William Adam (MP)
Encyclopedia
William Adam, KC was a Scottish
Member of Parliament (MP) in the British Parliament and subsequently a Judge.
, architect and master mason to the Board of Ordnance
in Scotland. His political career was affected by his father's periodic financial problems, as sometimes the family had substantial wealth and sometimes it was in difficulties, forcing Adam to concentrate his attention on his legal practice.
He was educated at Edinburgh University and Christ Church, Oxford
. He joined Lincoln's Inn
in 1769, to qualify as an English barrister. He became a Scottish advocate in 1773 and was eventually called to the English bar in 1782.
Adam represented a number of constituencies in Parliament. He was MP for Gatton
1774–1780. He represented Wigtown Burghs
1780–1784. He was a Treasury nominee for that seat, as a supporter of Lord North. He moved to another Scottish Burgh seat Elgin Burghs 1784–1790. In 1790–1794 he sat for Ross-shire
. His last Parliamentary seat was Kincardineshire
, which he represented from 1806 until he became a Judge in January 1812.
Adam took a very hard line on American issues in the early part of his political career. He was critical of his future political leader Lord North for being too conciliatory before the outbreak of fighting. However, after pursuing an independent course up to 25 November 1779 he then announced in the House of Commons that he was now going to support Lord North. After that he became a loyal friend and defender of North.
Adam particularly disliked the leading opposition figure Charles James Fox
. At one stage they fought a duel. He also attacked Fox verbally in Parliament.
Adam was appointed to the minor political office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
. He held this office twice, first between September 1780 and May 1782 and again April–December 1783.
On 17–18 February 1783, Adam spoke and voted against peace with the United States. After that, despite his past animosity to Charles James Fox, Adam advocated the Fox-North Coalition
as the only way to stop Lord North's party becoming politically irrelevant.
Adam was active in gathering detailed information about the Scottish constituencies to help his political associates.
Thereafter Adam was less involved in politics as he developed his career at the English bar. Through his friendship with the Prince of Wales
he was appointed Solicitor General (1802–1805) and then Attorney General to the Prince (1805–1806). From 1806–1815 he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, another office in the gift of the Prince.
Adam was Lord Lieutenant of Kinross-shire
from 1802 until his death. He became a friend of Sir Walter Scott. In 1812 he published Vitruvius Scoticus, a collection of his grandfather William Adam's architectural projects, which the elder William had first initiated in 1727.
During the Regency
of the Prince of Wales, Adam received judicial office in Scotland. Between 1814–1819 he was a Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer. Adam became a member of the Privy Council
on 17 March 1815. He became Lord Chief Commissioner of the Scottish jury court from 1815 until his death.
. They had six children:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Member of Parliament (MP) in the British Parliament and subsequently a Judge.
Biography
William Adam was the only surviving son of John AdamJohn Adam (architect)
John Adam was a Scottish architect. Born in Linktown of Abbotshall, now part of Kirkcaldy, Fife, he was the eldest son of architect and entrepreneur William Adam. His younger brothers Robert and James Adam also became architects.The Adam family moved to Edinburgh in 1728, as William Adam's career...
, architect and master mason to the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
in Scotland. His political career was affected by his father's periodic financial problems, as sometimes the family had substantial wealth and sometimes it was in difficulties, forcing Adam to concentrate his attention on his legal practice.
He was educated at Edinburgh University and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He joined Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1769, to qualify as an English barrister. He became a Scottish advocate in 1773 and was eventually called to the English bar in 1782.
Adam represented a number of constituencies in Parliament. He was MP for Gatton
Gatton (UK Parliament constituency)
Gatton was a parliamentary borough in Surrey, one of the most notorious of all the rotten boroughs. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1450 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
1774–1780. He represented Wigtown Burghs
Wigtown (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigtown Burghs, also known as Wigton Burghs,. was a 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 to 1885. It was represented by one Member of Parliament .The first election in...
1780–1784. He was a Treasury nominee for that seat, as a supporter of Lord North. He moved to another Scottish Burgh seat Elgin Burghs 1784–1790. In 1790–1794 he sat for Ross-shire
Ross-shire (UK Parliament constituency)
Ross-shire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. His last Parliamentary seat was Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Kincardineshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was represented by one Member of Parliament ....
