Background

Dundas was the son of the Hon. Charles Dundas, 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 Malton

Malton (UK Parliament constituency)

Malton, also called New Malton, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295 and 1298, and again from 1640, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...

, younger son of Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas

Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas

Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas FRS , known as Sir Thomas Dundas, 2nd Baronet, from 1781 to 1794, was a powerful figure in the Kingdom of Great Britain, now remembered for commissioning the Charlotte Dundas, the world's "first practical steamboat".-Biography:Thomas was the only son of Sir Lawrence...

. His mother was Lady Caroline, daughter of Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans

Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans

Aubrey Beauclerk, 5th Duke of St Albans was the son of Admiral the 1st Baron Vere and a grandson of the 1st Duke of St Albans...

.

Political career

Dundas was returned to Parliament for Orkney and Shetland

Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)

Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...

in 1837, a seat he held until 1847 and again between 1852 and 1872.

Family

Dundas married Grace, daughter of Sir Ralph Gore, 7th Baronet, in 1847. She died in January 1868. Dundas survived her by four years and died in October 1872, aged 70.