John Balfour (MP)
Encyclopedia
John Balfour was a Scottish politician and a civil servant in the East India Company
with connections to the Orcadian island of Shapinsay
.
. Having made a fortune in India, John Balfour married the widow of a Colonel Mackennan, who along with other British expatriates, had lent money to the Rajah of Tanjore, who then refused to repay the loans.
Balfour was elected Member of Parliament
for Orkney and Shetland
on 28 July 1790. He used his new political connections to put pressure on the British Government who eventually engineered compensation for the lenders to the Rajah, so providing his wife with a "substantial benefit". He decided to retire at the next election in 1796 in favour of Robert Honyman. Balfour was MP for Orkney and Shetland again from 1820 to 1826.
takes its name from the family interest in the island. He commenced the building of Balfour Castle
on the island on the site of an older structure. The work was completed by his son, Colonel David Balfour.
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
with connections to the Orcadian island of Shapinsay
Shapinsay
Shapinsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. There is one village on the island, Balfour, from which roll-on/roll-off car ferries sail to Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland...
.
Background
John Balfour was the son of William Balfour, a factor to the Dundas family. The family was descended from the Balfours of Trenabie on the island of WestrayWestray
Westray is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, with a population of around 550 people. Its main village is Pierowall, with a heritage centre, the ruined Lady Kirk and ferries to Papa Westray.-Geography and geology:...
. Having made a fortune in India, John Balfour married the widow of a Colonel Mackennan, who along with other British expatriates, had lent money to the Rajah of Tanjore, who then refused to repay the loans.
Political career
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Orkney and Shetland
Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)
Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
on 28 July 1790. He used his new political connections to put pressure on the British Government who eventually engineered compensation for the lenders to the Rajah, so providing his wife with a "substantial benefit". He decided to retire at the next election in 1796 in favour of Robert Honyman. Balfour was MP for Orkney and Shetland again from 1820 to 1826.
Shapinsay
In 1827 he bought the Honyman estate on the island of Shapinsay and the village of BalfourBalfour, Orkney
Balfour is a village on the island of Shapinsay, Orkney. The village is situated on Elwick Bay, which was used as an anchorage by Haakon IV of Norway before sailing south to eventual defeat at the Battle of Largs. Today, the village still possesses a harbour, with mock defensive walls constructed...
takes its name from the family interest in the island. He commenced the building of Balfour Castle
Balfour Castle
Balfour Castle is a historic building on the southwest of Shapinsay, Orkney Islands. Though built around an older structure that dates at least from the 18th century, the present castle was built in 1847, commissioned by Colonel David Balfour, and designed by Edinburgh architect David...
on the island on the site of an older structure. The work was completed by his son, Colonel David Balfour.