David Jardine (merchant)

{{Short description|British businessman}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = David Jardine

| image = David Jardine.png

| birth_date = 1818

| death_date = 1856

| death_place = United Kingdom

| nationality = Scottish

| office = Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong

| term_start = 14 June 1850

| term_end = 8 March 1857

| predecessor = Office created

| successor = Joseph Jardine

| appointed = Sir George Bonham

}}

David Jardine (1818–1856) was a Scottish merchant in China and Hong Kong and the member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.

He was the nephew of Dr. William Jardine, founder of the Jardine Matheson & Co., and elder brother of Joseph Jardine. He is the son of David Jardine (1776-1827).

He went to China in 1838 at the age of 20. He became tai-pan of the Jardine Matheson & Co. on the retirement of Alexander Matheson.{{cite book |title= A biographical sketch-book of early Hong Kong|last= Endacott|first= G. B.|author-link=George Beer Endacott|year= 2005|orig-year= 1962|publisher= Hong Kong University Press|isbn= 978-9622097421|page= 160}} David in turn would hand over to his brother Sir Robert Jardine control of the firm.

In February 1849 Governor George Bonham proposed creation of two unofficial membership in the Legislative Council. Bonham called the Justices of Peace together to elect two unofficial members on 6 December 1849.{{cite book|title=History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong|last=Norton-Kyshe|first=James William|date=1898|publisher=T Fisher Unwin|volume=I|place=London}}{{rp|261}} Jardine and J. F. Edger was elected as the first unofficial members of the Legislative Council in 1850.{{cite book |title= A biographical sketch-book of early Hong Kong|last= Endacott|first= G. B.|author-link=George Beer Endacott|year= 2005|orig-year= 1962|publisher= Hong Kong University Press|isbn= 978-9622097421|page= 32}}

He died shortly after returning to Britain in 1856.