Alexander Haldane Oswald

Alexander Haldane Oswald (12 December 1811 – 6 September 1868) was a Scottish Conservative Party politician. He was the member of parliament (MP) for Ayrshire from 1843 to 1852.

Alexander Haldane Oswald
Member of Parliament
for Ayrshire
In office
8 August 1843 – 7 July 1852
Preceded byViscount Kelburn
Succeeded byJames Hunter Blair
Personal details
Born12 December 1811
Govan, Scotland
Died6 September 1868(1868-09-06) (aged 56)
Auchincruive, Ayrshire, Scotland
Political partyConservative
Parents
  • Richard Alexander Oswald (father)
  • Elizabeth Anderson (mother)

Early life edit

Alexander Oswald was born in Govan, Scotland to Richard Alexander Oswald, merchant of Moore Park, Glasgow[1] and Elizabeth Anderson,[2] the eldest of five children. He represented the family of Haldane of that Ilk through Agnes Haldane (his paternal great-grandmother) who was the mother of Mrs. Alexander Oswald (Margaret Dundas) of Shield Hall. Having proved his representation and received Arms and Supporters accordingly, he adopted the middle name of Haldane.[1]

Career edit

Oswald was a Conservative candidate[3] and sworn as a member of parliament for Ayrshire on 8 August 1843.[4]

He remained as an M.P. until 7 July 1852.[5]

On 18 June 1845, he appeared at Marylebone Magistrates Court having allegedly assaulted a police officer while "much the worse for drink". He was found guilty and fined £3 which he immediately paid.[6]

He was re-elected, unopposed on 5 August 1847.[7]

His first recorded debate in the House of Commons was on 24 July 1846 (Ways and Means – Sugar Duties – Adjourned) and his final recorded debate was on 25 June 1852 (Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill).[8] During his time as an M.P. he had a total of 39 recorded contributions.[8]

Oswald died on 6 September 1868[9] at the family estate in Auchincruive, Ayrshire.

Family life edit

 
"Scotstoun" – another country house that Oswald inherited from his uncle.[10]

On 15 August 1844 at St. Helen's, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Oswald married Lady Louisa Elizabeth Frederica (daughter of the 1st Earl of Craven), widow of Sir Frederick George Johnstone, 7th Baronet,[11] (son of Sir John Lowther Johnstone, 6th Baronet),[12] and mother of Sir Frederick Johnstone, 8th Baronet and George Charles Keppel Johnstone.[12] Together Alexander and Louisa had two daughters and two sons. Their daughter Edith Mary married John Yorke, 7th Earl of Hardwicke.[13]

Oswald succeeded to the Oswald family estate in Auchincruive when his paternal uncle James Oswald died in 1853.[1][14] Before this, he had been living with his wife and young family in Eaton Place, London.[15] By 1861, he was widowed and living with his three teenage children in Green Street, Westminster.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Smith, John Guthrie & Mitchell, John Oswald "The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry" (James MacLehose & Sons, Glasgow, 1878) [1] pp. passim
  2. ^ Birth Register at Scotlands People on-line database [2] (subscription required) accessed 26 November 2011
  3. ^ "The Times", Friday, 28 July 1843; pg. 4; Issue 18360; col E in online database [3](subscription required) accessed 26 November 2011
  4. ^ Hansard (1803-2005)
  5. ^ Hansard (1803-2005)
  6. ^ "The Times", Wednesday, 18 June 1845; pg. 8; Issue 18953; col E in on-line database [4] (subscription required) accessed 26 November 2011
  7. ^ "The Times" Saturday, 7 August 1847; pg. 3; Issue 19622; col A in on-line database [5](subscription required) accessed 26 November 2011
  8. ^ a b Hansard (1803-2005)
  9. ^ "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861-1941" Record for Alexander Haldane Oswald in Ancestry on-line database [6] (subscription required) accessed 27 November 2011
  10. ^ Smith, John Guthrie; et al. (1878). The old country houses of the old Glasgow gentry.
  11. ^ "England and Wales Marriages 1538-1940" in online database [7] (subscription required) accessed 26 November 2011
  12. ^ a b "Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 18 September 1820" in online database [8] (subscription required) accessed 1 June 2014
  13. ^ Walford's County Families of the United Kingdom. 1913. p. 538.
  14. ^ "Public Sculpture of Glasgow" McKenzie, Raymond & Nisbet, Gary (Liverpool University Press, 2002)[9]
  15. ^ 1851 Census in Ancestry on-line database [10] (subscription required) accessed 27 November 2011
  16. ^ 1861 Census in Ancestry on-line database [11](subscription required) accessed on 27 November 2011

External links edit

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Ayrshire
18431852
Succeeded by