James Veitch, Lord Elliock, FRSE

He was born in Edinburgh in September 1712, the son ofChristian Thomson, daughter of Gavin Thomson, Provost of Peebles,[1] and William Veitch of Elliock House near Dumfries, a Writer to the Signet (WS) who died in 1747.

Veitch studied Law at the University of Edinburgh, Leyden University and Halle University. While in Germany he met and apparently befriended Frederick the Great. He passed the Scottish bar as an advocate and was elected to the Faculty of Advocates in 1738.[2]

He was appointed Sheriff-Depute of Peebles in 1747. He served as MP for Dumfriesshire from 1755 to 1760.

In 1761 he was elected a Senator of the College of Justice in the place of Andrew Macdowal, Lord Bankton.[2]

He was Commissioner for Forfeited Estates in 1769, as Deputy Governor of the Royal Bank of Scotland (1776–), and as a member of the Board of Trustees for Manufactures & Fisheries (1777–).

In 1775 he is listed as living at Jock's Lodge to the east of Edinburgh.[3] He moved to St Andrew Square in the 1780s, as soon as the houses were built.[4]

In 1783 he was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

He died at St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, on 1 July 1793. His position as Senator was filled by William Baillie, Lord Polkemmet.

He was buried in Restalrig Churchyard in eastern Edinburgh on 5 July.[5]

Biographical Summary

Veitch of Elliock, Lord Elliock, James. 25/09/1712-01/07/1793. Ref: 1541. Male.

• Titles and British Honours: Hon.
• Place of Birth: Edinburgh.
• Place of Death: St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.
• Profession: Advocate, Politician, Landowner.
• Appointments Held: Advocate 1738; Sheriff 1747 Peebles; MP 1755-60, Dumfriesshire; 1761-93 Senator of The College of Justice; 1769 Commissioner for Forfeited Estates; 1776-Deputy Governor, Royal Bank of Scotland; 1777-Board of Trustees for Manufactures & Fisheries.
• Training: Apprenticed WS to his father.
• Undergraduate Studies: Edinburgh University, 1733 Leyden, Halle.
• Marital Status: Unmarried.
• Mother: nee Thomson.
• Father: William Veitch of Elliock, WS, d. 1747.
• References: DNB 58, 1899, 199; F J Grant 1944; Shapin 466; S Devlin-Thorp Scotland's Cultural Heritage, 2, 1981, 87.
• Date of Election: 17/11/1783.
• Proposers: Founder Member.
• Service to the RSE: Councillor 1789-93.
• Fellow Type: OF.

SOURCE: Waterston, Charles D; Macmillan Shearer, A (July 2006). Biographical index of former fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1783-2002: Biographical Index. II. Edinburgh: The Royal Society of Edinburgh. ISBN 978-0-902198-84-5. page 953

Other References

• Wikipedia contributors. "James Veitch, Lord Elliock." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.