James Stuart-Mackenzie

The Honourable
James Stuart-Mackenzie
PC FRSE FSA
The Honourable James Stuart-Mackenzie PC FRSE FSA
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
	In office; 1763–1800
Preceded by	The Duke of Atholl
Succeeded by	Lord Frederick Campbell
Preceded by
Parliamentary offices
Member of Parliament; for Ross-shire
	In office; 1761–1780
Preceded by	The Lord Fortrose
Succeeded by	The Lord MacLeod
Member of Parliament; for Ayr Burghs
	In office; 1754–1761
Preceded by	Sir Henry Erskine
Succeeded by	Lord Frederick Campbell
Member of Parliament; for Buteshire
	In office; 1747–1754
Preceded by	Patrick Campbell
Succeeded by	James Stuart
Member of Parliament; for Argyllshire
	In office; 1742–1747
Preceded by	Charles Campbell
Succeeded by	Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell
Personal details
Born	James Stuart; c.1717
Died	8 April 1800 (aged 82–83)
Spouse	Lady Elizabeth Campbell (m. 1749; died 1799)
Parent(s)	James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute; Lady Anne Campbell
Alma mater	University of Leiden; Eton College

James Stuart-Mackenzie PC FRSE FSA (c.1717 – 8 April 1800) was a Scottish politician and joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783.

Life

Born James Stuart, he was a younger son of James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute, and his wife Lady Anne Campbell, daughter of Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll. Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, was his elder brother.

He was educated at Eton College 1728 to 1732 then travelled to Europe to study at the University of Leyden where he graduated in 1737.^[1]

He inherited the Rosehaugh estates near Avoch in Ross-shire through his paternal grandmother Agnes Mackenzie and assumed the additional surname of Mackenzie. He was returned to Parliament for Buteshire in 1747, a seat he held until 1754, and then represented Ross-shire from 1761 to 1780. In 1761 he was sworn of the Privy Council. In 1763 he became Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland until 1765 and then again in 1766 until his death.

In 1752 Hon. James Stewart Mackenzie sold Rosehaugh and bought from Sir Thomas and William Nairn the ecclesiastical lands of Kirkhill in Meigle, which belonged to the Holy Trinity of Dunkeld, and upon the site of the former Castle, which had been used as a grange for the Churchmen, he erected Belmont Castle, at a cost of £10,000.^[2]

He was a very studious man and a great astronomer. A telescope, purportedly specially made for him, is in the Robert Whipple Collection at the University of Cambridge.^[3] He was responsible for the building of the observatory on Kinpurnie Hill, then part of his estate. The observatory was designed by Alexander Bryce (1713 - 1786), Minister of Kirknewton and East Calder, but remained incomplete.

He died on 6 April 1800.

Family

Stuart-Mackenzie married his first cousin Lady Elizabeth Campbell,^[4] daughter of John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, in 1749. They had no surviving children. She died in July 1799. Stuart-Mackenzie survived her by less than a year and died in April 1800. According to a decision in 1803 his estates were passed on to his nephew James Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie.

He was brother-in-law to Robert Bruce, Lord Kennet.^[5]

Notes

^ Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
^ "Our Meigle Book." (Dundee:William Kidd & Sons,1930),41.
^ http://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple/explore/astronomy/twotelescopes/
^ William Anderson, The Scottish Nation or, the Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland. (Edinburgh: Fullarton, 1877), I: 517.
^ Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.

References

Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
Lundy, Darryl. "FAQ". The Peerage.^{[unreliable source]}

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Charles Campbell	Member of Parliament for Argyllshire 1742–1747	Succeeded by Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell
Preceded by Patrick Campbell (to 1741)	Member of Parliament for Buteshire 1747–1754	Succeeded by James Stuart (from 1761)
Preceded by Sir Henry Erskine	Member of Parliament for Ayr Burghs 1754–1761	Succeeded by Lord Frederick Campbell
Preceded by Lord Fortrose	Member of Parliament for Ross-shire 1761–1780	Succeeded by John Mackenzie
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by The Earl of Bristol	British Minister at Turin 1758–1761	Succeeded by George Pitt
Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Atholl	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1763–1765	Succeeded by Lord Frederick Campbell
Preceded by The Earl of Breadalbane and Holland	Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1766–1800	Succeeded by Henry Dundas

[1] Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.

[2] "Our Meigle Book." (Dundee:William Kidd & Sons,1930),41.

[3] ttp://www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple/explore/astronomy/twotelescopes/

[4] William Anderson, The Scottish Nation or, the Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland. (Edinburgh: Fullarton, 1877), I: 517.

[5] Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.

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