Ilay Campbell, Lord Succoth

Sir Ilay Campbell, Lord Succoth FRSE (1734–1823) was a Scottish advocate, judge and politician.

Life

His birthplace is given as either Argyll or Edinburgh. His father was Archibald Campbell of Succoth, Principal Clerk of Session to the Scottish Courts. His mother was Helen Wallace.

He attended Mundell's School in Edinburgh and then Glasgow University to study Law and graduated in 1751.

An advocate from 1757, he was engaged in the Douglas peerage case from 1764 to 1769. He was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland in 1783 and Lord Advocate in 1784. He became Member of Parliament for Glasgow Burghs in the same year. He was Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General from 1789 to 1808, where he sat as Lord Succoth.

On his resignation in 1808, he was created a baronet, and resided at Garscube[1], about four miles from Glasgow on the banks of the river Kelvin. There he engaged in the management of his estate, and the performance of his duties as a country gentleman. Lord Cockburn says of him that "he lived like a patriarch in a house overflowing with company, beloved by troops of relations, and courted for his character and hospitality by many friends."

He was awarded an honorary doctorate (LLD) from Glasgow University in 1784. He was elected Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow in 1799.

He died in 1823 aged eighty-nine years.

Sir Ilay was succeeded by his son Archibald, also a Senator of the College of Justice under the same title of Lord Succoth.

Family

Ilay married Susan Mary Murray of Murrayfield, sister of Alexander Murray, Lord Henderland in 1766. She lived until 1815.

His daughter, Margaret Campbell, married Sir John Connell, Judge of the Admiralty Court. Their son, Arthur Connell FRSE (Ilay's grandson) was a famous chemist and discoverer of Connellite.

His daughter Elizabeth Campbell (d.1853) married William Dalziell Colquhoun. His daughter Mary Frances Campbell died in 1870 without marrying. These two sisters are buried in Dean Cemetery.

Positions of note

• Founder member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783)
• Director of the Highland Society (1784)