William Honyman, Lord Armadale

WILLIAM HONYMAN, LORD ARMADALE

William Honyman' Lord Armadeis the son of Patrick Honyman of Graemsay and his wife Margaret McKay. He was born on 6 September 1756 William Honyman: Lord Armadale and his baptism was registered and Evie and Rendall in Orkney, Scotland. Scottish Baptisms

William Honeyman, appointed
one of the senators of the College of Justice, 5th January, 1797,
was created a baronet 12th May, 1S04 (Blk. MS.). Sir William Honeyman sold the estate of Strathy to the Marquis of Stafford, 23rd February, 1813, for £25,00

pg.313 

THE BOOK OF MACKAY BY ANGUS MACKAY, M.A. (St. Andrews University) Minister at Westerdale, Caithness EDINBURGH : NORMAN MACLEOD, -25 GEORGE IV. BRIDGE CANADA : EDWARD MACKAY, ST. PETER'S MANSE, MADOC, ONT. M DCCCC VI

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Biographical Summary

"Sir William Honyman, Bart., Lord Armadale, was the first Honyman to be raised to the baronetcy. He was the eldest son of Sir Patrick Honyman, and the great-grandson of Bishop Andrew Honyman. His father had become heir to Graemsay, Orkneys, and he succeeded. His mother, Margaret Mackay, was the daughter and heiress of John Mackay, Esq., of Strathsay, and a cousin of Lord Raey.

He was born Sept. 6, 1756, matriculated at St. Leonard's College in St Andrews, 1770, and became an advocate on Feb. 15, 1777. In 1786, he was appointed sheriff-depute of Lanarkshire. He was promoted to the benchas Lord of Sessions, and took his seat Feb. 7, 1797, with the title (by courtesy) of Lord Armadale, from the estate of that name inherited from his mother in the County of Sutherland. On June 29, 1799, he was appointed one of the Lords of Justiciary. He was created a baronet May 19, 1804. He married Mary, eldest daughter of the Right Honorable Robert McQueen (Baron Bingfield and Lord Braxfield).

He resigned his seat on the bench in 181 1. and died at Smyllum Park, his residence in Lanark, June 5, 1825. It is said of him that he "was distinguished as a judge," but we know of few other particulars. His Smyllum residence still exists. It is now owned by and is in the possession of a Roman Catholic Orphanage, to whom it was sold by Michael Carmichael, Esq., who married Mary Macqueen-Thomson Honyman, granddaughter of Sir William.

Smyllum Castle, as it was termed in his day. was built by Sir William. An examination of the records show that he also owned land, prior to 1820, in Sandwick, Hoy, St. Ola and Orphir. in the Orkneys, all of which he had inherited. In 1814 he was proprietor of the Hall of Clestrain, near Stromness, having as his factor there John Ray, who entertained Sir Walter Scott, as appears from Scott's "Journal."

SOURCE: The Honeyman family (Honeyman, Honyman, Hunneman, etc) in Scotland and America, 1548-1908; by A. van Doren Honeyman; 1909; page 62