James Oliphant

Lieutenant-Colonel James Oliphant (1796–1881) was Director and Chairman of the Honourable East India Company, and Equerry to the Maharajah Duleep Singh of the Punjab. Family background James was the fourth son (of seven children) of Ebenezer Oliphant, 7th of Condie and Mary, third daughter of Sir William Stirling of Ardoch. One of his brothers was Sir Anthony Oliphant, Chief Justice of Ceylon and accredited with having the first tea plantation in that country. Sir Anthony's son was Laurence Oliphant the famous author, diplomat, politician, lawyer, traveller and mystic. James's eldest brother was Laurence Oliphant, 8th of Condie and 30th Chief of Clan Oliphant who was the Member of Parliament for Perth between 1832 and 1837. A third brother was Thomas Oliphant, artist and musician. In the nineteenth century, the names of four Oliphants featured repeatedly in the (Hansard) records of the Houses of Parliament. They were the three brothers: Laurence Oliphant; James Oliphant; Sir Anthony Oliphant and also the latter's son, Laurence Oliphant.