Sir David Dalrymple, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir David Dalrymple, 1st Baronet, of Hailes (born in 1665, died on December 3, 1721) was an important Scottish lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Parliament of Scotland from 1698 to 1707. Later, he joined the British Parliament from 1707 to 1721. He held several key roles, including Lord Advocate (Scotland's chief legal officer) and later Auditor of the Exchequer in Scotland (who checked government money).

Who Was Sir David Dalrymple?

Sir David Dalrymple was the youngest of five sons. His father was James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair, a very important person in Scottish law. His mother was Margaret Ross.

His Early Life and Education

David Dalrymple went to the University of Edinburgh and earned his Master of Arts degree in 1681. He then continued his studies at the University of Utrecht in 1682. In 1688, he became a member of the Faculty of Advocates. This is a group of highly skilled lawyers in Scotland.

A Career in Politics and Law

Sir David Dalrymple had a long and successful career in both law and politics. He played a big part in shaping Scotland's future.

Joining Parliament

In 1698, Dalrymple was first elected to the Parliament of Scotland. He represented the area of Culross. In 1701, he was given the special title of baronet. This is a hereditary title, meaning it can be passed down in the family. He also became a joint solicitor-general for Scotland. This meant he was a government lawyer, helping the Lord Advocate.

Key Roles and Achievements

A very important part of his career was being a Commissioner for the union with England. He helped negotiate the Act of Union 1707. This act joined Scotland and England to form Great Britain.

In 1707, Dalrymple became one of the first Scottish representatives in the new Parliament of Great Britain. The next year, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Haddington. In 1709, he was promoted to Lord Advocate of Scotland. This was the top legal job in the country.

Around this time, he also bought a house called Whitehills House. He renamed it Newhailes, after his family's old castle. He continued to be elected as an MP for Haddington in 1710, 1713, and 1715.

Even when he lost the Lord Advocate job for a short time in 1711, he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates in 1712. This meant he was the leader of the group of lawyers. He held this position for the rest of his life. In 1714, he got his job back as Lord Advocate. Later, in 1720, he was appointed auditor general of the Scottish Exchequer. This role involved checking how the government's money was being spent.

His Family and Home

On April 4, 1691, Sir David Dalrymple married Janet Rocheid. She was a widow and came from a family in Inverleith. They had three sons and one daughter.

Their children were:

• Andrew Dalrymple (1684–1762), who moved to America.
• Sir James Dalrymple, 2nd Baronet (1692–1751), who inherited his father's title.
• Hugh Dalrymple (1695–1741).
• Janet Dalrymple (1698–1776), who married two different Members of Parliament.

Sir David Dalrymple passed away on December 3, 1721. His second son, James, became the 2nd Baronet because his older brother, Andrew, had moved away.

Newhailes House and His Library

Sir David Dalrymple loved books! He was a big collector. He even added a special Library Wing to his home, Newhailes House, just to hold his huge collection of books. This part of the house was finished around 1722, shortly after he died.

Images for kids

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  Dalrymple's home at Newhailes, near Musselburgh