Name Sir Wedderburn, | ||
Sir David Wedderburn, 1st Baronet (10 March 1775 – 7 April 1858) was a Scottish businessman and Tory politician.
Wedderburn was the oldest surviving son of John Wedderburn (1729–1803, styled 6th Baronet) of Ballindean and his first wife Margaret Ogilvy, daughter of David Ogilvy (styled Lord Ogilvy). Both his father's and his mother's family had been attainted after the Jacobite rising of 1745, losing their titles, but his father continued to style himself as a baronet.
His father had escape to Jamaica after the execution of his grandfather, and had established a successful business trading with his brother and cousins in their London trading house Wedderburn, Webster & Co. In 1796 David Wedderburn joined the business, at 35 Leadenhall Street in London, and make large profits. In 1803, he inherited his father's estates in Jamaica and at Ballindean, and was made a baronet, of Ballindean in Perthshire.
He was elected at a by-election in 1805 as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Perth Burghs. He had the support of the 9th Earl of Kellie, but was opposed by David Scott, son of the deceased MP David Scott. Scott had the support of the powerful Lord Melville, but by the time he began his canvassing Wedderburn was too far ahead to be dislodged. He was re-elected unopposed at the next three general elections.
In the House of Commons he voted as a loyal Tory, though after 1812 he did not attend Parliament frequently. He is believed to have never spoken in the Commons.
Wedderburn left Wedderburn, Webster & Co in 1816 and retired from Parliament at the 1818 general election. He sold Ballindean soon after, and served as Postmaster General for Scotland from 1823 to 1831.
He married Margaret Brown; both their sons died before he did, so the title went to his half-brother, Sir John Wedderburn, son of Alice Dundas.