Ralph Abercromby, 2nd Baron Dunfermline
Encyclopedia
Ralph Abercromby, 2nd Baron Dunfermline (6 April 1803 – 2 July 1868) was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat, styled The Honourable from 1839 to 1858.
, the barrister and Whig politician raised to the peerage as Baron Dunfermline
on retirement in 1839, and Lady Mary Anne (Marianne) Leigh. Abercomby was educated at Eton
and Peterhouse, Cambridge
.
He entered the Diplomatic Service
, becoming an attaché
at Frankfurt
in 1821 and a précis
writer in the Foreign Office in 1827. He was Secretary of Legation at Berlin
from 1831 to 1835, and Minister at Florence
from 1835 to 1838. On 18 September 1838 he married Lady Mary Elizabeth (Gilbert) Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, daughter of the Earl of Minto
. From 1838 to 1840 he was Minister to the Germanic Confederation, from 1840 to 1851 Minister at Turin
, and from 1851 to 1858 Minister at The Hague
.
In 1851 he was awarded the KCB
. Upon his father's death in 1858 he succeeded to the Barony, and lived at the family home Colinton House, Midlothian (now in Edinburgh). In 1863 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
, upon the nomination of Sir John M'Neill.
He died without a male heir in 1868, and the Barony became extinct.
Life
Ralph Abercromby was the son and heir of James AbercrombyJames Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline
James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline PC , was a British barrister and Whig politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1835 and 1839.-Background and education:...
, the barrister and Whig politician raised to the peerage as Baron Dunfermline
Baron Dunfermline
Baron Dunfermline, of Dunfermline in the County of Fife, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1839 for the Whig politician and former Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable James Abercromby. He was the third son of Sir Ralph Abercromby and Mary Anne...
on retirement in 1839, and Lady Mary Anne (Marianne) Leigh. Abercomby was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
.
He entered the Diplomatic Service
Diplomatic service
Diplomatic service is the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country to communicate with the governments of other countries. Diplomatic personnel enjoy diplomatic immunity when they are accredited to other countries...
, becoming an attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
at Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
in 1821 and a précis
Précis
A précis is a type of summary or abridgment.Précis or Precis may also refer to:*Mitsubishi Precis, another name for the Hyundai Excel*Précis , debut album by Michigan-based musician Benoit Pioulard...
writer in the Foreign Office in 1827. He was Secretary of Legation at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
from 1831 to 1835, and Minister at Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
from 1835 to 1838. On 18 September 1838 he married Lady Mary Elizabeth (Gilbert) Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, daughter of the Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto GCB, PC , styled as Viscount Melgund between 1813 and 1814, was a British diplomat and Whig politician.-Background and education:...
. From 1838 to 1840 he was Minister to the Germanic Confederation, from 1840 to 1851 Minister at Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and from 1851 to 1858 Minister at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
In 1851 he was awarded the KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. Upon his father's death in 1858 he succeeded to the Barony, and lived at the family home Colinton House, Midlothian (now in Edinburgh). In 1863 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
, upon the nomination of Sir John M'Neill.
He died without a male heir in 1868, and the Barony became extinct.