Laurence Hill of Barlanark, WS

From Geni: 1755 03 09 Laurence Hill Birth.jpg

Births: Hill: [son of] James Hill and Elizabeth Robertson, a lawful son, Laurence Hill, witnesses: Mr Lawrence and Ninian Hill, born Wednesday, 19 March 1755 [instant]. Baptism Saturday, 29 March 1755 in the Parish of Glasgow.

From A history of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet with a list of the members of the society from 1594 to 1890 Published 1890 Page 99

Lawrence Hill, of Barlanark. 12 July 1779.

Apprentice to (1) John Bell; and (2) Alexander Menzies. — Son of James Hill, Writer in Glasgow. Died 11 December 1792

Author of (the 1788 version) View of the political state of Scotland in the last century - a confidential report on the political opinions, family connections, or personal circumstances of the 2662 county voters in 1788 edited by Sir Charles Elphinstone Adam Published 1887

The Report of 1788 — which, in manuscript, is in the possession of the Editor — was intended to assist William Adam [Footnote: Right Hon. William Adam, elder son of John Adam of Blair-Adam, born 1751; entered the House of Commons 1774; first held office (Treasurer of the Ordnance) 1780; finally retired from Parliament 1812; on the introduction of trial by jury in civil causes appointed, 1815, Lord Chief-Commissioner of the Jury Court of Scotland; died 1839] and Henry Erskine [Footnote: Hon. Henry Erskine, second son of the tenth Earl of Buchan, born 1746; Lord Advocate in 1783 in the Coalition Ministry, and from 1806 to 1807 in Grenville's Ministry of "all the Talents;" M.P. 1806-1807; Dean of Faculty (usually so designated in the Report) 1785-1796; died 1817] in managing the interests, in Scotland, of the Whig Opposition to the Administration of Pitt and Henry Dundas. [Footnote: Treasurer of the Navy, Member for Mid-Lothian; and all-powerful in Scotland].

The name of the compiler, who threw into shape information drawn from many sources, cannot, with certainty, be given : his opinion of the work, and a recommendation respecting its development, are presented in a Note, prefixed to the Report, in which he writes: —

"Though this information can only be matured by time, it is expected that it will, in its present state, in part answer its object, by giving a general view of the political state of every County in Scotland. Yearly, in the month of October, the Roll of the Freeholders in each County is adjusted, and the necessary alterations, arising from the deaths of individuals, and the purchase and sale of freehold estates, are made. It will therefore be necessary, once a year, to procure copies of the Rolls of the Freeholders of the several Counties, and to renew the following state in conformity thereto.

"The objects, connections, and circumstances of men are perpetually changing, even their characters are not always permanent; on these accounts it will no doubt require constant attention to furnish a statesman, at all times, with a just view of the Scotch Counties; but it may be done, the first state is the most difficult, the alterations on it will be attended with less trouble and expense than the first compilation."

There is no evidence that the scheme of yearly corrections was carried out, though it may be observed that the Stirlingshire report exhibits the condition of the Roll both in 1788 and in 1789.

The compiler adopted some precautions to secure the manuscript from unauthorised inspection, and arranged, in the event of Adam's early death, that the sheets should either be delivered into proper keeping, or be destroyed.

The considerations, personal and political, which induced the first owners to attach such importance to the custody of their manuscript, have ceased to exist; but the work will still possess a certain value in the eyes of those who are interested in the past of Scottish politics.

A slight knowledge of the system of Election Law which was swept away by the Reform Act of 1832, is necessary for the entire comprehension of the Report, and therefore, in the Introduction, the Editor has endeavoured to present a short account of the representation of the counties of Scotland, which will, he hopes, be found useful by some readers who may have been accustomed to devote themselves more to politics than to the study of legal antiquities.

From The House of Commons, 1790-1820, by R.G. Thorne Published 1986 Volume 12 Page 652

Lawrence Hill of Barlanark (author of the Political State of 1788) warned William Adam in 1789 that Sir Thomas might lose Orkney:

"I think that there are other counties in Scotland that will be lost from want of care. Professional men, when they are connected with party, have their attention occupied with business—and men of fortune will not give themselves the trouble to do the drudgery of opposition."

From British Newspaper Archive: Caledonian Mercury Saturday, 15 December 1792 Page 2

On Tuesday last, 11 December 1792, died here, Mr Laurence Hill, much and justly regretted.

