highlands. A report in 1826 showed that many people in the Highlands could not read or were poorly educated. Alexander believed that education was important for people to be able to read religious texts.

In 1835, Alexander was elected to Parliament for Inverness-shire. He won a close election against James Murray Grant. In 1837, after King William IV died and Queen Victoria became queen, another election was held. Alexander ran again and defeated James Murray Grant once more.

However, his duties in Parliament were very demanding and affected his health. He often had to be absent from the House of Commons. In the spring of 1838, he decided to resign his seat. He announced this decision in London in May 1838. He then returned north and suggested Francis Grant as his replacement in Parliament.

His Death

Alexander Chisholm stayed at Erchless Castle until August 1, 1838. He went to Inverness for business and suddenly became very ill at the Caledonian Hotel. He died there on September 8, 1838. He was only 28 years old and had never married. A medical examination showed that he died from an aortic aneurysm, which is a serious problem with a major blood vessel.

In 1842, Rev. James S. M. Anderson, who had tutored Alexander and his brother, wrote a book about Alexander's life. This book used many of Alexander's letters to his mother.