Sir Gilbert Eliott, 3rd Baronet, of Stobs

Sir Gilbert Eliott, 3rd Baronet, of Stobs (c. 1680 – 27 May 1764)^[1] was a Scottish politician.

He was the oldest son of Sir William Eliott, 2nd Baronet (died 1699), a member of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland. His mother was Sir William's second wife Margaret, daughter of Charles Murray of Hadden, Roxburghshire.

The Eliotts of Stobs dominated the politics of Roxburghshire. Three generations of Sir Gilbert's ancestors had represented the county in the Parliament of Scotland, and at the first general election, 1708, to the new Parliament of Great Britain, Sir Gilbert was elected to serve in Westminster as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Roxburghshire.^[2]

He stood down at the 1715 election in favour of William Douglas, son the county's hereditary sheriff. At the 1722 election he let the seat be taken by his relative Sir Gilbert Elliot, 2nd Baronet, of Minto. Minto was appointed in 1726 as a judge of the Court of Session,^[3] and at the resulting by-election Sir Gilbert was elected to replace him.^[2]

However, at a dinner shortly after the election, he fell into an argument with Colonel John Stewart (a former MP for Kirkcudbright Stewartry).^[4] The dispute escalated into a fight, and Sir Gilbert killed the Colonel with his sword. He was declared an outlaw, and fled to Holland. Due to lobbying on his behalf during the next year by his friends Lord Minto and Lord Ilay,^[5] Eliott received a royal pardon, and returned to Scotland.

Family

On 23 April 1702 at St Bride's Church, London, he married Eleanora or Eleanor Elliot (died 1728), daughter of William 'the laceman' Elliot from London, of the Elliot family of Brugh and Wells, Roxburghshire. They had 10 sons and one daughter, including^[2]

• George Augustus Eliott, Lord Heathfield, (1717-1790)

Gilbert lived quietly on his own lands until his death in 1764, aged about 84.^[2]

References