Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose, (7 November 1852 – 10 December 1925), styled Lord Douglas Graham until 1872 and Marquess of Graham until 1874, was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and landowner.

Early life

Born at

St George Hanover Square St George Hanover Square was a Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the metropolitan area of London, England. The creation of the parish accompanied the building of the St George's, Hanover Square, Church of St George's, Hanover Square, ...

in 1852, he was the third but eldest-surviving son of James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose and his wife, the Hon. Caroline Agnes Horsley Beresford, daughter of John Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies. He had two elder brothers, both named James and thus was not expected to succeed, but both died prematurely in succession. He was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and succeeded his father as

Duke of Montrose Duke of Montrose (named for Montrose, Angus) is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. The title was created anew in 1707, for James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose, James Graham, 4th Marquess of Montrose, great-grandson o ...

, in the Peerage of Scotland, in 1874.

Career

Montrose joined the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...

in 1872, transferred to the

5th Royal Irish Lancers The 5th Royal Irish Lancers was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army. It saw service for three centuries, including the World War I, First World War. It amalgamated with the 16th The Queen's Lancers to be ...

in 1874, and retired from active duty in 1878. From October 1881 to January 1903, he was Colonel commanding the 3rd (

Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

) Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, stationed at Stirling. He served in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

(medal and two clasps). Montrose again saw active service fighting with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He later served as Captain-General of the Royal Company of Archers, the King's Bodyguard for Scotland. Montrose was aide-de-camp to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

and

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

successively. He was Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire from 1885 to 1925, Hereditary Sheriff of Dumbartonshire (now

Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire () or the County of Dumbarton is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbar ...

Lord Clerk Register The office of Lord Clerk Register (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clàr Morair Clèireach'') is the oldest remaining Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century. It historically had important functions in relation to the maintenanc ...

from 1890 until his death, and

Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the monarch's personal representative to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (the Kirk), reflecting the Church's role as the national church of Scotla ...

in 1916–1917. In January 1900 he accepted the Presidency of the Scotland Branch of the British Empire League. Montrose was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT) in 1879 and was Chancellor of the Order from 1917.

Personal life

In 1876, Montrose married Violet Hermione Graham, daughter of Sir Frederick Graham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lady Jane St Maur, daughter of Edward St Maur, 12th Duke of Somerset. They had five children: * Commodore James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose (1878–1954), who married Lady Mary Douglas-Hamilton and had issue, including the 7th Duke of Montrose. * Lady Helen Violet Graham (1879–1945), Lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth; died without issue. * Lady Hermione Emily Graham (1882–1978), who married Sir Donald Walter Cameron of Lochiel, 25th Chief of Clan Cameron, and had issue, including Sir Donald Hamish Cameron of Lochiel. * Brigadier Lord Douglas Malise Graham (born 1883), who married Hon. Rachael Mary Holland. * Captain Lord Alastair Mungo Graham (born 1886), who married Lady Meriel Olivia Bathurst. Montrose died in December 1925 in a nursing home at 6 Park Gardens in the Park District of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. He was buried at Buchanan Castle and passed on the title to his son the 6th Duke of Montrose. He owned 103,000 acres, with 68,000 acres in Stirlingshire and 32,000 acres in Perthshire.The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland
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References

External links

Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose
at the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montrose, Douglas Graham, 5th Duke Ofbri to say 1852 births 1925 deaths Military personnel from Stirling (council area) Coldstream Guards officers 5th Royal Irish Lancers officers Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders officers 205 Douglas Knights of the Thistle Lord-lieutenants of Stirlingshire Lords High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland People educated at Eton College British racehorse owners and breeders British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army personnel of World War I