DALRYMPLE, Adolphus John (1784-1866), of High Mark, Wigtown.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

14 Feb. 1817 - 1818
5 Apr. 1819 - 1826
10 Aug. 1831 - 1832
1837 - 1841

Family and Education

b. 3 Feb. 1784, 1st s. of Gen. Sir Hew Whitefoord Dalrymple, 1st Bt., of High Mark by Frances, da. and coh. of Gen. Francis Leighton. educ. Harrow 1796-8/9. m. 23 June 1812, Anne, da. of James Graham* of Kirkstall, Yorks., s.p. suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 9 Apr. 1830.

Offices Held

Ensign 37 Ft. 1799, lt. 1800; lt. 1 Drag. Gds. 1801; capt. 18 Drag. 1803; maj. 19 Drag. 1808; lt.-col. 60 Ft. 1814; lt.-col. half-pay, 2 Garrison Batt. 1814-41; col. 1830, maj.-gen. 1841, lt.-gen. 1851, gen. 1860.

A.d.c. to Sir James Craig in E. District, Malta, Naples and Sicily 1803-6; military sec. to his fa. in Portugal 1808; a.d.c. to the Sovereign 1830-41.

Biography

Dalrymple’s father, who had taken over command of the British army in Portugal following Wellesley’s successful campaign of 1808, was made the ministerial scapegoat for the signing of the unpopular convention of Cintra. Censured by a board of inquiry and never again entrusted with a command he was, after appealing to administration on several occasions, rewarded with a baronetcy in 1814.1 Dalrymple himself received promotion at about the same time.

It was as a supporter of administration that he came in temporarily for Weymouth in 1817 on the interest of the Johnstone trustees and at the instigation of Masterton Ure*, who was then on terms with Dalrymple’s father-in-law. Dalrymple was left without a seat at the general election.2 He was, however, soon provided for and early in 1819 replaced George Fludyer in Lord Lonsdale’s seat at Appleby, a borough of which his father-in-law, a close associate of Lonsdale, was recorder.

In the House Dalrymple opposed Catholic relief, 9 May 1817, and otherwise supported ministers. He voted with them for the suspension of habeas corpus, 23 June 1817, and against opposition attacks on its effects, 10, 11 Feb., 5 Mar. 1818. He was in the ministerial minority on the ducal grant, 15 Apr. 1818. He seconded Lyttelton’s motion on behalf of pensioned officers’ widows, 28 Apr. 1818. On 18 May 1819 he voted against the censure on government and on 10 June for the foreign enlistment bill. He was dissuaded from absenting himself in January 1820.3 He died 3 Mar. 1866.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: J. M. Collinge

Notes

  • 1. Sir H. Dalrymple, Mem. of Procs. as connected with Affairs of Spain (1830).
  • 2. See WEYMOUTH AND MELCOMBE REGIS.
  • 3. Lonsdale mss, Lowther to Lonsdale, 19, 22 Jan. 1820.