1753 - 5th Dec 1839
Army officer.
Born Keith, Aberdeenshire. Eldest illegitimate son of James Duff, second Earl Fife (1729–1809), and Margaret Adam, of Keith. His mother, ‘of humble status’, had 3 children with Fife. They were put with William Rose, Fife's factor. “Fife paid for James’s education, army promotions, and for his small Aberdeenshire estate of Kinstair, and made him his constant companion.”
Commissioned into the army, April 1769. Rose to become General (1809). The most notable, arguably notorious, moment of his army career was his role in crushing the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
Knighted April 1779.
Married Basilia (?-1849), daughter and heir of James Dawes [II] of Rockspring, Jamaica, 12 August 1785. "Marriage brought him financial independence and a sugar plantation."
MP for Banffshire (dominated by the Duff family electoral influence) 1784-1788.
Died at home, Funtington House, near Chichester, Sussex; buried Funtington parish churchyard.
Absentee?
British/Irish
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Name in compensation records
Sir James Duff
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Spouse
Basilia Dawes
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Children
3 daughters, 1 son
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School
Keith Academy
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University
King's College, Aberdeen [MA 1771 ]
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Occupation
Soldier
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Oxford DNB Entry
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£4,101 0s 1d
Awardee (Trustee)
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The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:
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1832 [EA] - 1839 [LA] → Owner
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Political (1) |
MP
"Doubtful"
election →
Banffshire Banffshire
1784 - 1788 |
Son-in-law → Father-in-law
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Kinstair, Aberdeen, North-east Scotland, Scotland
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Funtington House, Funtington, Chichester, Sussex, South-east England, England
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