Richard Vary Campbell

Richard Vary Campbell FRSE FSA (1840-1901) was a Scottish advocate and author of legal books, who rose to be Sheriff of Roxburgh. He was also a Commissioner of the Northern Lighthouse Board.

Life

He was born in Glasgow the son of David Campbell, a wine and spirit merchant from a Perthshire family, and Jane Vary, he was educated at Glasgow High School. He then studied Philosphy at Glasgow University (graduating MA in 1861) and began a legal apprenticeship with Robert Lamond before moving to Edinburgh to study Scots Law and Civil Law, graduating LLB. He then studied further at Heidelberg University before being appointed to the Scottish Bar. He became an advocate in 1864. He rose to be Sheriff of Dumfries and Galloway in 1890 and from 1896 was Sheriff of Roxburgh, Berwick and Selkirk.

In 1886 he unsuccessfully stood as a Member of Parliament for the Glasgow College constituency, losing to Sir Charles Cameron.

He was an expert on Church Law and addressed the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on several occassions. He was Chairman of the Edinburgh Street Tramways Association and a Commissioner of the Northern Lighthouse Board.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1898, his proposers including Sir Stair Agnew.

He died at home, 37 Moray Place in Edinburgh, at 10am on 10 November 1901, ten days after catching a chill whilst attending a wedding in Peebles.

Family

He married exceptionally late in life, marrying Mrs Janet Wylie (a widow) in 1900.

Publications

• Registration Law
• Lectures on Mercantile Law (1890)
• The Reform Act of 1868