Laurence Oliphant (Scottish politician)

Laurence Oliphant, 8th of Condie and 30th Chief of Clan Oliphant was the Member of Parliament for Perth between 1832 and 1837. He was a Liberal and his strong views on reform caused controversy.

Laurence was the eldest son (of seven children) of Ebenezer Oliphant, 7th of Condie and Mary, third daughter of Sir William Stirling of Ardoch.

He was also a direct descendant of the sister of Laurence Oliphant the elder Jacobite Laird of Gask. Laurence was christened at Forgandenny, 22 June 1791 married 1stly, on 22 April 1814, to Eliza, 2nd daughter of Hercules Ross, of Rossie Castle, co. Forfar. Eliza died in 1820. He married 2ndly, 23 August 1825, to Margaret Gilles Barrett, widow of Samuel Barrett, of Jamaica, and 3rdly, 19 Aug. 1841, Marianne, eldest daughter of James Stuart Oliphant, of Rossie. Laurence had three children including his son and heir, Major General Sir Laurence James Oliphant, KCB KCVO 9th of Condie and 31st Chief of the Clan Oliphant. Sir Laurence was married to Mary Monica, daughter of Robert Tolver Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard of Bryn.

Laurence's family had lived in Strathearn within five miles of his home at Newton of Condie since 1183, first at Aberdalgie and then at Easter Lamberkin and finally at Condie.

Of his six siblings, two died before maturity and a third died before the age of forty. Of the three surviving siblings, Sir Anthony Oliphant was Chief Justice of Ceylon and accredited with having the first tea plantation in that country. Sir Anthony's son was Laurence Oliphant the famous author, diplomat, lawyer, traveller and mystic. Another sibling was Lt. Col James Oliphant, Chairman of the Honourable East India Company, one of whose grandchildren was Sir Lancelot Oliphant, British Ambassador to Belgium, who was married to Christine McRae Sinclair, Viscountess Churchill. Another grandson (and brother to Sir Lancelot Oliphant) was Rear Admiral Laurence Richard Oliphant, who was married to the Hon. Adelaide Daphne Hermione Willoughby, daughter of the 10th Baron Middleton, who are the grandparents of the present (34th) Chief of the Oliphants. The third sibling was Thomas Oliphant, artist and musician who wrote the chorale for the wedding of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. He also wrote the words to "Deck the Hall(s) with Boughs of Holly" and the English words to "Men of Harlech" to name but a few of Thomas's many achievements.

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