Henry John Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of Roxburghe (24 July 1876 – 29 September 1932) was a Scottish peer and courtier.

Early life

Henry John Innes-Ker was born on 24 July 1876. He was the son of

James Henry Robert Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe James Henry Robert Innes-Ker, 7th Duke of Roxburghe (5 September 1839 – 23 October 1892), became Duke of Roxburghe on the death of his father, James Henry Robert Innes-Ker, 6th Duke of Roxburghe. Early life He was born on 5 September 1839 to Ja ...

(1839–1892) and Lady Anne Emily Spencer-Churchill (1854–1923), the fourth daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, who served in Conservative governments as

Lord President of the Council The lord president of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the ...

and

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kingdo ...

, and his wife,

Lady Frances Vane Frances Anne Vane, Viscountess Vane (formerly Hamilton, ''née'' Hawes; c. January 1715 – 31 March 1788), was a British memoirist known for her highly public adulterous relationships. Early life and first marriage Frances Anne Hawes was th ...

, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. His first cousin was

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

. His younger brother, Lord Robert Edward Innes-Ker (1885–1958) married the actress Jose Collins. He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and Eton College.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, United States: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003

Peerage

On 23 October 1892, following his father's death, he succeeded to the titles of 8th Duke of Roxburghe, 8th Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford, 12th Earl of Roxburghe, 8th

Earl of Kelso Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant " chieftain", partic ...

, 3rd

Earl Innes Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particula ...

, 8th

Viscount of Broxmouth A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

, 9th Baronet Innes, 12th

Lord Roxburghe Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

, and 12th Lord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun.

Career

He started his military career as a lieutenant in the

Royal Horse Guards The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards (The Blues) (RHG) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. Raised in August 1650 at Newcastle upon Tyne and County Durham by Sir Arthur Haselrigge on the orders of Oliver Cr ...

. In 1895, he gained the rank of 2nd lieutenant in the service of the 4th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Militia) In 1900, he served with the Household Cavalry composite regiment in South Africa during the Second Boer War. In March 1901, he was appointed an Aide-de-camp to the

Duke of Cornwall and York 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 his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Q ...

during his colonial tour March–October 1901. He later served in World War I, and was severely wounded. The Duke was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order in February 1901. He was appointed a Knight of the

Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The ...

(KT) in the

1902 Coronation Honours The 1902 Coronation Honours were announced on 26 June 1902, the date originally set for the coronation of King Edward VII. The coronation was postponed because the King had been taken ill two days before, but he ordered that the honours list shou ...

list published on 26 June 1902, and was invested by King Edward VII at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

on 8 August 1902. He served as

Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle The Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle is an office of the Order of the Thistle, established in 1687. The Chancellor is normally one of the knights, though not necessarily the most senior. Office Holders from 1913 *1913: John James Hugh He ...

from 1926 until his death. He served as the Lord Lieutenant of Roxburghshire from 1918 until his death. He was appointed a lieutenant of the Royal Company of Archers in 1930.

Personal life

On 10 November 1903, he married Mary Goelet (1878–1937), daughter of the New York real-estate millionaire

Ogden Goelet Ogden Goelet (June 11, 1851 New York City – August 27, 1897 Cowes, Isle of Wight) was an American heir, businessman and yachtsman from New York City during the Gilded Age. With his wife, he built Ochre Court in Newport, Rhode Island, his son ...

. At the time of their marriage, she was one of the wealthiest American heiresses, with a dowry of twenty million dollars, exceeded only by that of Consuelo Vanderbilt. They lived at Floors Castle on 60,500 acres, which Mary decorated with her own collection of art including a series of 17th century

Gobelins Manufactory The Gobelins Manufactory () is a historic tapestry factory in Paris, France. It is located at 42 avenue des Gobelins, near Les Gobelins métro station in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally established on the site as a medieval ...

tapestries. Together, they had one child: * George Victor Robert John Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe (1913–1974), whose sponsor was

King George King George may refer to: People Monarchs ;Bohemia *George of Bohemia (1420-1471, r. 1458-1471), king of Bohemia ;Duala people of Cameroon *George (Duala king) (late 18th century), king of the Duala people ;Georgia * George I of Georgia (998 or ...

. One of his godparents was Queen Alexandra. The Duke of Roxburghe died on 29 September 1932 and was succeeded in his titles by his only son, George Victor Robert John Innes-Ker, 9th Duke of Roxburghe.

References

Notes Sources *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roxburghe, Henry Innes-Ker, 8th Duke of 1876 births 1932 deaths 8 Knights of the Thistle Lord-Lieutenants of Roxburghshire Members of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Horse Guards officers British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British Army personnel of World War I Deputy Lieutenants of Roxburghshire Goelet family