BLACKWOOD, John (c.1698-1777), of Charlton, Kent.

The son of a rich Edinburgh silk mercer who bought Pitraevie from the 1st Earl of Rosebery in 1711, Blackwood set up as a merchant in London engaged in the slave trade2Bd. Trade Jnl. 1722-8, p. 243, and CSP Col. 1722-3, p. 252. under the name of Blackwood Cathcart, Nag’s Head Court, Lombard Street.3London Directory, 1740. In 1726 he married a wealthy well-connected widow, who brought him considerable property in Kent, where he settled at Charlton near his wife’s brother-in-law, the 1st Lord Romney,4Hasted, Kent, i. 420; ii. 273-4. also becoming the neighbour and friend of the 1st Lord Egmont.5HMC Egmont Diary, iii. 169, 279, 283, and passim. Next year he successfully contested Glasgow Burghs, but the Commons awarded the seat to his opponent, Daniel Campbell, on the merits of the return, giving Blackwood leave to petition on the merits of the election.6See under GLASGOW BURGHS. On 24 Jan. 1729 Phillips Gybbon, a prominent member of the Opposition, presented the petition

and moved that for the importance of it and because the House last year promised it, it might be heard at the bar of the House and not referred to the committee of elections. Sir John Norris seconded it and said he was persuaded Mr. Campbell, sitting member, would be himself for hearing it in the most solemn way. Sir James Campbell opposed it and said the public business would take up the House’s time too much to suffer it and therefore it had better be referred to the committee, which reason made the House laugh. We divided on it: we that went out [i.e. voted for the motion] were 67 and they who stayed in were 110.7HMC Egmont Diary, iii. 332.

The petition was accordingly referred to the elections committee, who reached no decision on it, though it was renewed in 1730 and 1731. Blackwood never stood again. He died 12 Nov. 1777.