Sir David Ramsay, 4th Baronet facts for kids
Sir David Ramsay, 4th Baronet (born after 1673 – died by 1 September 1710) was an important Scottish politician. He came from Balmain in Kincardine. Sir David served in the Parliament of Scotland from 1705 to 1707. Later, he was a member of the British Parliament from 1707 until 1710.
Early Life and Education
David Ramsay was the son of Sir Charles Ramsay, 3rd Baronet. His family lived in Balmain, Kincardineshire. A "Baronet" is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.
David went to Aberdeen Grammar School when he was younger. After that, he studied at Marischal College, Aberdeen. He was there from 1693 to 1697. While he was still at college in 1695, he inherited his father's baronetcy. This meant he became the 4th Baronet.
Political Career
Sir David Ramsay first tried to become a politician in 1702. He ran for a seat in Kincardine but did not win that time. However, in 1705, he was elected as a Shire Commissioner. This was a representative for his area in the Scottish Parliament.
He was part of a group called the Country party. This group often disagreed with the government at the time. Sir David was initially against the idea of Scotland and England joining their parliaments. This joining was known as the Union.
Sometimes, Sir David was not present in Parliament. When he did vote, his decisions were not always the same. Despite this, he was chosen in 1707 to be one of the Scottish representatives to the first Parliament of Great Britain. This new parliament was formed after Scotland and England united.
In 1708, there was a big election in Britain. Sir David was elected again, this time as a Member of Parliament for Kincardineshire.
Working for His Community
In 1709, Sir David helped with an important issue. People from Kincardineshire asked for Scottish Justice of the Peace (J.P.s) to have the same rights as English J.P.s. J.P.s are local officials who help with law and order. The Scottish J.P.s also wanted to avoid long, unnecessary trips to special courts.
Sir David took charge of a bill in Parliament to help with this. A "bill" is a proposed law. He worked on this bill during January and February of 1709.
Later Life
Sir David Ramsay died in an accident. He fell from his horse while he was planning his marriage. This happened on or before September 1, 1710. After his death, his brother, Alexander, became the next Baronet.
