Macdonald Sir Archibald

Macdonald, Sir Archibald (1747-1826), judge, was born at Armidale Castle, in the Isle of Skye. He was educated at Westminster school and at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1768, he became a student at Lincoln's Inn in 1765, and was called to the bar in 1770. In 1778 he was made a king's counsel, and in 1780 was one of the justices of the grand sessions in Wales. In 1784 he became Solicitor-General under Pitt. He was knighted June 27, 1788, and next day was made Attorney-General. He became member for Hindon in Wiltshire in 1777, and in 1779 made a violent attack on Lord North, for which he afterwards apologised. In 1793 he became Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and, after serving for twenty years on the bench, retired (1813) and was made a baronet.