Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay facts for kids
Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay (born August 20, 1793 – died January 31, 1874) was an important Scottish advocate (a type of lawyer), judge, and politician. He was a member of the Tory political group. He held the top legal jobs in Scotland, serving as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session, from 1852 to 1867.
His younger brother, Sir John McNeill, was a doctor and a diplomat.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Duncan McNeill was born on the small island of Oronsay in Scotland. His father, John McNeill, owned the lands of Colonsay and Oronsay. Duncan went to St Andrew's University and earned his Master of Arts degree in 1809.
After university, he trained to become a lawyer in Edinburgh. He became a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1816. This group represents lawyers who can argue cases in Scotland's highest courts.
A Career in Law and Politics
Duncan McNeill had a long and successful career. He started as an Advocate Depute in Edinburgh from 1820 to 1824. This role involved helping the King's (or Queen's) legal team.
Serving as Sheriff of Perthshire
In 1824, he became the Sheriff of Perthshire. A Sheriff in Scotland is a judge who handles many types of legal cases in a specific area.
Key Government Roles
McNeill served in important government positions under Sir Robert Peel, who was a Prime Minister.
- He was the Solicitor General for Scotland twice: from 1834 to 1835, and again from 1841 to 1842. The Solicitor General is a senior legal advisor to the government.
- He then became the Lord Advocate from 1842 to 1846. This is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government.
Member of Parliament
From 1843 to 1851, Duncan McNeill was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Argyllshire. This meant he represented the people of that area in the UK Parliament in London.
Becoming a Judge and a Peer
In 1851, he was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice. This made him an Ordinary Lord of Session, a judge in Scotland's highest civil court. He was given the title Lord Colonsay and Oronsay.
From 1852 to 1867, he held the most important legal jobs in Scotland: Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session. In 1867, he was given a special honour and became a Baron, which is a type of peerage (a title of nobility). His full title became Baron Colonsay, of Colonsay and Oronsay.
Life in Edinburgh
In 1829, Duncan McNeill was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group of experts who promote learning and research in Scotland. Later in his life, Edinburgh University gave him an honorary doctorate degree.
He lived in a very large house at 73 Great King Street in Edinburgh. He was never married.
Lord Colonsay passed away in Pau, France, on January 31, 1874, at the age of 80. Since he had no children, his title ended when he died.
He was buried in Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh.
Images for kids
-
The grave of Duncan McNeill, Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh
The grave of Duncan McNeill, Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh
