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Sir Archibald Grant, 2nd Baronet


Sir Archibald Grant (25 September 1696–17 September 1778), 2nd Baronet in his early life was a company speculator and the Member of parliament for Aberdeenshire, 1722–1732. After his expulsion from the House of Commons for his involvement in the frauds on the Charitable Corporation, he returned to Scotland and devoted his time to improving his estate.

Alexander Grant was the eldest son of Sir Francis Grant, 1st Baronet, a Lord of Session, with the judicial title of Lord Cullen. His father had sold his ancestral estate in Banffshire. He purchased that of Monymusk in 1713. This was inherited by Alexander on his father's death in 1726. Alexander passed as a Scottish advocate in 1714, and was subsequently called to the English bar at Lincoln's Inn.

In London, Archibald Grant became involved in share speculation, possibly from the collapse of the South Sea Bubble. He was elected to the Committee (Board of directors) of the Charitable Corporation in October 1725. He was in debt from earlier stockjobbing to George Robinson (a ). In October 1727, he joined a Partnership of Five to engage in speculation in the Company's shares. This was managed by Robinson, the other three partners being William Burroughs (another director), William Squire (an Assistant), and John Thomson (the Company's warehouse keeper).

From his second marriage in 1727, Grant was also concerned in mines at Eyam Edge, Derbyshire and Oden in Castleton, Derbyshire, in which his father in law Charles Potts had earlier been concerned. These mines were evidently profitable in the earlier years. Later, there were disputes with managers. In 1747, Grant was trying to sell the mines and the Partington estate (of his wife). The mines were apparently not sold, but operation was clearly hindered by Grant's lack of money.


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