David Scott (of Dunninald)

David Scott (27 February 1746 – 4 October 1805) was a Scottish merchant and director of the East India Company, and a Member of Parliament (MP). He sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1790 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until his death.

Scott was born in early 1746 at the family home, Dunninald House in the parish of Craig, Angus to Robert Scott (1705–1780), the laird of Dunninald, and his wife, Ann. He was educated at the University of St Andrews, before seeking his fortune in India. He built up a substantial merchant business in Bombay before moving to London in 1786 to direct the English end of his business. He became a director of the East India Company in 1788.

At the 1790 general election he was elected unopposed as the MP for Forfarshire, but resigned that seat in early 1796 to contest a by-election in the Perth Burghs, where he was returned unopposed in March 1796. He was re-elected at the general election later in 1796, and held the seat until his death in Cheltenham on 4 October 1805, aged 59, after a long and severe illness.

His son David Scott (1782–1851), who inherited Dunninald, had hoped to succeed his father as MP for Perth Burghs. However, by the time the younger Scott left his father's deathbed, Sir David Wedderburn had already secured so much support that even the backing of Lord Melville was unable to prevent defeat.

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