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Robert Wallace (MP for Greenock)

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His name is closely associated with the reform of the postal service, and with the introduction of the penny post. After repeated applications to parliament he succeeded in having a Royal Commission appointed in 1836 to report on the state of the posting department. Reports made by the commission
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he was the first member of parliament for Greenock under the act, and held that seat until 1846. In parliament his efforts were directed towards law reform, especially in the direction of having cheaper and simpler methods for the transfer of
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In 1846 he became embarrassed financially through the depreciation in value of some of his West Indian estates, and resigned his seat in parliament. The estate of Kelly was sold, and Wallace lived in retirement at Seafield Cottage,
349: 267: 56:, providing cheap postage regardless of distance within the United Kingdom. He appeared in 1835 before the commission of enquiry set up to consider postal service reform. 96:. By the father's will Robert Wallace received the estate of Kelly and part of the West Indian property, and was known by the designation of Wallace of Kelly. 128:. After his resignation a public subscription was made for him, which enabled him to live his last years in comfort. He died at Seafield on 1 April 1855. 228:"Plan of the Lands of Kelly, High and Low Finnock and Weyms Bay in the County of Renfrew, and Oakfield in the County of Ayr - Estate Maps, 1750s-1900s" 68:
Wemyss Bay beach from rocks, railway in front of Kelly estate. Kelly House was located where modern "lodges" look out above houses on Shore Road.
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supported the charges brought against this department, and prepared the way for reforms. Wallace was chairman of the committee that examined
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5th baronet, but left no issue. His sister, Anne Wallace, died unmarried in 1873 in her hundred and second year.
309: 81: 64: 93: 339: 334: 27: 92:, who amassed a large fortune and became proprietor of some major estates. The eldest son was Sir 205: 109: 53: 103:, and often spoke in public during the reform agitation before 1832. After the passing of the 73: 170: 104: 328: 261: 316: 117: 182: 85: 174: 137: 77: 125: 23: 227: 89: 84:, by his third wife, Janet, third daughter of Robert Colquhoun of the 260: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the 63: 31: 350:
Whig (British political party) MPs for Scottish constituencies
160:"Wallace, Robert (1773-1855), politician and postal reformer" 136:
He married Margaret, daughter of Sir William Forbes of
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Robert Wallace was the founder of the campaign for the
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He was the second son of John Wallace (1712–1805) of
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Index

Scottish
electoral franchise
postal service
Westminster Parliament
Greenock
1832 general election
Uniform Penny Post

Cessnock, Glasgow
Wemyss Bay
Renfrewshire
island of St. Christopher
Glasgow
James Maxwell Wallace
Whig
Reform Act 1832
heritable property
Rowland Hill
Greenock
Craigievar
"Wallace, Robert (1773-1855), politician and postal reformer"
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
doi
10.1093/ref:odnb/28541
UK public library membership




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