Alexander Irving, Lord Newton

He was born on 12 October 1766, the son of George Irving of Newton, by Elvanfoot (South Lanarkshire)[2][3] and his wife, Mary Chancellor.[4] The Irvings of Newton were a cadet branch of the Scottish family the Irvines of Drum.[5]

He was educated at Edinburgh High School 1773 to 1777 and then studied law at Edinburgh University. He was created an advocate in 1788.[6] He became a professor of civil law at Edinburgh University in 1800 and in the same year took over as manager of the Scots Mining Company, then based at Leadhills. In the final six years of his life he left the university to concentrate on his practical legal skills, becoming a Senator of the College of Justice (a High Court judge).[7] At this time he was living at 5 Buccleuch Place, a large flat in Edinburgh’s South Side.[8]

In 1804 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were John Playfair, Andrew Coventry, and Thomas Charles Hope. He served as president of the Society’s Physical branch 1823 to 1828 and as their vice president 1828 to 1832.[9]

In December 1826 he was created a Senator of the College of Justice and given the title of Lord Newton.

He was addicted to card playing and was a noted drunkard.[10]

He died following a painful operation on kidney stones after which he became infected, dying on 3 March 1832 at Powrie[11] (some records wrongly state 23 March, adding ten days to Henry Cockburn’s written record of 13 March of Irving’s death rather than subtracting them[12]).

In 1814 he married Bethenia Irving (died 1855). Their only son was George Vere Irving FSA (1815–1869).[13]