Talk:Andrew Grant (MP)

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This text has twice been substituted for the article, obliterating all links and references. While the text may be correct, it is provided with no reference, it is inappropriately drafted and it looks suspiciously like a copyright violation. If the first time editor who has provided this text could indicate what the source is, it should be possible to incorporate suitably edited parts of it within the article. Motmit (talk) 14:59, 19 October 2011 (UTC)

ANDREW GRANT, Esquire, Merchant Banker, Politician and Benefactor.

Andrew Grant was born on the 13th June 1830 in Cassell’s Place, Leith Walk, Leith, Scotland, the elder of twin sons of the Reverend Dr. James Grant, D.D. (Glasgow), DCL (Oxford); Moderator of the General Assembly (1854) and Jessie Ann Campbell of Achindoon, Argyllshire (widow of Major Archibald Campbell of Bragleen).

Andrew was educated at Leith High School and at Edinburgh University, where he read Law. Although the writer has no definitive proof of when Andrew precisely adopted a commercial career, it is known that he set his sights upon China, where he went in 1864. After a four-year stay in that country, he relocated to India, where he joined the well-established firm, Messrs Campbell, Mitchell & Co. of Bombay, which was registered with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce in 1804-05 but its detailed identity remains obscure. Within short time, Andrew became chairman of Campbell, Mitchell & Co.

In 1857, together with Elias Sassoon, Sir Dinshaw Manockjee, Bt., Byramjee Hormusjee Cama and other eminent and hugely wealthy merchants, Andrew Grant established The Royal Bank of India of which he was first chairman. With its head office in Bombay, the Royal Bank was immediately successful and by 1864 had branches in Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Surat Belgaum, Melbourne and London.

He was chairman of Bombay Chamber of Commerce on two occasions and became a Fellow of the University of Bombay of which he was a founding member. He was also a Fellow of the Geographical Society. He returned to Britain in 1866, establishing himself in business, in Liverpool, until his retirement, at the age of forty-two, in 1873, having married Elizabeth Ann Townsend, daughter of a pharmaceuticals distiller from Glasgow, the previous year. In 1875 took the Invermay estate at Forteviot, Perthshire, for his first country seat. Invermay was one of the many country estates of wealthy Devonian, Lord Clinton, Baron Fortescue.

In 1878, Andrew Grant was invited to stand as Liberal candidate for Leith Burghs (more recently divided in 1997 to form two constituencies viz. Leith and Edinburgh North) the seat, which he held for that party with a comfortable majority of 3141. In the General Election of 1880 he was returned, unopposed, serving the constituency until his retiral in 1884. He was a highly respected politician, who much considered the well being of his constituents. One year later, in 1885, W. E. Gladstone became Liberal member for Leith Burghs, followed some years later (1918-1927) by William Wedgwood Benn (later Viscount Stansgate) father of the erudite Tony Benn.

Having oftentimes visited his Edinburgh friend, David Maclaggan, a stockbroker, who rented Comrie House, Comrie, as a country retreat, Andrew Grant must have regularly admired the vast façade of Lawers, as his coach passed along the Crieff road, on the way to visit the Maclaggans. This was not the medium-sized country house designed by William Adam for Colonel (later General) Sir James Campbell, 3rd son of the 2nd Earl of Loudon, 1724-26 but the early 19th century, remodelled and extended, Richard Crighton creation. Such was his desire to have this fine house for himself, he arranged to rent the estate from the then owners, the Williamsons of Balgray and Lawers, moving there in 1894. Quite how this unassuming, childless couple (Andrew now over sixty years of age) used this vast house during their occupancy, one can’t quite completely imagine.

Early in 1901, the Grants took Pitcorthie, a large and elegant mansion built for George Simson of Brunton and Pitcorthie, circa 1820 and although the architect is unknown, Pitcorthie is particularly similar in style to both Camperdown House, Dundee and Balbirnie, Markinch, both fine messuages, which had family connections to the Simsons. Andrew had an exceedingly close relationship with his twin brother, Colin Campbell, W.S., afterwards, barrister-at-law, Middle Temple, whose sudden death on 30th April 1902, came as a great blow. This was further exacerbated, as Andrew was late for the train to Edinburgh and in consequence missed his brother’s funeral. Three months thereafter sadness once more struck Andrew and Elizabeth Grant, following the death of a local woman, resultant of giving birth to her first child, but it was to become bittersweet. Such was their anguish that they engaged a nurse to look after the child until the baby girl was old enough to go to live with them at Pitcorthie, where she spent the happiest of lives.

Andrew Grant died at Pitcorthie House, on 23rd October 1924 and was buried in a grave at Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh (Compartment “B” Number 7) next to the memorials to his parents and to his beloved brother, Colin. His published Will in respect of his £607,000 unsettled estate, revealed that he had left in the region of £350,000 for the foundation of what he stipulated was to be known as The Andrew Grant Bequest, to benefit students of Edinburgh College of Art , in the form of travelling scholarships. The Bequest was activated in 1930, with the death of Andrew’s widow, Elizabeth and has a healthy fund of over £3.5 million today.

I have merged the text that replaces the existing text and the existing text. Even though it does not provide references, whoever added that obviously knows about Andrew Grant, so I just added a BLP sources tag. The article definitely needs to wikified, but the added text is not bad enough for removal. Thank you and happy editing! pluma Ø 21:28, 20 October 2011 (UTC)