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Alva house remained in his family for over a century, and in 1890 it passed to his descendant
Carolin Johnstone. She sold the surrounding estate to reduce her debts, but failed to clear them, and the house was abandoned by the 1920s. It was used for target practice during World War II, and left in
285:
In 1764, the
Company had adopted new regulations which required its officers to sign a covenant that they would accept non-trivial gifts only with the prior approval of the directors. Clive forced the resignation of Johnstone, who sailed for Britain in October 1765 with a fortune estimated at
343:, subtitled "Vindication of His Conduct in Receiving Presents from the Native Governments of India". In May 1767, the General Court of the East India Company over-ruled its directors, and dropped all prosecutions against its former servants, and Johnstone walked free.
235:
for the East India
Company. He was at Dacca in 1756 when conflict broke out and was taken prisoner. After his release, emboldened by the death of his brother Patrick, he volunteered to join the company's military forces under
1092:
40:
274:
did not support
Johnstone's return to his post, and when Clive succeeded Vansittart as governor in 1765 he began an inquiry into gifts totalling over £50,000 which Johnstone had secured from the new
130:
who returned home with great wealth. Described as "a shrewd and unscrupulous business man", he survived several scandals and became a major landowner when he returned to
Scotland in 1765.
538:
A Genealogical and
Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Uninvested with Heritable Honours, Volume 2
453:
207:. They had one son and daughter. His daughter, Ann Elizabeth (b. 1776, d. 1851) married James Gordon of Craig. His son, James Raymond Johnstone of Alva, married
328:, and "lived quietly" there until his election to Parliament. However his letters to his brother William reveal that he continued to engage in speculation and
657:
568:
395:
reported on 2 November 1774 that
Johnstone did not declare his interest until after the burghs had chosen their delegates, and caught the sitting MP
321:
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362:
138:
1112:
434:
Johnstone died on 10 December 1795, aged 61, at home in Alva House, which had been remodelled and expanded in 1789 to the designs of
325:
399:
by surprise. Johnstone won the support of Dysart, and bribed the backing of
Burntisland and Kinghorn delegates, winning the seat.
203:
In 1765 Johnstone married
Elizabeth Caroline Keene, daughter of a Colonel Keene from Northamptonshire, and niece of the diplomat
1019:
479:
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The family became very powerful, and it was claimed that by the late 1750s they were "involved in every major event in the
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Meanwhile, the directors of the East India
Company moved to prosecute Johnstone for his actions. His allies, led by
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The Johnstone family account says that he spent "about a ninth" of his money on the estates at Alva,
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251:, and became a member of the Bengal Council. His success there led to a transfer in 1762 to
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8:
279:
263:. This led to Johnstone being dismissed by the Company in early 1764, but the company's
499:
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204:
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John Johnstone, his niece Betty Johnstone and her aunt Miss Wedderburn, attributed to
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His son James Raymond Johnstone (died 1830), had 8 children, of whom the eldest
666:
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506:"The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)"
215:
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to house the remains of Johnstone and his wife Caroline in Alva churchyard.
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244:, and saw further military service before resuming civilian work in 1757.
435:
378:
247:
In about 1760 Johnstone was placed in charge of the company's affairs in
967:
Caleb's List: Climbing the Scottish Mountains Visible from Arthur's Seat
267:
overturned the decision on 21 March 1764, and he was reinstated by May.
774:
The Transition in Bengal, 1756–75: A Study of Saiyid Muhammad Reza Khan
339:, lobbied on his behalf and in his defence Johnstone published in 1766
185:
162:
1093:
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies
1005:
History of the Johnstones, 1191–1909, with descriptions of border life
911:. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
740:
The Gentleman Usher: The Life & Times of George Dempster 1712–1818
442:
374:
248:
150:
105:
Making a fortune in India (equivalent to £36.2 million in 2024).
63:
382:
255:, where he developed private businesses which led to conflict with
67:
289:
Aged 31, Johnstone proceeded to buy estates in Scotland, first at
876:
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252:
1020:
Portrait of John Johnstone, Betty Johnstone and Miss Wedderburn
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180:(1726–1794), the wealthy lawyer and politician William (later
366:
137:
from 1774 to 1780, having bribed his way to a victory in the
123:
599:
370:
157:(1697–1772) and his wife, Barbara (died 1773), daughter of
621:"JOHNSTONE, John (1734–95), of Denovan and Alva, Stirling"
406:
Johnstone lost the support of Burntisland to his opponent
887:
The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790
625:
The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754–1790
619:
Haden-Guest, Edith (1964). L. Namier; J. Brooke (eds.).
122:(28 April 1734 – 10 December 1795) was a Scottish
846:
410:, who won the seat on the casting vote of Kirkcaldy.
286:£300,000 (equivalent to £36.2 million in 2024).
655:
Prior, D. L. (2004). "Johnstone, John (1734–1795)".
480:
John Johnstone, Betty Johnstone and Miss Wedderburn
192:(1730–1787). Another brother, Patrick, died in the
881:Brooke, John (1964). L. Namier; J. Brooke (eds.).
807:"Chapter 22: Scotland and the 18th-century Empire"
691:Sir John Malcolm and the Creation of British India
561:
361:Johnstone used guile and money to win the seat of
341:"A letter to the proprietors of East-India stock"
1074:
855:A letter to the proprietors of East-India stock
811:The Oxford Handbook of Modern Scottish History
494:
492:
883:"Dysart Burghs: Single Member Scottish burgh"
661:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
572:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
430:The Johnstone mausoleum, old Alva churchyard
809:. In Devine, T. M.; Wormald, Jenny (eds.).
