Quick Facts
Biography
Andrew Rutherfurd (born Andrew Bervie), Lord Rutherfurd of Crosshill FRSE (1791–1852) was a Scottish advocate, judge and politician.
Life
He was born at Bristo Port in Edinburgh on 21 June 1791. His father was the minister Rev William Greenfield FRSE but the family changed their name to Rutherfurd, his mother's maiden name (Janet Rutherfurd, Mrs Bervie), in 1799 after his father was disgraced in a sex scandal.
Educated at the Royal High School and Edinburgh University, he became an advocate in 1812.
In the 1830s he is listed as an advocate living at 9 St Colme Street on the Moray Estate in Edinburgh's west end.
He was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland from 1837, becoming Lord Advocate in 1839 and Member of Parliament for Leith burghs in the same year. He resigned office in September 1841 on William Peel's accession to power. He was appointed Rector of Glasgow University in 1844.
He played an active part in parliamentary proceedings relating to Scotland, and proposed the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. He was reappointed Lord Advocate in 1846, and was responsible for legislation amending the law of entail in Scotland in 1848. He served on the Royal Commission on the British Museum (1847–49). He was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice, as Lord Rutherfurd and a Privy Counsellor in 1851. From 1851 to 1854 he was a Lord of Session.
He died at his home at 9 St Colme Street on 13 December 1854. He is buried beneath a magnificent red granite pyramid on Lord's Row against the western wall of Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh.
Family
He married Sophia Frances Stewart in 1822. She died in 1852 and is buried with him.
They had no children.
His sister married John Gordon FRSE (1786-1818) father of John Thomson Gordon FRSE (1813-1865)