George Lockhart (politician)

Sir George Lockhart
Portrait by Sir John Baptiste de Medina
Member of Parliament for Midlothian
In office 1708–1715
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	John Baird
Member of Parliament for Wigtown Burghs
In office 1708–1708
Preceded by	New constituency
Succeeded by	William Cochrane
Commissioner for Edinburghshire
In office 12 November 1702 – 25 March 1707
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	1673
Died	17 December 1731 (aged 58)
Political party	Tory
Other political affiliations	Squadrone Volante
Profession	Politician

Sir George Lockhart of Lee (1673 – 17 December 1731), of Carnwath, South Lanarkshire, also known as Lockhart of Carnwath, was a Scottish writer, spy and politician.

He was the son of Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath.

The Parliament of Scotland and the Treaty of Union

Lockhart, who was member for the shire of Edinburgh in the Parliament of Scotland, was appointed a commissioner for arranging the union with England in 1705.

Jacobite spy and attempt to repeal the Union

After the union he continued to represent Edinburgh, and later the Wigtown burghs. His sympathies were with the Jacobites, whom he kept informed of all the negotiations for the union; in 1713 he took part in an abortive movement aiming at the repeal of the union.

Lockart was the source of intelligence revealing the extensive bribery of Scottish parliamentarians prior to the Treaty of Union, giving rise to the famous Robert Burns line: "bought and sold for English gold". He published a list of bribes paid by the English Treasury.

He was deeply implicated in the rising of 1715, the preparations for which he assisted at Carnwath and at Dryden, his Edinburgh residence. He was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle, but probably, through the favour of John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, he was released without being brought to trial; but his brother Philip was taken prisoner at the Battle of Preston and condemned to be shot, the sentence being executed on 2 December 1715. Lockhart continued to act on behalf of James III; his letters were intercepted by the government in 1727 but he was warned of his imminent arrest by Charles Erskine, a senior government legal officer and managed to escape to the Continent. Argyll's influence was again exerted in Lockhart's behalf, and in 1728 he was permitted to return to Scotland, where he lived in retirement till his death in a duel on 17 December 1731.

Writings

The "Lockhart Papers" are a significant authority for the history of the Jacobites. Lockhart was the author of Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland, dealing with the reign of Queen Anne up to the union with England, first published in 1714. These Memoirs, together with Lockhart's correspondence with the Pretender, and some other papers of minor importance, were published again in the two volumes of Lockhart Letters (1817), edited by Anthony Aufrere.

Family

Lockhart belonged to the Lockharts of Lee, who were active in Scots law and politics during the 17th century. He married Eupheme Montgomerie, daughter of Alexander Montgomerie, 9th Earl of Eglinton, by whom he had a large family.

His son was Alexander Lockhart, Lord Covington

His daughter Grace Lockhart married John Gordon, 3rd Earl of Aboyne.

See also

• Treaty of Union 1707
• List of people killed in duels

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lockhart, George". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 852–853.
• Clan Lockhart Society

External links

• Significant Scots – George Lockhart