About the portraits of Sir Alexander Boswell and his wife Grace
Sir Alexander Boswell of Auchinleck House (1775-1822) was the eldest son of the celebrated diarist and writer, James Boswell. Alexander’s father, Lord Auchinleck, was an Edinburgh judge and the builder of Auchinleck House.
Able to live comfortably as a country gentleman with the income from the Auchinleck estate, Alexander was known as a witty poet, songster, antiquary and bibliophile. He served as Tory MP for the rotten seat of Plympton Eale in Devon from 1816 to 1821, when he received his baronetcy. Soon after this, suspicion of his involvement in scurrilous anonymous attacks in the Tory press led to a dispute with James Stuart of Dunearn, who challenged him to a duel. Against all expectations, Sir Alexander received a fatal wound and died the following day.