William Adam

William Adam of Blair Adam, (2 August 175117 February 1839) was a Scottish advocate, barrister, politician and judge. He served as Solicitor General for Scotland (1802–1805) and as Lord Chief Commissioner of the Jury Court (1815–39).

His political career was affected by his father's periodic financial problems, as sometimes the family had substantial wealth and sometimes it was in difficulties, forcing Adam to concentrate his attention on his legal practice. He rose to be Lord Lieutenant of Kinross-shire.

His most important contribution to Scottish Law was probably the introduction of trial by jury on civil (non-criminal) cases.

Early life William Adam was the only surviving son of Jean Ramsay and John Adam of Blairadam, architect and master mason to the Board of Ordnance in Scotland, of Maryburgh, Kinross. The architect Robert Adam was his uncle.

Blairadam House, where William was born, lies just north of Kelty in Fife, but on an isolated side road. He was educated at the High School in Edinburgh, then studied law at the University of Edinburgh and Christ Church, Oxford where he matriculated in 1769. He trained further at Lincoln's Inn from 1769, to qualify as an English barrister. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland in 1773; and was eventually called to the English bar in 1782.

In 1790–1794, he sat for Ross-shire. His last Parliamentary seat was Kincardineshire, which he represented from 1806 until he became a Judge in January 1812. He also attacked Fox verbally in Parliament.

Adam was appointed to the minor political office of Treasurer of the Ordnance. He held this office twice, first between September 1780 and May 1782 and again April–December 1783.

During the Regency of the Prince of Wales, Adam received judicial office in Scotland. Between 1814 and 1819 he was a Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer. Adam became a member of the Privy Council on 17 March 1815. He became Lord Chief Commissioner of the Scottish jury court from 1815 until his death.

Adam died in Edinburgh on 17 February 1839, and was buried at Greyfriars Kirkyard He lies in the huge family vault built for his grandfather, William Adam the architect, facing his father, John Adam. The vault lies south-west of the church, in front of the Covenanters Prison.

Family On 7 May 1777, William Adam married Eleanora Elphinstone (died 4 February 1800), daughter of Charles, 10th Lord Elphinstone. They had six children:

John (4 May 17794 June 1825), civil servant of the East India Company, served as acting Governor-General of India in 1823. Charles (6 October 178016 September 1853), Admiral in the Royal Navy, MP, William George KC (6 December 178116 May 1839), lawyer, Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery. Frederick (17 June 178417 August 1853), General in the British Army, Governor of Madras 1832–37. Francis James (24 March 17918 June 1820) died of yellow fever at sea with Charles Clementina (died 29 October 1877), married on 27 April 1807, John Anstruther-Thomson, DL, of Charleton, Fife.