Andrew Grant was a Scottish merchant and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1878 to 1885.
Background
Grant was born in Cassell’s Place, Leith Walk, Leith, the elder of twin sons of Review Doctor James Grant of Edinburgh and his wife Jessie Ann Campbell of Achindoon, Argyllshire. His father was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1854.
Education
Grant was educated at Leith High School Edinburgh and Edinburgh University.
Career
In 1854 Grant went to China where he lived for four years and then in 1858 went to Bombay where he joined the firm of Campbell, Mitchell & Company He became chairman of the company and was in business there as a merchant until 1866. Grant returned to Britain in 1866, establishing himself in business, in Liverpool, until his retirement, at the age of forty-two, in 1873.
In 1875 took the Invermay estate at Forteviot, Perthshire, for his first country seat.
Invermay was one of the many country estates of Lord Clinton, Baron Fortescue. Grant was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
In 1878, Grant was invited to stand as Liberal candidate for Leith Burghs. In the General Election of 1880 he was returned unopposed.
He represented the constituency until he retired in 1885.
He was a highly respected politician, who much considered the well being of his constituents. In 1894 Grant rented from the Williamsons of Balgray and Lawers, the estate of Lawers, an early 19th-century house which had been remodelled and extended to the design of Richard Crighton. Early in 1901, the Grants took Pitcorthie in Fife, a large and elegant mansion built for George Simson of Brunton and Pitcorthie, circa 1820 and which is particularly similar in style to both Camperdown House, Dundee and Balbirnie, Markinch.
Grant gave £10,000 towards the new building for the Edinburgh College of Art constructed between 1907 and 1909.
His published Will in respect of his £607,000 unsettled estate, revealed that he had left in the region of £350,000 for the foundation of what he stipulated was to be known as The Andrew Grant Bequest, to benefit students of Edinburgh College of Art, in the form of travelling scholarships. The Bequest was activated in 1930, with the death of Grant’s widow, Elizabeth and has a fund of over £3.5 million today.
Grant married Elizabeth Ann Townsend of Glasgow in 1872. She was the daughter of a pharmaceuticals distiller from Glasgow.
Membership
21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
He was elected Member of Parliament for Leith Burghs at a by-election in 1878, holding the seat for the Liberals, with a majority of 3141.