Private letter books of Alexander Whitelaw, MP
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TitlePrivate letter books of Alexander Whitelaw, MP
ReferenceGD101/1/1
Date1863-1879
Extent5 volumes
LanguageEnglish
Archival historyAlexander Whitelaw was born in 1823, the son of Janet Baird, the daughter of Alexander Baird, by her first marriage with Thomas Whitelaw, a farmer of Hill of Tannochside . He studied mining and started work at the age of 18 at Gartsherrie Ironworks, where he became a manager. He became a partner in Eglinton Iron Company in 1852. In 1859 he married Barbara Forbes, the youngest daughter of Robert Lockhart of Castlehill, with whom he had four sons and five daughters: Alexander (1862-1938), Graeme (1863-1928), William (1868-1946), James (b. 1870), Charlotte (d. 1902), Janet (d. 1925), Mary (d. 1933), Helen (d. 1946) and Caroline.
In 1860 he became a partner in his uncle's firm, William Baird & Co. William Baird & Co maintained schools for the children of its workforce and Alexander Whitelaw was particularly interested in education, with the resulted that he became a member of the first Glasgow School Board in 1873. In 1874 he was elected as a Conservative MP for Glasgow, but overwork contributed to his early death in 1879.
In 1860 he became a partner in his uncle's firm, William Baird & Co. William Baird & Co maintained schools for the children of its workforce and Alexander Whitelaw was particularly interested in education, with the resulted that he became a member of the first Glasgow School Board in 1873. In 1874 he was elected as a Conservative MP for Glasgow, but overwork contributed to his early death in 1879.
SubjectPoliticians
Level of descriptionseries
Repository nameEast Dunbartonshire Archives - Kirkintilloch