Sir Alexander Grant, 8th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Cray Grant, 8th Baronet (13 November 1782 – 29 November 1854) was a British
politician and plantation
owner in the West Indies.
He was born in 1782 in West Alvington
, Devon
, the eldest son of Sir Alexander Grant, 7th Baronet and Sarah Cray. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge
in 1806 with a Master of Arts (MA). He entered politics in Jamaica
, where he owned two plantation
s, as a member of the Jamaican colonial assembly from 1810 to 1811. In 1812, he returned to England where he successfully stood as a Tory
Member of Parliament
for Tregony
in the House of Commons. In 1818, he was elected as MP for Lostwithiel
, and was re-elected there in June 1826, although he was also elected to Aldborough
which he chose to represent instead. From 1826 to 1831, Grant was the Chairman of Ways and Means
in the House of Commons. He was unsuccessful in elections for Grimsby in 1835, and Honiton
, but re-entered the House representing Cambridge
in 1840, until 1843.
Grant succeeded his father as Baronet
of Dalvey
upon the latter's death in 1825. Grant himself died in London on 29 November 1854, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his brother, Robert Innes Grant.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owner in the West Indies.
He was born in 1782 in West Alvington
West Alvington
West Alvington is a small village, located on the outskirts of Kingsbridge in South Devon.It has a Primary School, and is about a 10 minute walk from the centre of Kingsbridge....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, the eldest son of Sir Alexander Grant, 7th Baronet and Sarah Cray. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1806 with a Master of Arts (MA). He entered politics in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, where he owned two plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s, as a member of the Jamaican colonial assembly from 1810 to 1811. In 1812, he returned to England where he successfully stood as a Tory
Tories (political faction)
The Tories were members of two political parties which existed, sequentially, in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.-Overview:...
Member of Parliament
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 Tregony
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in the House of Commons. In 1818, he was elected as MP for Lostwithiel
Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)
Lostwithiel was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1304 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
, and was re-elected there in June 1826, although he was also elected to Aldborough
Aldborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldborough was a parliamentary borough located in the West Riding of Yorkshire, abolished in the Great Reform Act of 1832. Aldborough returned two Members of Parliament from 1558 until 1832....
which he chose to represent instead. From 1826 to 1831, Grant was the Chairman of Ways and Means
Chairman of Ways and Means
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of Ways and Means is a senior member of the House of Commons who acts as one of the Speaker's three deputies...
in the House of Commons. He was unsuccessful in elections for Grimsby in 1835, and Honiton
Honiton (UK Parliament constituency)
Honiton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Honiton in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It sent members intermittently from 1300, consistently from 1640. It elected two Members of Parliament until it was...
, but re-entered the House representing Cambridge
Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1840, until 1843.
Grant succeeded his father as Baronet
Grant Baronets
-Grant Baronets, of Dalvey, Elgin :Created 10 August 1688, in the baronetage of Nova Scotia.*Sir James Grant, 1st Baronet, died 1695*Sir Ludovic Grant, 2nd Baronet, died 4 January 1701*Sir Sweton Grant, 3rd Baronet, died 1752...
of Dalvey
Dalvey, Elgin
Dalvey is a place near to the town of Forres in Moray, Scotland. The name gave rise to the Baronets Grant of Dalvey, Elgin....
upon the latter's death in 1825. Grant himself died in London on 29 November 1854, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his brother, Robert Innes Grant.