James Ivory, Lord Ivory

The son of Thomas Ivory, watchmaker and engraver, he was born in Dundee on 29 February 1792.

When, in 1819, the select committee of the House of Commons was engaged in making inquiries into the state of the Scottish burghs, Ivory was examined with reference to the municipal condition of Dundee, and strongly advocated for the abolition of self-election, which was then prevalent in the town councils of Scotland, and continued in force until 1833.

As a lawyer Ivory was distinguished by the subtlety of his reasoning, his minuteness of detail, and profound erudition.

He was not a fluent orator, but in the early part of his career, when legal argument was conducted in writing, be obtained a high reputation.

In 1817 he married Ann Laurie (d.1869), a daughter of Alexander Lawrie, deputy gazette writer for Scotland.