From Geni: 1792 12 11 Laurence Hill Death.jpg

14 December 1792 death or burial of Lawrance Hill, in the parish of Edinburgh

• Person's Names: Laurence Hill
• Buried: 15 December 1792
• Place of Interment: 3D. 7. East of Henderson's Tomb

From findagrave: Laurence Hill (1755-1793)

• Name: Laurence Hill
• Born: Sunday, 9 March 1755, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Died: Wednesday, 11 December 1793 (aged 38), Edinburgh, Scotland
• Buried or Memorial: [Glasgow Cathedral Burial Grounds, Castle Street, Glasgow G4 0QZ 55.8627222, -4.2349167]
• Inscription: Laurence Hill, W.S., 1755 - 1793

From Early records of an old Glasgow family - Hill family, 1520-1901, by William Henry Hill, Published 1902 Page 156

Laurence Hill (W.S.) and his Issue.

Laurence Hill, Writer to the Signet, was born on [ERROR 9 CORRECTION 19] March 1755, and died at Edinburgh on 11 December 1792. He married Christian Dreghorn and left issue...

From "William Henry Hill handwritten manuscript, Page 20 47 Ninian Hill 48 James H 49 Laurence Hill WS.jpg"

[WHH-REF:49] Laurence Hill, W.S., the eldest son of James Hill [WHH-REF:48] of Cartside, was born on 19 March 1755 [ED: NOTE date of birth here correct, mistyped in "Early records of an old Glasgow family" Page 156]. He married on 27 March 1789, Christian Dreghorn, daughter of Robert Dreghorn, "in the presence of Robert Dreghorn of Ruchill Ruchill House, now near 16 Whitworth Gardens, Glasgow G20 9JJ 55.88944, -4.27167, and Archibald Colquhoun, younger of Clathie, by Mr. John Allan." (see Hills Family Bible)

Mrs. Christian Hill died at Hampstead on 18 December 1830.

By her, Laurence Hill [WHH-REF:49] had issue viz:

• James Hill [WHH-REF:49a] p VI [?] born 25 April 1790, who died 14 March 1799 (see Hills Family Bible)
• Laurence Hill [WHH-REF:50] and
• Elizabeth Hill [WHH-REF:59]

Laurence Hill [WHH-REF:49] was the author and compiler of "The Political Bible of Scotland" - the original manuscript of a part of which is in the possession of William Henry Hill - showing the political tendencies of the whole freeholders in each county in Scotland and how they might probably be influenced and be expected to vote or abstain from voting in contests for the representation in Parliament. Connected with this work and otherwise there are in William Henry Hill's possession, a number of letters to him holograph and others bearing the autographs of many noblemen and gentlemen of position in Scotland, contemporaries of Laurence Hill.

He became a writer to the Signet in 17-- [blank] and died 11 December 179- [blank].

The estate of Cartside to which he succeeded from his father, descended to his son, Laurence Hill [WHH-REF:50] in whose minority as before mentioned it was sold to Lord Cathcart in 1804, his Lordship being desirous of acquiring the property and Castle from which his title was derived.

From View of the political state of Scotland in the last century : a confidential report on the political opinions, family connections, or personal circumstances of the 2662 county voters in 1788 by Sir Charles Elphinstone Adam Published 1887

From The Scottish Historical Review Volume 46, No. 141, Part 1 (April 1967), Pages 87-89 - The Political State of Scotland in the Last Century by D. G. Henry

A certain Laurence Hill, almost certainly a writer to the signet, wrote to [William] Adam [of Blair-Adam, the prominent Whig politician] from Edinburgh on 4 January 1789:

"I have been employed for several weeks past in preparing a political state of every county in Scotland, showing the names of the several freeholders, distinguishing the absolute & confidential voters, and by whom the confidential votes are made, with a short scale at the end..."

Hill referred to "the hurry of the term", and as a writer could have obtained the copies of the freeholders rolls without undue comment, thus maintaining the anonymity he wished to preserve.

... On the other hand a person of this name (described as of Barlanark, Lanarkshire) is found among contemporary writers to the signet. This Laurence Hill was born [CORRECTION 19] March 1755, eldest son of James Hill of Cathcart, Renfrewshire, writer in Glasgow; educated at Glasgow university; admitted writer to the signet 12 July 1779; married Christian Dreghorn and had one son; succeeded his father 27 December 1791; died at Edinburgh 11 December 1792.