618:
489:
19:For other people named John Johnstone, see
798:
777:. Cambridge University Press. p. 91.
687:
38:
1008:. Edinburgh: W. & A.K. Johnston, Ltd.
1001:
951:
923:
852:
840:
681:
502:inflation figures are based on data from
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813:. Oxford University Press. p. 434.
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658:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
569:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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231:Johnstone went to Bengal in 1751, as a
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867:. British Library UIN BLL01001889842.
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441:Adam's works also included a family
422:Alva House in the early 20th century
184:(1729–1805), and the politician and
639:
413:
13:
694:. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 16.
470:
454:Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire
354:in Surrey, where he was defeated.
352:parliamentary borough of Haslemere
159:Alexander Murray, 4th Lord Elibank
14:
1134:
1103:British East India Company people
1013:
743:. Pen and Sword. pp. 65–72.
182:Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet
135:House of Commons of Great Britain
1113:18th-century Scottish landowners
970:. Luath Press Ltd. p. 135.
178:Sir James Johnstone, 4th Baronet
155:Sir James Johnstone, 3rd Baronet
995:
945:
834:
293:in Stirlingshire, and later in
21:John Johnstone (disambiguation)
1:
463:
1118:People from Clackmannanshire
909:"Site Record for Alva House"
675:UK public library membership
593:UK public library membership
541:. Henry Colburn. p. 302
211:(b. c 1778, d. 9 Sep 1843).
126:, a corrupt official of the
7:
1029:Parliament of Great Britain
346:The following year, at the
304:
167:Alexander Murray of Elibank
10:
1139:
1123:Paintings by Henry Raeburn
933:. Clackmannanshire Council
805:Hamilton, Douglas (2012).
771:Khan, Abdul Majed (2007).
563:"Eighteenth-century India"
486:, BBC, retrieved July 2014
365:, which consisted of five
350:, Johnstone contested the
172:His brothers included the
128:British East India Company
18:
1061:
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1002:Johnstone, C. L. (1909).
964:MacInnes, Kellan (2014).
688:Harrington, Jack (2010).
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1108:Younger sons of baronets
853:Johnstone, John (1766).
560:Marshall, P. J. (2004).
270:Johnstone's former ally
226:
209:Mary Elizabeth Cholmeley
504:Clark, Gregory (2017).
452:(1801–1888) was MP for
176:officer and politician
1065:Sir John Henderson, Bt
667:10.1093/ref:odnb/63515
578:10.1093/ref:odnb/92745
431:
423:
359:next election, in 1774
317:
194:Black Hole of Calcutta
149:Johnstone was born in
86:Alva, Clackmannanshire
44:from a larger painting
1098:British MPs 1774–1780
1038:James Townsend Oswald
931:"Johnstone Mausoleum"
429:
421:
348:1768 general election
312:
198:Margaret, Lady Ogilvy
145:Early life and family
133:Johnstone sat in the
1045:Member of Parliament
889:. Boydell and Brewer
737:Evans, John (2004).
627:. Boydell and Brewer
535:Burke, John (1835).
280:Najimuddin Ali Khan
153:, the fifth son of
500:Retail Price Index
432:
424:
392:Caledonian Mercury
330:stock manipulation
318:
265:Court of Directors
261:Governor of Bengal
205:Sir Benjamin Keene
1071:
1070:
1062:Succeeded by
977:978-1-908373-53-3
864:978-1-170-51679-9
820:978-0-19-956369-2
784:978-0-521-04982-5
750:978-1-84415-151-6
701:978-0-230-10885-1
673:(Subscription or
591:(Subscription or
369:in the county of
242:Battle of Plassey
196:. His sister was
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1035:Preceded by
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402:However, at the
257:Henry Vansittart
190:George Johnstone
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337:George Dempster
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169:was his uncle.
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200:, a Jacobite.
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102:Known for
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82:(aged 61)
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996:Bibliography
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543:. Retrieved
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80:(1795-12-10)
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1088:1795 deaths
1083:1734 births
436:Robert Adam
379:Burntisland
94:Nationality
1077:Categories
857:. London.
677:required.)
595:required.)
464:References
322:Hanginghaw
186:Royal Navy
88:, Scotland
56:1734-04-28
482:, attrib
443:mausoleum
375:Kirkcaldy
249:Midnapore
151:Edinburgh
113:Elizabeth
64:Edinburgh
383:Kinghorn
305:Scotland
240:for the
188:officer
165:plotter
163:Jacobite
97:Scottish
68:Scotland
983:19 June
937:19 June
915:19 June
893:19 June
826:19 June
790:19 June
756:19 June
707:19 June
631:19 June
583:19 June
545:19 June
460:ruins.
357:At the
326:Denovan
253:Burdwan
974:
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747:
698:
671:
589:
389:. The
387:Dysart
385:, and
367:burghs
259:, the
233:writer
222:Career
161:. The
110:Spouse
517:7 May
227:India
124:nabob
1058:1780
1054:1774
1047:for
985:2014
972:ISBN
939:2014
917:2014
895:2014
859:ISBN
828:2014
815:ISBN
792:2014
779:ISBN
758:2014
745:ISBN
709:2014
696:ISBN
633:2014
585:2014
547:2014
519:2024
371:Fife
324:and
297:and
291:Alva
75:Died
50:Born
663:doi
574:doi
498:UK
218:".
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23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
