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William Johnstone Pulteney


(b. Oct. 19, 1729, Westerhall, Dumfriesshire – d. May 30, 1805, London, England )

Gender: M

Born William Johnstone (1729-1805). He was the second son of Sir James Johnstone, 3rd Baronet of Wester Hall, Dumfries. He studied law and became an eminent advocate in Edinburgh. He was MP for Cromarty from 1768-1774 and for Shrewsbury from 1775-1805. In 1760 he married Frances Pulteney, the daughter of Daniel Pulteney, cousin of the Earl of Bath. When his wife inherited Lord Bath’s fortune, they changed their surname to Pulteney. He owned estates in Bath, and commissioned Robert Adam to build Pulteney Bridge; Great Pulteney Street is also named after him, and Henrietta Street was named after his daughter. He inherited his wife’s fortune on her death in 1782, and was reputed to be the wealthiest man in Britain.

Also known as:

  • William Johnstone Pulteney


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Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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