Background
Andrew Leith Hay was the eldest son of General Alexander Leith Hay of Rannes and Mary Forbes of Ballogie (died 1824), and was born at Aberdeen on 17 February 1785.
Andrew Leith Hay was the eldest son of General Alexander Leith Hay of Rannes and Mary Forbes of Ballogie (died 1824), and was born at Aberdeen on 17 February 1785.
He was much employed in gaining intelligence, and was present at many of the actions from Corunna to the storming of San Sebastian. Wherever he went he made sketches, and in 1831 worked up these materials into two volumes, entitled A Narrative of the Peninsula War. As captain in the 2nd Foot he served from 21 November 1817 to 30 September 1819, when he was placed on half-pay.
Having retired from the army he turned his attention to politics, took part in the agitation preceding the passing of the Reform Acting 1832, and became member for the Elgin burghs on 29 December 1832.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in December 1834. On 6 February 1838, on being appointed to the governorship of Bermuda, he resigned his seat in parliament.
Circumstances, however, arose which prevented him from going to Bermuda, and on 7 July 1841 he was again elected for the Elgin burghs, and continued to sit till 23 July 1847. At the election in the following month he was displaced, nor was he successful when he contested the city of Aberdeen on 10 July 1852.
To county matters he paid much attention, more especially to the affairs of the county of Aberdeen.
His most interesting and useful book, entitled The Castellated Architecture of Aberdeenshire, appeared in 1849. The work consists of lithographs of the principal baronial residences in the county, all from sketches by himself. The letterpress, which contains a great amount of information, being also from his pen.
Andrew Leith Hay died at Leith Hall, Aberdeenshire, on 13 October.
Royal Society; 11th United Kingdom Parliament. 12th United Kingdom Parliament. 13th United Kingdom Parliament.
14th United Kingdom Parliament.