James Kinnear

James Kinnear WS FRSE (1810-1849) was a short-lived but influential Scottish lawyer. His legal title was Master Extraordinary in Chancery and Commissioner of English Affairs.[1]

For the Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, see James S. Kinnear.

Life

He was born on 2 December 1810 one of twelve children of George Kinnear (1751-1823), an Edinburgh banker, and his wife Fearne Gardner.[2] They lived at 31 Queen Street[3] in the New Town.

He was apprenticed as a lawyer to Richard Mackenzie WS at 12 Thistle Street,[4] close to his family home, around 1825. The office later transferred to William Sharp WS at the same address (presumably on the death of Mackenzie).[5] He qualified as a Writer to the Signet in 1832 and thereafter set up his own premises at 81 George Street, a fairly prestigious address in the city centre and far grander than his previous employer’s premises. At this time he was living at 9 Doune Terrace on the Moray Estate on the west side of Edinburgh. In 1841 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposer was George Augustus Borthwick.[6]

In later life he lived at 35 Queen Street, a few doors from his childhood home. He also owned a villa at Stove, on Sanday, Orkney, close to his wife’s childhood home.

He died on 21 June 1849 in Cadiz whilst touring in Spain. A memorial to his memory stands in St Cuthbert's Churchyard in Edinburgh.

Family

He was married to Mary Henrietta Balfour (1809-1871) in February 1832. She was the eldest daughter of Captain William Balfour RN of Trenaby in Orkney. They had seven children including George Thomas Balfour Kinnear (1833-1915) and William Balfour Kinnear (1838-1871).[7]

His older brother John Gardner Kinnear (1800-1866) followed in his father’s footsteps as a banker. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh serving as Treasurer to the Society 1833/4.[8] He died at La Belle Place in Glasgow on 19 December 1866.[9] John married Mary Smith. Their son Alexander became Alexander Kinnear, 1st Baron Kinnear.

References
  1. Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1848-49
  2. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kinnear-241
  3. Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1810-11
  4. Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1825-26
  5. Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1830-31
  6. Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
  7. http://www.gravestonephotos.com/public/gravedetails.php?grave=60608&scrwidth=1600
  8. Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
  9. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kinnear-238


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