Patrick Heron (1736–1803)

For other people named Patrick Heron, see Patrick Heron (disambiguation).

Patrick Heron of Kirroughtree (c. 1736 – 9 June 1803) was a Scottish banker and politician. From 1794 to 1803 he was a Whig Member of Parliament for Kirkcudbright Stewartry.

He was the grandson [1] of Patrick Heron of Kirroughtrie,[2] who had been MP for the Stewartry from 1727 to 1741.[3] His mother Margaret was the daughter of John Mackie of Palgoun. He was educated at the University of Glasgow.[2]

He married Jean Home, in 1761, daughter of Henry Home, Lord Kames, but the couple were divorced in 1772.[citation needed] In 1775, he married Lady Elizabeth Cochrane, daughter of Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald,[2] and cousin to the diarist James Boswell.

He was a founder of a bank in Ayr, Douglas, Heron & Company, which went bankrupt during the credit crisis of 1772.

Heron was elected unopposed at a by-election in March 1795 as the MP for the Kirkcudbright Stewartry, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Alexander Stewart. His election was the result of a deal brokered with the support of Henry Dundas whereby he was to alternate the seat with two others. However, Heron managed to keep the seat for himself and was re-elected unopposed in 1796. At the general election in July 1802, he faced a contest from the Tory candidate Montgomery Stewart, son of the Earl of Galloway.[2] Heron was returned, but Stewart lodged a petition, and on 10 May 1803 the result was overturned in Stewart's favour by the Committee of the House of Commons which heard the case.[4]

The campaigns are recorded in three works by Robert Burns, now known as the Heron Ballads.[citation needed] Burns was himself a supporter of Heron:[citation needed]

An' there will be trusty Kerroughtree,

Whose honour was ever his law,

If the virtues were pack'd in a parcel,

His worth might be sample for a'.

Heron died on 9 June 1803, aged about 68. He was survived by only one child, a daughter Mary. She had married John Maxwell, who changed his name to Heron-Maxwell when they inherited Mary's father's estates.[3][5] The following year he succeeded to his father's baronetcy, becoming Sir John Heron-Maxwell, 4th Baronet.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Kirroughtree" by A.S. Morton in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History & Antiquarian Society Series III Vol XX, pp174-184
  2. ^ a b c d Thorne, R. G. (1986). R. Thorne (ed.). "HERON, Patrick (c.1735-1803), of Heron, Kirkcudbright". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Watson, Paula (1970). R. Sedgwick (ed.). "HERON, Patrick (c.1672-1761), of Heron, Kirroughtrie, Kirkcudbright". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "K" (part 3)
  5. ^ Henry, D. G. (1986). R. Thorne (ed.). "HERON MAXWELL, Sir John Shaw Stewart, 4th Bt. (1772–1830), of Springkell, Dumfries". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  6. ^ Leigh Rayment's list of baronets – Baronetcies beginning with "H" (part 3)
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Kirkcudbright Stewartry
1795 – 1800 		Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
 Member of Parliament for Kirkcudbright Stewartry
1801 – 1803 		Succeeded by