BAIKIE, Robert (d.1817), of Tankerness and Egilshay, Orkney.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1780 - 23 Feb. 1781

Family and Education

1st s. of James Baikie of Tankerness by Janet, da. of William Douglas, and heiress of the Monteiths of Egilshay. m. 12 Feb. 1785, Mary, da. and coh. of Thomas Balfour of Huip, 4s. 3da. suc. fa. 1764.

Offices Held

Biography

Of an old Orkney family, influential both in the burgh of Kirkwall and in the county, Robert Baikie was connected through his mother with the Douglases, Earls of Morton. His father James Baikie, provost of Kirkwall during and after the ’45, was a supporter of the Morton interest; and in 1760 received for his electoral services a pension of £200 p.a. continued after his death to his widow.1

In 1780 Robert Baikie stood as the Government sponsored candidate for Orkney and Shetland against Charles Dundas, then in opposition. Payments were made from the King’s private account to assist Baikie: £300 on 22 Sept. 1779, £315 on 16 Feb. 1781, and £2300 on 26 July 1781 for ‘Orkney and Edinburgh’.2 He was returned by 11 votes to 5, but unseated on petition. In 1784 he was defeated at the poll by Thomas Dundas.

He died 4 Apr. 1817.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Edith Lady Haden-Guest

Notes

  • 1. Namier, Structure, 463. Mrs. Baikie’s pension appears in a list delivered to Rockingham on 21 Apr. 1782 and to Shelburne on 17 July 1782, Royal archives, Windsor.
  • 2. Laprade, 58-59.