Lt. Col. Alexander Learmonth (1829 – 10 March 1887) was a British Army officer and a Conservative Party politician.

Life

Born at 4

Princes Street Princes Street () is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three quar ...

in Edinburgh, the eldest son of

John Learmonth John Learmonth of Dean, DL FRSE (26 May 1789 – 17 December 1858) was Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1831 to 1833. He was co-funder of the Dean Bridge project in western Edinburgh and gives his name to many of the streets in Comely Bank, the ...

, Alexander Learmonth was educated at

University College, Oxford University College, formally The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University commonly called University College in the University of Oxford and colloquially referred to as "Univ", is a Colleges of the University of Oxf ...

, where he matriculated in 1847 before entering the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

to study law. He joined the Army and became a Colonel in the

17th Lancers The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The regim ...

. On retiring from the Army he was elected Conservative MP for

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...

on 3 November 1870, sitting from 1870 to 1880. In 1859, he married Charlotte Lyons, the eldest daughter of Lieutenant-General

Humphrey Lyons Lieutenant-General Humphrey Lyons (8 July 1802 – 25 May 1873) was an Indian Army officer. Military career Humphrey Lyons was born at St Austins in the English county of Hampshire on 8 July 1802. He was the ninth of twelve sons of John Lyons ...

. The couple had 7 children. By 1887, his extravagant London lifestyle caused his bankruptcy and the lands he had inherited in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

from his father were sold to the builder James Steel.''Edinburgh: Mapping the City'', Fleet & MacCannell. Learmonth died in London on 10 March 1887.

References

External links

* Alumni of University College, Oxford Members of the Inner Temple 17th Lancers officers Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1868–1874 UK MPs 1874–1880 1829 births 1887 deaths Military personnel from Edinburgh Politicians from Edinburgh {{England-Conservative-UK-MP-1820s-stub