John Balfour (6 November 1750 – 15 October 1842)[1] was a Scottish politician and a civil servant in the East India Company with connections to the Orcadian island of Shapinsay.
Background
John Balfour was the son of William Balfour, a factor to the Dundas family.[2] The family was descended from the Balfours of Trenabie on the island of Westray.[3] 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.[3]
Balfour was elected Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland on 28 July 1790.[1] 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".[3] He decided to retire at the next election in 1796 in favour of Robert Honyman.[2] Balfour was MP for Orkney and Shetland again from 1820 to 1826.[1]
Shapinsay
In 1827 he bought the Honyman estate on the island of Shapinsay[4] and the village of Balfour takes its name from the family interest in the island.[3] 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.[3]
