Alexander Craig Sellar
Encyclopedia
Alexander Craig Sellar was a Scottish lawyer and Liberal
politician.
Sellar was the son of Patrick Sellar
of Westfield, Morayshire and his wife Ann Craig of Barmakelty, Moray. He was educated at Rugby School
, and at Balliol College, Oxford
where he was a favoured student of Benjamin Jowett
. He became a Scottish advocate in 1862 and was legal secretary to the Lord Advocate for Scotland from 1870 to 1874. In 1873 he published Manual of the Education Act for Scotland. He was a J.P.
and Deputy Lieutenant
for Argyllshire.
In 1880 Sellar stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Plymouth Devonport. In 1882 he was elected Member of Parliament
for Haddington Burghs
until the constituency was merged in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
. In 1885 he was elected MP for Glasgow Partick
which he held until his death at the age of 54 in 1890.
Sellar is commemorated with his scholar brother William Young Sellar
on the south wall of Balliol College Chapel.
Sellar married Gertrude Smith. daughter of Octavius Henry Smith, in 1870.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Sellar was the son of Patrick Sellar
Patrick Sellar
Patrick Sellar was a Scottish lawyer who is notorious for his role in the Highland Clearances.Born into a wealthy family in Moray in 1780 and died in Elgin in 1851. He is buried in Elgin Cathedral...
of Westfield, Morayshire and his wife Ann Craig of Barmakelty, Moray. He was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
where he was a favoured student of Benjamin Jowett
Benjamin Jowett
Benjamin Jowett was renowned as an influential tutor and administrative reformer in the University of Oxford, a theologian and translator of Plato. He was Master of Balliol College, Oxford.-Early career:...
. He became a Scottish advocate in 1862 and was legal secretary to the Lord Advocate for Scotland from 1870 to 1874. In 1873 he published Manual of the Education Act for Scotland. He was a J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Argyllshire.
In 1880 Sellar stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Plymouth Devonport. In 1882 he was elected 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 Haddington Burghs
Haddington Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Haddington Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1885...
until the constituency was merged in the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
. In 1885 he was elected MP for Glasgow Partick
Glasgow Partick (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Partick was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1950.- Boundaries :...
which he held until his death at the age of 54 in 1890.
Sellar is commemorated with his scholar brother William Young Sellar
William Young Sellar
William Young Sellar was a Scottish classical scholar.Sellar was born at Morvich, Sutherland, the son of Patrick Sellar of Westfield, Morayshire and his wife Ann Craig of Barmakelty, Moray. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and afterwards at the University of Glasgow. He entered Balliol...
on the south wall of Balliol College Chapel.
Sellar married Gertrude Smith. daughter of Octavius Henry Smith, in 1870.