Sir Claud Alexander, 1st Baronet (15 January 1831 – 23 May 1899) was a Scottish Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1885.

Claud Alexander
1st Baronet
In office
1886–1899
Succeeded bySir Claud Alexander
Member of the British Parliament
for South Ayrshire
In office
1874–1885
Personal details
Born15 January 1831
Died23 May 1899
Political partyConservative
SpouseEliza Speirs
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
Military service
Rankmajor-general[1]
UnitGrenadier Guards
Battles/warsCrimean War
Awards

Life

edit

Alexander was the eldest son of Boyd Alexander and his wife Sophia Elizabeth Hobhouse, daughter of Sir Benjamin Hobhouse. He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford.[2] In 1849, he joined the Grenadier Guards. He served in the Crimean War including at the Siege of Sevastapol. He was awarded the Crimean Medal and Clasp, the Turkish War Medal and the Order of the Medjidie 5th Class. He reached the rank of Colonel in 1870. He was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.[3]

In 1868 Alexander stood unsuccessfully for parliament at Ayrshire South. At the 1874 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Ayrshire South. He passed the "Industrial Schools Acts Amendment Act" in 1880. He held the seat until 1885.[4] He was created a baronet in 1886.[5]

Alexander lived at Ballochmyle House, which he extended in 1886.[6] He died at the age of 68.

Family

edit

Alexander married Eliza Speirs, daughter of Alexander Speirs of Elderslie who was Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire.[3] He was succeeded as baronet by his son, also called Claud, who founded the British Cat Club in 1901.[7]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Boyd Alexander". Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  2. ^ Members of Parliament, page 10
  3. ^ a b Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1881
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 3)
  5. ^ "No. 25551". The London Gazette. 22 January 1886. p. 328.
  6. ^ Ayrshire Mansions
  7. ^ "Short-Haired Cats". Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
edit
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for South Ayrshire
18741885
Succeeded by
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
(of Ballochmyle)
1886–1899
Succeeded by
Claud Alexander