died april scottish landowner politician son prosperous influential gentry descent trader india having fortune supplying royal_navy returned scotland buy landed estates including built classical mansion member parliament achieved ministerial office descendants found fame success including grandson served prime minister death estates scotland estimated worth million equivalent million family early life born second son advocate owned near town elder brother inherited lieutenant general british_army ancestor purchased late 16th early 17th century late 18th century land included profitable mines fought battle pedigree written authority lord king arms traced descent direct line king son law career india studying book keeping edinburgh went madras march writer junior clerk held posts following years sent britain disciplinary issue returned india merchant partnership breakthrough came partners obtained contract royal_navy supply needs contract held built flour mills madras returned england ill health intended appoint baker agents leaving notified navy reviewing accounts dating navy lost returned england permanently settle accounts took instead engaging agents passed contract baker held point partnership dissolved contract held left india accumulated fortune equivalent million indian business end return home run behalf agents decades family assets grown fold million equivalent million scotland return scotland married daughter politician 8th earl children died fire infancy years marriage bought large county estates sporting estate shooting lodge highlands ross purchased acre estate colonel castle provided net rental income year equivalent bought town house london square 1820s employed architect designer build large classical mansion stable block gate equipped home french furniture china built pale stone house expanded altered designs entirely successful describe having changed dry composition boring rebuilt local church created new model village north west old built red sandstone consists row cottages school established country gentleman known locally justice peace appointed deputy lieutenant paid equivalent million buy 10th earl large estate native including castle adjacent native estate included coal mines worked described iron workings parliament november death triggered election borough father law lord great influence supported admiral sir defeated general election march petition july disliked opposition popular significant issue campaign agents claimed opposed trial alleged adultery portrayed close liverpool ministry properly represent interests borough days polling lost votes whig sir vacancy occurred contest seat instead turned set located miles newly purchased estate general election won support easter sitting lord advocate scotland sir won votes declared elected petition lodged rejected march groups constituents submitted petitions roman catholic relief bill presented petitions parliament april voted majority favour bill opposed general election warden oxford won seat taking remaining general election drafted stand instead county seat area included sitting lord advocate parliamentary reform view supported county tenant farmers opposed existing voters lord john position looked drafted lord hay brother lord describing opponent current reform proposals supporter wise amendment representative system won seat margin votes opponent sir crowd non voting residents shouted attempts speech thanks new parliament dominated reform bills parliament voted opportunities general election december franchise expanded scottish reform act elected narrower majority votes health declining cited reason retiring dissolution parliament december general election january seat won whig robert death legacy died april aged survived wife sons daughters daughter died infancy father sons daughters married daughter 8th child 6th noted artist married owner estate chief secretary ireland married lord later 7th duke death estate valued million widow eleanor survived years left legacy life rest divided children estates left eldest son house square london property including castle left second son charles daughters mary anna given equivalent million reform act political power britain dominated centuries land owning century shared power rising family groups new wealth brought new ancient family grandchildren great grandchildren achieving include children prime minister united_kingdom eleanor cambridge alice amateur greatest day cabinet minister daughter early advocate organic farming founder colonel architect served king edward vii son army officer sons work diplomat mary son anna sons estate houses scotland family ownership house ended 20th century arthur lost lot money series poor investments particularly efforts develop processing green alternative coal mining 1930s death duties forced house sale contents building leased purposes sold residential school converted apartments older tower restored remains residence descendants
James Balfour (died 1845)