David Scott

David Scott was a Scottish merchant and politician.

He was born in 1746 at the family home, Dunninald House in the parish of Craig, Angus. Before he left for India, David attended the University of St Andrews, where he gained a proper education. Scott had arrived to Bombay at the age of 17 and stayed there for the next 23 years as a free merchant. His business affairs brought him a large fortune. He established the agency house of Scott, Tate and Adamson and had an important role in the political and financial affairs of Bombay.

Scott returned to England in 1786 as an expert of western Indian commercial concerns. He assumed the management of the London branch of his agency, which invested £50,000 in the 1797 loyalty loan. He was also appointed a director of the East India Company in 1788.

Scott was also interested in politics. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1790 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until his death.