Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank
Encyclopedia
Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank FRSE FSA(Scot) (1748–1816) was a Scottish advocate
, academic jurist, judge and agriculturalist.
, Midlothian
, by his wife Isabella, daughter of the Rev. Walter Allan, minister of Colinton
in the same county, was born on 26 January 1748. He was educated privately by Alexander Adam
, and at the High School of Edinburgh. He entered the University of Edinburgh
, where he attended the law classes. He was apprenticed to Thomas Tod, writer to the signet.
In 1764 Maconochie, with William Creech
, John Bruce, Henry Mackenzie
, and two other fellow-students, founded the Speculative Society, devoted to public speaking and liberal thought. Having completed his university course in 1768, Maconochie went to Paris for a short time. He passed advocate on 8 December 1770, and was admitted a student of Lincoln's Inn
(16 April 1771), but was not called to the English bar. He subsequently returned to France, where he remained till 1773.
In 1774 he was elected to the general assembly as lay representative of the burgh of Dunfermline. Maconochie was appointed professor of public law and law of nature and nations in the University of Edinburgh on 16 July 1779; and on 18 December following was elected treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates. In 1788 he became sheriff-depute of Renfrewshire
. He was one of the eight advocates who took an active part in procuring the rejection of Henry Erskine as dean of the faculty in January 1796.
He succeeded Alexander Abercromby as an ordinary Lord of Session, and took his seat on the bench as Lord Meadowbank on 11 March 1796. In the same year he resigned his professorship. Maconochie was appointed a Lord of Justiciary in place of David Smythe of Methven on 4 September 1804, and was constituted one of the three lords commissioners of the newly appointed jury court on 9 May 1815. His health, however, was poor, and he took little part in the proceedings of the new court, which was opened for the first time on 22 January 1816.
He died at Coates House, near Edinburgh, on 14 June 1816, aged 68, and was buried in the private burial-ground on the Meadowbank estate, in the parish of Kirknewton
, where there was a monument to his memory. Maconochie was considered an able judge, but eccentric. His predilection for Latin quotation was caricatured in the ‘Diamond Beetle Case,’ attributed to George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse.
, of which he was a vice-president.
. He left four sons:
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, academic jurist, judge and agriculturalist.
Life
The only son of Alexander Maconochie of MeadowbankMeadowbank, Edinburgh
Meadowbank is a suburb of Edinburgh in Scotland. It is best known for Meadowbank Stadium. The A1 road and East Coast Main Line railway to England run through this way.-External links:*...
, Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, by his wife Isabella, daughter of the Rev. Walter Allan, minister of Colinton
Colinton
Colinton is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated 6 kilometres south west of the city centre. It is bordered by Dreghorn to the south and Craiglockhart to the north-east. To the north-west it extends to Lanark Road and to the south-west to the City Bypass...
in the same county, was born on 26 January 1748. He was educated privately by Alexander Adam
Alexander Adam
Alexander Adam was a Scottish teacher and writer on Roman antiquities.-Biography:Alexander Adam was born near Forres, in Morayshire. From his earliest years he showed uncommon diligence and perseverance in classical studies, notwithstanding many difficulties and privations. In 1757 he went to...
, and at the High School of Edinburgh. He entered the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, where he attended the law classes. He was apprenticed to Thomas Tod, writer to the signet.
In 1764 Maconochie, with William Creech
William Creech
William Creech was a Scottish bookseller.For 40 years Creech was the chief publisher in Edinburgh. He published the first Edinburgh edition of Robert Burns' poems....
, John Bruce, Henry Mackenzie
Henry Mackenzie
Henry Mackenzie was a Scottish novelist and miscellaneous writer. He was also known by the sobriquet "Addison of the North."-Biography:Mackenzie was born in Edinburgh....
, and two other fellow-students, founded the Speculative Society, devoted to public speaking and liberal thought. Having completed his university course in 1768, Maconochie went to Paris for a short time. He passed advocate on 8 December 1770, and was admitted a student of 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...
(16 April 1771), but was not called to the English bar. He subsequently returned to France, where he remained till 1773.
In 1774 he was elected to the general assembly as lay representative of the burgh of Dunfermline. Maconochie was appointed professor of public law and law of nature and nations in the University of Edinburgh on 16 July 1779; and on 18 December following was elected treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates. In 1788 he became sheriff-depute of Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
. He was one of the eight advocates who took an active part in procuring the rejection of Henry Erskine as dean of the faculty in January 1796.
He succeeded Alexander Abercromby as an ordinary Lord of Session, and took his seat on the bench as Lord Meadowbank on 11 March 1796. In the same year he resigned his professorship. Maconochie was appointed a Lord of Justiciary in place of David Smythe of Methven on 4 September 1804, and was constituted one of the three lords commissioners of the newly appointed jury court on 9 May 1815. His health, however, was poor, and he took little part in the proceedings of the new court, which was opened for the first time on 22 January 1816.
He died at Coates House, near Edinburgh, on 14 June 1816, aged 68, and was buried in the private burial-ground on the Meadowbank estate, in the parish of Kirknewton
Kirknewton
-Places:England*Kirknewton, NorthumberlandScotland*Kirknewton, West Lothian*RAF Kirknewton, a Royal Air Force station in West Lothian...
, where there was a monument to his memory. Maconochie was considered an able judge, but eccentric. His predilection for Latin quotation was caricatured in the ‘Diamond Beetle Case,’ attributed to George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse.
Works
Maconochie was a keen agriculturist. He was the anonymous author of ‘Directions for preparing Manure from Peat, and Instruction for Foresters,’ which was reprinted in 1815, Edinburgh, and again in 1842, Edinburgh. His ‘Considerations on the Introduction of Jury Trial in Civil Causes into Scotland’ was published anonymously in 1814, Edinburgh; 2nd edit. Edinburgh, 1815. His ‘Essay on the Origin and Structure of the European Legislatures’ appeared in two parts in the first volume (1788) of the Transactions of the Royal Society of EdinburghRoyal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
, of which he was a vice-president.
Family
He married, on 11 November 1774, Elizabeth, third daughter of Robert Welwood of Garvock and Pitliver, Fifeshire, the granddaughter of Sir George Preston, bart., of ValleyfieldValleyfield
Valleyfield may refer to:* Valleyfield, Fife, Scotland* Valleyfield, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
. He left four sons:
- AlexanderAlexander Maconochie, Lord MeadowbankAlexander Maconochie, later Maconochie-Welwood , was a Scottish judge.The son of Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank, he was admitted as an advocate in 1799...
; - Robert, who became mint master at Madras, and died in Devonshire Place, London, on 19 February 1858;
- James Allan, sheriff of Orkney and Shetland, who died unmarried in 1845; and
- Thomas Tod, who died unmarried in 1847.