GRANT

grant, charles (1746-1823), british politician, was born at aldourie, inverness-shire, on the 16th of april 1746, the day on which his father, alexander grant, was killed whilst fighting for the jacobites at culloden. when a young man charles went to india, where he became secretary, and later a member of the board of trade. he returned to scotland in 1790, and in 1802 was elected to parliament as member for the county of inverness. in the house of commons his chief interests were in indian affairs, and he was especially vigorous in his hostility to the policy of the marquess wellesley. in 1805 he was chosen chairman of the directors of the east india company and he retired from parliament in 1818. a friend of william wilberforce, grant was a prominent member of the evangelical party in the church of england; he was a generous supporter of the church's missionary undertakings. he was largely responsible for the establishment of the east india college, which was afterwards erected at haileybury. he died in london on the 31st of october 1823. his eldest son, charles, was created a peer in 1835 as baron glenelg. see henry morris, _life of charles grant_ (1904).