George Baillie (UK MP)

George Baillie
Member of Parliament for Berwickshire
In office 1796–1818
Preceded by	Patrick Home
Succeeded by	John Marjoribanks
Personal details
Born	8 October 1763
Died	11 December 1841 (aged 78)
Spouse	Mary Baillie (née Pringle)
Children	Elizabeth Campbell (daughter)
Parents	George Baillie (father) Elizabeth Baillie (née Andrews) (mother)
Education	Trinity College, Cambridge

For other people named George Baillie, see George Baillie (disambiguation).

George Baillie (8 October 1763 – 11 December 1841) was the Scottish MP for Berwickshire from 1796 till 1818.

Early life and education

George Baillie was born 8 October 1763, his father was George Baillie, the younger brother of Thomas, 7th Earl of Haddington. His mother was Elizabeth Baillie (née Andrews), the daughter of John Andrews. He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1784 and on 13 Jult 1801, he married Mary, the daughter of Sir James Pringle, 4th Baronet.

Political career

Baillie wished to become MP for Berwickshire as early as 1788 but supported Patrick Home as long as he choose to retain his seat. When Home's retirement was anticipated in December 1795, he applied for and obtained Henry Dundas' support, encouraged by his uncle Lord Haddington.

Baillie silently supported William Pitt's government and did not oppose Henry Addington, whose additional customs duties he allegedly supported in a debate in June 1803 until on 23 and 25 April 1804, when he voted with the minorities on defence. He then supported the Second Pitt ministry and does not appear to have voted on Melville's censure on 8 April 1805. On 30 April 1806, he opposed the Grenville ministry on their repeal of the Additional Forces Acts 1803 passed by William Pitt.

From 1807, he supported the government, though he was now considered a Melvillite and shared their tendency of dissatisfaction with Scottish patronage. In late 1807, a piece of local patronage that he had applied for was granted to a political enemy and that put him in "a very unpleasant predicament". He supported the government on the Scheldt inquiry and on 30 March 1810, voted with them.

On 1 January 1811, he voted with government minorities on the Regency. On 4 May 1812, he voted against sinecure reform, on 21 May, against Stuart Wortley's motion, and on 11 and 24 May 1813, against Catholic relief. On 31 May 1815, he voted against inquiry into the Regent's expenditure.

In June 1818, he retired when it was announced that parliament would be dissolved on 10 June 1818 before the 1818 United Kingdom general election. Baillie died on 11 December 1841.

Children

George Baillie had a daughter called Elizabeth "Eliza Campbell with his wife Mary on 29 June 1803.

She married John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane on 23 November 1821 and became a Lady of the Bedchamber from January to July 1839. She died on 28 August 1861 in Park Lane, London and her husband died on 8 November 1862 at Lausanne, Switzerland at the age of 66.