James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose, KT, PC (16 July 1799 – 30 December 1874), styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, of

Buchanan Castle Buchanan Castle is a ruined castle in Stirlingshire, Scotland, located west of the village of Drymen. The house was commissioned by The 4th Duke of Montrose and built in 1852-1858 as a home for the Montrose family, serving as such until 1925. I ...

in Stirlingshire (re-built by him in 1852–8) and 45 Belgrave Square in London, was a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

politician.

Background and education

Montrose was the son of

James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, by his second wife Lady Caroline Maria, daughter of

George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester PC (6 April 17372 September 1788) was a British politician and diplomat. Early life He was the son of Robert Montagu, 3rd Duke of Manchester and the former Harriet Dunch. Among his siblings were Lord Cha ...

.thepeerage.com James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
/ref> He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

Biography at universitystory.gla.ac.uk
/ref> and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

Cricket

A member of

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

, Montrose made a single first-class appearance for an All-England team against

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

in 1828. He was recorded in the scorecard as Lord James Graham and scored two runs.

Political career

In 1821, aged 21, Montrose was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, despite not having a seat in Parliament, and was sworn of the

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

the same year. He remained as Vice-Chamberlain until 1827. He was returned to Parliament for

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

in 1825, a seat he held until 1832, and served as a commissioner of the India Board between 1828 and 1830. In 1836 he succeeded his father in the dukedom and entered the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

. When the

Earl of Derby Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...

became Prime Minister in February 1852, Montrose was appointed

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance ...

, a post he retained until the government fell in December of the same year. He again served under Derby as

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. The position is the second highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the Prime Minister, and senior to the Minist ...

between 1858 and 1859 and under Derby and later

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation o ...

Postmaster General A Postmaster General, in Anglosphere countries, is the chief executive officer of the postal service of that country, a ministerial office responsible for overseeing all other postmasters. The practice of having a government official responsib ...

between 1866 and 1868, although he was never a member of the Cabinet. As Postmaster General he introduced the Electric Telegraphs Bill which resulted in the transfer of British telegraph companies to the Post Office. Apart from his political career Montrose served as

Chancellor of the University of Glasgow The Chancellor is the titular head of the University of Glasgow and President of the General Council, by whom they are elected. The office is intended to be held for life. Their principal duty is to confer degrees upon those presented to them b ...

between 1837 and 1874 (succeeding his father) and as

Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire in Scotland. The office was abolished in 1975, and replaced with the Lord Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk. * David Erskine, 9th Earl of Buchan 1713 – 1715 * ''inc ...

between 1843 and 1874. He was made a

Knight of the Thistle A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

in 1845.

Marriage & issue

In 1836 he married Hon. Caroline Agnes Horsley-Beresford (1818-1894), a daughter of John Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies. In 1860, they were both survivors of the train involved in the

Atherstone rail accident The Atherstone rail accident happened near Atherstone railway station in the small hours of the morning of 16 November 1860, and killed 10 people. A special cattle train from Holyhead to London via Peterborough was shunting just south of Atherst ...

. She survived him and in 1876 married secondly to

William Stuart Stirling-Crawfurd William Stuart Stirling-Crawfurd (1819 – 23 February 1883) of Milton, Glasgow, Milton in Lanarkshire, Scotland, was a prominent racehorse owner. Origins He was the eldest son of Capt. William Stirling (1789–1826) of Milton and Castlemilk Ho ...

(1819-1883) (whom she also survived) of Milton in Lanarkshire and of Cannes, South of France, where he died, without issue. By his wife he had issue including:

Sons

* Lord James John Graham (1845–1846), who died in infancy. * Lord James Graham (1847–1872), styled by the courtesy title of Marquess of Graham, eldest surviving son and

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

, who predeceased his father by two years. *

Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose Douglas Beresford Malise Ronald Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose KT (7 November 1852 – 10 December 1925), initially styled as the Marquess of Graham, was a Scottish nobleman, racehorse owner, soldier and the 5th Duke of Montrose. He was the son ...

(1852–1925), only surviving son and heir, who married Violet Hermione Graham, second daughter of

Sir Frederick Ulric Graham, 3rd Baronet Sir Frederick Ulric Graham, 3rd Baronet DL JP (2 April 1820 – 8 March 1888) was a British landowner, diplomat and traveller. Early life The descendant of an old Cumbrian family, Frederick Ulric was born on 2 April 1820. He was the eldest son ...

Daughters

* Lady Agnes Caroline Graham (1839–1873), who married Lt. Col. John Murray of Touchadam and

Polmaise Fallin () is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It lies on the A905 road 3 miles east of Stirling on a bend in the River Forth. The United Kingdom Census 2001 recorded the population as 2,710. It was formerly a pit village ...

in 1859. * Lady Beatrice Violet Graham (1842–1932), was a writer (she married Algernon Greville, 2nd Baron Greville in 1863). * Lady Alma Imogen Leonora Carlotta Graham DGStJ (1854–1932), who married

Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane (9 April 1851 – 19 October 1922), styled Lord Glenorchy between 1862 and 1871 and known as The Earl of Breadalbane and Holland between 1871 and 1885, was a Scottish nobleman and Liberal politician. ...

in 1872.

Death

He died in December 1874, aged 75, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son,

(1852–1925).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Montrose, James Graham, 4th Duke of 1799 births 1874 deaths Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster 204 United Kingdom Postmasters General Knights of the Thistle Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Lord-Lieutenants of Stirlingshire Montrose, 4th Duke of Graham, James Graham, Viscount Graham, James Graham, Viscount Graham, James Graham, Viscount Graham, James Graham, Viscount Graham, James Graham, Viscount UK MPs who inherited peerages Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge People educated at Eton College English cricketers English cricketers of 1826 to 1863 Non-international England cricketers Survivors of railway accidents or incidents