Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Rosslyn
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Portrait by Joshua Reynolds
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| Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain Lord High Steward for the trial of: List
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| In office 28 January 1793 – 14 April 1801 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | William Pitt the Younger |
| Preceded by | In Commission |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Eldon |
| Attorney General for England and Wales | |
| In office 1778–1780 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Thurlow |
| Succeeded by | James Wallace |
| Chief Justice of the Common Pleas | |
| In office 1780–1793 |
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| Preceded by | Sir William de Grey |
| Succeeded by | Sir James Eyre |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office June 1780 – 2 January 1805 Hereditary peerage |
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| Preceded by | Peerage created |
| Succeeded by | The 2nd Earl of Rosslyn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 February 1733 |
| Died | 2 January 1805 (aged 71) |
| Spouse | Charlotte Courtenay |
| Parents | Peter Wedderburn, Lord Chesterhall Janet Ogilvy |
| Relatives | James St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn (nephew) |
Alexander Wedderburn, the 1st Earl of Rosslyn, was an important Scottish lawyer and politician. He was born on February 3, 1733, and passed away on January 2, 1805. He served in the House of Commons, which is part of the British Parliament, from 1761 to 1780. Later, he became a peer, which means he was given a special title and a seat in the House of Lords. One of his most important roles was serving as the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain from 1793 to 1801.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alexander Wedderburn was the oldest son of Peter Wedderburn, who was a judge. Alexander was born at Chesterhall, a place near Dunbar in East Lothian, Scotland.
School and University
He first went to school in Dalkeith. Then, he attended the Royal High School in Edinburgh. At just 14 years old, he started studying at the University of Edinburgh. While at university, he lived in his father's house close to the Royal Mile.
Becoming a Lawyer in Scotland
By the age of 19, in 1752, he became an advocate in Scotland. This meant he could argue cases in Scottish courts. However, he sometimes disagreed with other lawyers and judges. Once, he felt so insulted that he left the Scottish courts for good. He then decided to become a lawyer in England instead.
Moving to England and Legal Success
In 1757, Wedderburn became a lawyer in England, joining the Inner Temple. To improve his English accent and speaking skills, he hired famous actors to help him. He also studied English law carefully to understand how it worked. He worked hard to get cases and connect with important lawyers in London.
Help from Important People
Two powerful Scottish noblemen, Lord Bute and Lord Mansfield, noticed him. Lord Bute was even the Prime Minister for a time. Wedderburn suggested to Lord Bute that the famous writer Samuel Johnson should receive a pension, which is like a regular payment.
Early Political Steps
Thanks to Lord Bute, Wedderburn was elected to Parliament for the Ayr Burghs in 1761. In 1763, he became a King's Counsel, a special title for experienced lawyers. He also started working more in the Court of Chancery, which dealt with fairness and property cases.
Marriage and Wealth
In 1767, he married Betty Anne Dawson. She was the only child of a wealthy man from Yorkshire. Her inheritance brought him a lot of money, adding to his own growing wealth.
Political Career Highlights
Wedderburn's political journey involved several changes in his alliances. He was known for being a skilled speaker.
Joining Parliament Again
In 1768, he was elected to Parliament for Richmond. He supported John Wilkes, a popular politician who fought for more freedom. Because of this, he gave up his seat in 1769. However, he was quickly elected again in 1770 for Bishop's Castle.
Becoming Solicitor-General
In 1771, he was offered the job of solicitor-general. This was a big step towards becoming a top legal official. Some people criticized him for changing his political friends, but he defended his actions.
During the American War
During the American War of Independence, he spoke strongly against the American colonies. He was known for his harsh words, especially when he spoke about Benjamin Franklin to the Privy Council.
Rising to Attorney-General and Peerage
In 1778, Wedderburn became the attorney-general. He turned down an offer to become a chief judge because it didn't come with a peerage, which would give him a seat in the House of Lords. He got his wish in June 1780 when he became the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was given the title of Baron Loughborough. This meant he was now a member of the House of Lords.
Lord Chancellor
From 1793 to 1801, Lord Loughborough served as the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. This is one of the highest legal and political positions in the country. He left this role when Prime Minister William Pitt The Younger resigned over the issue of Catholic emancipation.
Later Life and Legacy
Lord Loughborough's first wife passed away in 1781 without having any children. The next year, he married Charlotte Courtenay. Their only son died when he was a child.
New Titles and Retirement
Because he had no children to inherit his title, he arranged for his nephew, Sir James St Clair Erskine, to inherit his barony in 1795. In 1801, he was also made the Earl of Rosslyn, a higher title, which his nephew would also inherit. He received a pension of £4000 a year, which was a lot of money at the time. After this, he mostly retired from public life.
Final Years
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1787, which is a group for important scientists. He also helped the Foundling Hospital, a charity for children, in 1799. In December 1804, he attended a party. The next day, he became ill and passed away on January 2, 1805, at his home near Windsor. He was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.
How He is Remembered
As a lawyer, Wedderburn was known for being a very elegant speaker. Even though he might not have known every single law detail, he was excellent at organizing facts and speaking clearly. As a judge, his decisions were easy to understand. In Parliament, he was a strong and ready speaker. However, some people found him a bit dull and formal in social situations. While he was very ambitious, he wasn't interested in just collecting money for himself.
Quote
Lord Loughborough once spoke about how money should be used. He said:
A fortune in circulation, even if spent in luxuries, waste, and dissipation, did more good to the public, and afforded more emulation to industry, and better encouragement to arts and manufactures, than any useless accumulation of money could do.
This means he believed that money being spent, even on fancy things, was better for the economy and encouraged people to work and create, rather than just being saved up and not used.
See also
- Wedderburn baronets, distant relations
