Peter Blackburn (MP)

Peter Blackburn (1811 – 20 May 1870)^[1][2] was a British Conservative Party politician.

Peter Blackburn
Member of Parliament for Stirlingshire
In office 5 February 1855 – 19 July 1865
Preceded by	William Forbes
Succeeded by	John Erskine
Personal details
Born	1811
Died	20 May 1870 (aged 58)
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Jean Wedderburn ​ (m. 1835)​
Children	13
Parent(s)	John Blackburn Rebecca Louise Gillies
Relatives	Colin Blackburn (brother) Hugh Blackburn (brother)

Family and early life

Blackburn was the son of Jamaica proprietor John Blackburn of Killearn and Rebecca Louise Gillies, and the brother of Scottish Law Lord Colin Blackburn and mathematician Hugh Blackburn.^[3][4] In 1835, he married Jean Wedderburn, daughter of James Wedderburn and Isabella Clerk, and they had at least eight sons and five daughters, including: John (born 1843); James (1845–1892); Peter (born 1847); Andrew Cathcart (1851–1887); Colin George (1853–1888); Hugh (born 1855); Adam Gillies (1858–1891); Arthur Octavius (1862–1889); Isabella; Rebecca Marion (died 1914); Jean; Helen Agnes; and Mary.^{[5][6][2][7][8][9]}

Blackburn started his career in the military as a cornet in the 2nd Regiment of Life Guards in 1830, before retiring as a lieutenant in 1837. He then became a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Stirlingshire. In 1846, he became chairman of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway.^[10][8][9]

Political career

A Liberal-Conservative, Blackburn was elected MP for Stirlingshire at a by-election in 1855, caused by the death of William Forbes. In 1859, he was appointed a junior Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, although with little enthusiasm. In correspondence between the-then Chancellor of the Exchequer Benjamin Disraeli and Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, sent in August 1858, Smith-Stanley said: "Blackburn would be a respectable appointment, but there is no particular reason for him."^[10][11][4]

He held the seat until 1865 when he was defeated by the Liberal John Erskine.^[11] While being recognised as "shrewd, energetic and practical" in his role, his defeat was credited to impolite actions regarding the commercial treaty, the county franchise, and game laws.^[8]