, which he represented from 1806 until he became a Judge in January 1812.
Adam took a very hard line on American issues in the early part of his political career. He was critical of his future political leader Lord North for being too conciliatory before the outbreak of fighting. However, after pursuing an independent course up to 25 November 1779 he then announced in the House of Commons that he was now going to support Lord North. After that he became a loyal friend and defender of North.
Adam particularly disliked the leading opposition figure Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
. At one stage they fought a duel. He also attacked Fox verbally in Parliament.
Adam was appointed to the minor political office of Treasurer of the Ordnance
Treasurer of the Ordnance
The Treasurer of the Ordnance was a subordinate of the Master-General of the Ordnance in the United Kingdom, the office being created in 1670. The office was abolished in 1836 and its duties merged with that of several others to form the office of Paymaster-General.-Treasurers of the Ordnance:*25...
. He held this office twice, first between September 1780 and May 1782 and again April–December 1783.
On 17–18 February 1783, Adam spoke and voted against peace with the United States. After that, despite his past animosity to Charles James Fox, Adam advocated the Fox-North Coalition
Fox-North Coalition
The Fox-North Coalition was a government in Great Britain that held office during 1783. As the name suggests, the ministry was a coalition of the groups supporting Charles James Fox and Lord North...
as the only way to stop Lord North's party becoming politically irrelevant.
Adam was active in gathering detailed information about the Scottish constituencies to help his political associates.
Thereafter Adam was less involved in politics as he developed his career at the English bar. Through his friendship with the Prince of Wales
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
he was appointed Solicitor General (1802–1805) and then Attorney General to the Prince (1805–1806). From 1806–1815 he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, another office in the gift of the Prince.
Adam was Lord Lieutenant of Kinross-shire
Lord Lieutenant of Kinross-shire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Kinross-shire:*George Graham 17 March 1794 – 18 December 1801*William Adam 30 January 1802 – 17 February 1839*Sir Charles Adam 28 March 1839 – 16 September 1853...
from 1802 until his death. He became a friend of Sir Walter Scott. In 1812 he published Vitruvius Scoticus, a collection of his grandfather William Adam's architectural projects, which the elder William had first initiated in 1727.
During the Regency
English Regency
The Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811—when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent—and 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV on the death of his father....
of the Prince of Wales, Adam received judicial office in Scotland. Between 1814–1819 he was a Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer. Adam became a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
on 17 March 1815. He became Lord Chief Commissioner of the Scottish jury court from 1815 until his death.
Family
On 7 May 1777, William Adam married Eleanora Elphinstone (d. 4 February 1800), daughter of Charles, 10th Lord ElphinstoneLord Elphinstone
Lord Elphinstone, of Elphinstone in the County of Stirling, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1510 for Alexander Elphinstone who was killed at the Battle of Flodden three years later. He was succeeded by his son, the second Lord, killed at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547....
. They had six children:
- John (4 May 1779–4 June 1825), civil servant of the East India CompanyEast India CompanyThe East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, served as acting Governor-General of IndiaGovernor-General of IndiaThe Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
in 1823. - CharlesCharles AdamAdmiral Sir Charles Adam, KCB was a British naval officer. He was the second son of William Adam of Blair Adam and his wife Eleanora, the daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone and sister of Lord Keith....
(6 October 1780–16 Sept. 1853), Admiral in the Royal Navy, MP, - William George (6 December 1781–16 May 1839), lawyer.
- FrederickFrederick AdamGeneral Sir Frederick Adam GCB GCMG was a Scottish major-general at the Battle of Waterloo, in command of the 3rd Brigade. He was the fourth son of William Adam of Blair Adam and his wife Eleanora, the daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone.-Military career:At the age of fourteen...
(17 June 1784–17 August 1853), General in the British Army, Governor of Madras 1832–37. - Francis James (24 March 1791–8 June 1820)
- Clementina (d. 29 October 1877), married on 27 April 1807, John Anstruther–Thomson, DL, of Charleton, Fife.