DALRYMPLE, John (1780-1835), of North Berwick, Haddington.

Dalrymple, a professional soldier, came into Parliament briefly to safeguard his elder brother Sir Hew’s alliance with Lord Lauderdale in the Haddington burghs. When Lauderdale’s brother vacated his seat in 1805, a contest was threatened; although Dalrymple’s brother professed to have no wish to see a member of his family returned, it was Dalrymple whose nomination averted it.NLS mss 1053, f. 114. Like his brother he was expected to support Pitt’s second ministry, but his being posted to the West Indies frustrated this and, on the change of ministry, his seat was vacated to make room for the lord advocate. Dalrymple’s brother subsequently claimed credit with Lord Grenville for this and, after Dalrymple had transferred his professional duties from the West to the East Indies, made it his ground for an application for his promotion.Fortescue mss, Dalrymple Hamilton to Grenville, 10 June 1811. Dalrymple later obtained a command at Madras and died 26 May 1835.Gent. Mag. (1835), ii. 648. He is not to be confused with his cousin Sir John Hamilton Dalrymple, 5th Bt., of Cousland who repeatedly contested Midlothian.