Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay

"Scotch Law"
Lord Colonsay as caricatured by Spy (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, September 1873

Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay FRSE (20 August 1793 – 31 January 1874) was a Scottish advocate, judge and Tory politician. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session between 1852 and 1867.

His younger brother was the physician and diplomat Sir John McNeill.^[1]

Background and education

McNeill was born at Oronsay, the son of John McNeill (1767–1846), laird of Colonsay and Oronsay, and his wife Hester (née McNeill).^[2] Educated at St Andrew's University where he graduated MD, and Edinburgh University where he read law (LLD).

He served his apprenticeship under Michael Linning WS, and became a members of the Faculty of Advocates in 1816. He was the presumptive father of philosopher Edmund Montgomery.^[3]

Political, legal and judicial career

MacNeill was appointed Sheriff of Perthshire in 1824. He served under Sir Robert Peel as Solicitor General for Scotland from 1834 to 1835 and again from 1841 to 1842 and as Lord Advocate from 1842 to 1846.^[4] From 1843 to 1851 he sat as Member of Parliament for Argyllshire.^[5] In 1851 he was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice and an Ordinary Lord of Session as Lord Colonsay and Oronsay. He was Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session from 1852 to 1867, and was raised to the peerage as Baron Colonsay, of Colonsay and Oronsay in the County of Argyll, on 26 February 1867.^{[6][7] [8]}

Personal life

McNeill was unmarried.

He was a member of the Highland Society of Edinburgh (1833).

Lord Colonsay died at Pau, France, on 31 January 1874, aged 80, when the title became extinct.^[9] He was interred at Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh.

References

1. ^ Waterston, Charles D; Macmillan Shearer, A (July 2006). Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783-2002: Biographical Index. II. Edinburgh: The Royal Society of Edinburgh. ISBN 9780902198845. http://www.rse.org.uk/fellowship/fells_indexp2.pdf. Retrieved September 25, 2010. 
2. ^ Burke, Sir Bernard (1898). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. Harrison & Sons. p. 864. 
3. ^ "Ney Museum-Edmund Montgomery". Elisabet Ney Museum. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/elisabetney/html/montgomery_biography.html. Retrieved 29 October 2010. 
4. ^ Campbell, George Douglas, Duke of Argyll; Campbell, Ina Erskine McNeill, Duchess of Argyll (1906, Reprint 2010). Autobiography and Memoirs, Volume 1. Nabu Press. p. 268. ISBN 978-1149140376. 
5. ^ leighrayment.com House of Commons: Andover to Armagh South
6. ^ "Appointments, Preferments and Promotions". The Gentleman's magazine 222: 373. 1867. 
7. ^ London Gazette: no. 23222. p. 951. 22 February 1867.
8. ^ Pryde, E.B.; Greenway, D E; Porter, S; Roy, I (1996). Handbook of British Chronology. Cambridge University Press. p. 199. ISBN 978-0521563505. 
9. ^ Sheets, John W. "The Americans, The Earl of Selkirk and Colonsay's 1806 Emigrants to Prince Edward Island". The Island Register. http://www.islandregister.com/colonsay_selkirk.html. Retrieved 31 October 2010. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Duncan McNeill

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Alexander Cameron Campbell	Member of Parliament for Argyllshire 1843–1851	Succeeded by Sir Archibald Islay Campbell, Bt.
Legal offices
Preceded by Andrew Skene	Solicitor General for Scotland 1834–1835	Succeeded by John Cunninghame
Preceded by Thomas Maitland	Solicitor General for Scotland 1841–1842	Succeeded by Adam Anderson
Preceded by Sir William Rae, Bt	Lord Advocate 1842–1846	Succeeded by Andrew Rutherfurd
Preceded by Lord Boyle	Lord Justice General 1852–1867	Succeeded by Lord Glencorse
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Baron Colonsay 1867 – 1874	Extinct