George Skene (politician)
Encyclopedia
George Skene of Skene, was a Scottish soldier and politician.
The eldest son of George Skene of Skene, George the younger was educated for the law, and became an advocate
at the Scottish bar, although he never practised. He subsequently entered the army, and rose to the rank of captain
in the 81st Highlanders in 1781, the year he succeeded his father in the estate of Skene.
Skene was a committed Whig and supporter of Charles James Fox
. He was elected as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Aberdeenshire
at a by-election in 1786, defeating the Tory
James Ferguson
,
but declined to contest the latter for the seat in 1790
. He briefly returned to Parliament, representing Elgin Burghs, from 1806 to 1807.
His "violent" Whiggery and alcoholism
much impaired his political career, but he remained influential in the public affairs of Aberdeenshire
, in part due to his pleasant manner. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his brother Alexander Skene, who was deaf, dumb, and nearly blind; upon Alexander's death two years later, an entail
enacted by George brought the Skene estates to his nephew, the Earl Fife
.
The eldest son of George Skene of Skene, George the younger was educated for the law, and became an advocate
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...
at the Scottish bar, although he never practised. He subsequently entered the army, and rose to the rank of captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the 81st Highlanders in 1781, the year he succeeded his father in the estate of Skene.
Skene was a committed Whig and supporter of Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
. He was elected as the 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,...
(MP) for Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberdeenshire was a Scottish county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1868...
at a by-election in 1786, defeating the Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
James Ferguson
James Ferguson (Scottish politician)
James Ferguson was a Scottish Tory politician. He sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1788 to 1800, and then in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until his death in 1820....
,
but declined to contest the latter for the seat in 1790
British general election, 1790
The British general election, 1790 returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Great Britain to be held, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707.-Political Situation:...
. He briefly returned to Parliament, representing Elgin Burghs, from 1806 to 1807.
His "violent" Whiggery and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
much impaired his political career, but he remained influential in the public affairs of Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, in part due to his pleasant manner. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his brother Alexander Skene, who was deaf, dumb, and nearly blind; upon Alexander's death two years later, an entail
Entail
Entail may refer to:* Fee tail, a term of art in common law describing a limited form of succession....
enacted by George brought the Skene estates to his nephew, the Earl Fife
James Duff, 4th Earl Fife
James Duff, 4th Earl of Fife KT, GCH , was a Scot who became a Spanish general.-Biography:James was the elder son of the Hon. Alexander Duff, who succeeded his brother as third Earl Fife in 1809...
.