Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay
Encyclopedia
Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay FRSE
(20 August 1793 – 31 January 1874) was a Scottish advocate
, judge and Tory politician. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session
between 1852 and 1867.
His younger brother was the physician and diplomat Sir John McNeill
.
, the son of John McNeill (1767–1846), laird of Colonsay
and Oronsay, and his wife Hester (née McNeill). Educated at St Andrew's University where he graduated MD, and Edinburgh University
where he read law (LLD).
He served his apprenticeship under Michael Linning WS, and became a members of the Faculty of Advocates
in 1816. He was the presumptive father of philosopher Edmund Montgomery
.
from 1834 to 1835 and again from 1841 to 1842 and as Lord Advocate
from 1842 to 1846. From 1843 to 1851 he sat as Member of Parliament
for Argyllshire
. In 1851 he was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
and an Ordinary Lord of Session as Lord Colonsay and Oronsay. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session
from 1852 to 1867, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Colonsay, of Colonsay and Oronsay in the County of Argyll, on 26 February 1867.
He was a member of the Highland Society of Edinburgh (1833).
Lord Colonsay died at Pau, France
, on 31 January 1874, aged 80, when the title became extinct. He was interred at Warriston Cemetery
in Edinburgh.
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
(20 August 1793 – 31 January 1874) was a Scottish advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, judge and Tory politician. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session
Lord President of the Court of Session
The Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836...
between 1852 and 1867.
His younger brother was the physician and diplomat Sir John McNeill
John McNeill (diplomat)
Sir John McNeill, GCB, PC, FRSE, FRAS was a Scottish surgeon and diplomat.-Early life:McNeill was born at Oronsay House, Argyll...
.
Background and education
McNeill was born at OronsayOronsay
This is a list of islands called Oronsay , which provides an index for islands in Scotland with this and similar names. It is one of the more common names for Scottish islands. The names come from Örfirisey which translates from Old Norse as "tidal" or "ebb island"...
, the son of John McNeill (1767–1846), laird of Colonsay
Colonsay
Colonsay is an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull and has an area of . It is the ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeill. Aligned on a south-west to north-east axis, it measures in length and reaches at its widest...
and Oronsay, and his wife Hester (née McNeill). Educated at St Andrew's University where he graduated MD, and Edinburgh University
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
where he read law (LLD).
He served his apprenticeship under Michael Linning WS, and became a members of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1816. He was the presumptive father of philosopher Edmund Montgomery
Edmund Montgomery
Edmund Duncan Montgomery was a Scottish philosopher, scientist and physician.-Early life:Edmund Duncan Montgomery was born March, 1835, in Edinburgh, Scotland...
.
Political, legal and judicial career
MacNeill was appointed Sheriff of Perthshire in 1824. He served under Sir Robert Peel as Solicitor General for ScotlandSolicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
from 1834 to 1835 and again from 1841 to 1842 and as Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
from 1842 to 1846. From 1843 to 1851 he sat as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Argyllshire
Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Argyllshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1950, when it was renamed Argyll...
. In 1851 he was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
and an Ordinary Lord of Session as Lord Colonsay and Oronsay. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session
Lord President of the Court of Session
The Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland, and presiding judge of the College of Justice and Court of Session, as well as being Lord Justice General of Scotland and head of the High Court of Justiciary, the offices having been combined in 1836...
from 1852 to 1867, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Colonsay, of Colonsay and Oronsay in the County of Argyll, on 26 February 1867.
Personal life
McNeill was unmarried.He was a member of the Highland Society of Edinburgh (1833).
Lord Colonsay died at Pau, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, on 31 January 1874, aged 80, when the title became extinct. He was interred at Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping site...
in Edinburgh.