Thomas Fairfax,
3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron Lord Fairfax of Cameron is a title in the

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...

. Despite holding a Scottish peerage, the Lords Fairfax of Cameron are members of an ancient

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

family, of which the Fairfax baronets of The Holmes are members of another branch. From 1515 to about 1700 the family lived at Denton Hall.

History

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

created the title in 1627 for

Sir Thomas Fairfax Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 161212 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented command ...

. He had represented Queen

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

on several diplomatic missions to

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...

and also sat as a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for several constituencies in the English Parliament. Both his son Ferdinando, the second Lord, and grandson, Thomas, the third Lord, served as prominent military commanders in the cause of Parliament during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. On the latter's death in 1671 the title passed to his first cousin, the fourth Lord. He was the son of Reverend Henry Fairfax, second son of the first Lord, and notably represented

in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

. His son, the fifth Lord, sat as a Member of Parliament for Malton and Yorkshire. He was succeeded by his son, the sixth Lord. He inherited substantial estates in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

through his mother, the daughter of

Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper, (21 March 1635 – 27 January 1689) was an English peer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Virginia from 1677 to 1683. Biography Born in 1635, Colepeper (often referred to by the alt ...

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

. On his death the title and American estates passed to his younger brother, the seventh Lord. He represented

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...

and

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

in Parliament. The immense American estates were confiscated during the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. He was awarded £13,758 in 1792, by Act of Parliament for the relief of American Loyalists. He was succeeded by his first cousin once removed, the eighth Lord, Rev. Bryan Fairfax who also lived in

. He was the grandson of Reverend Henry Fairfax, second son of the fourth Lord. However, it wasn't until 1800 that he was confirmed in the title by 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 ...

. His great-great-grandson was Albert Kirby Fairfax, the twelfth Lord, who lived in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. His branch of the family had lived in America for several generations and had essentially forgotten about the title. However, it was then discovered that Albert was the rightful heir to the lordship and in 1908 he was confirmed in the title by the Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords. In 1917 he was elected a

Scottish Representative Peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Scotland to sit in the House of Lords after the Acts of Union 1707 abolished the Parliament of Scotland, where, as a unicameral legislature, all Scottish P ...

, which he remained until his death in 1939. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the thirteenth Lord. He was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1945 to 1963 and served as a Lord-in-waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) between 1954 and 1957 in the Conservative administrations of

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 ...

and

Anthony Eden Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957. Achieving rapid promo ...

. the title is held by his son, the fourteenth Lord, who succeeded in 1964.

Lords Fairfax of Cameron (1627)

Coat of arms of Fairfax County, Virginia

Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron Member of parliament, MP (1560 – 2 May 1640) was an English nobleman, soldier, diplomat, and politician, his title being in the Peerage of Scotland. Life Fairfax was the eldest son of Sir Thomas ...

(1560–1640) *

Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron MP (29 March 1584 – 14 March 1648) was an English nobleman and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1648. He was a commander in the Parliamentary army in ...

(1584–1648) *

Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 161212 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented command ...

(1612–1671) *

Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (30 December 1631 – 13 April 1688) of Denton, Yorkshire was a Scottish peer and politician. He was the grandson of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He was born the son of Henry Fair ...

(1631–1688) *

Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron MP (16 April 1657 – 6 January 1710 N.S.) was an English nobleman and politician. Life Thomas Fairfax was born on 16 April 1657, the great-grandson of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron o ...

(1657–1710) *

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper. The on ...

(1692–1781) *

Robert Fairfax, 7th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Robert Fairfax, 7th Lord Fairfax of Cameron MP (1707–1793), was a member of the Scottish peerage and politician. He died at Leeds Castle, England, which he inherited from his mother Catherine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper ...

(1707–1793) *

Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Rev. Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17361802) was an Anglican clergyman and Scottish peer (the title was created in 1627 before the Union of 1707). He was a lifelong friend of George Washington and became the first American-born Lo ...

(1736–1802) *

Thomas Fairfax, 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron Thomas Fairfax, 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1762–1846), was an American born Scottish peer, who along with his father, on 11 December 1799, was among the last guests at Mount Vernon before Washington died. Early life and family Thomas Fair ...

(1762–1846) * Charles Snowden Fairfax, 10th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1829–1869) * John Contee Fairfax, 11th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1830–1900) * Albert Kirby Fairfax, 12th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1870–1939) * Thomas Brian McKelvie Fairfax, 13th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1923–1964) * Nicholas John Albert Fairfax, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (b. 1956) The

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 ...

is the present holder's son The Hon. Edward Nicholas Thomas Fairfax, Master of Fairfax (b. 1984).

Line of succession

(1560–1640)'' ** Coronet of a British Baron

(1584–1647/8)'' *** Coronet of a British Baron

Lord of Mann The lord of Mann ( gv, Çhiarn Vannin) is the lord proprietor and head of state of the Isle of Man. The current lord proprietor and head of state is Charles III. Before 1504 the head of state was known as King of Mann. Relationship with th ...

(1611/2–1671)'' ** '' Rev. Henry Fairfax (1585–1665)'' *** Coronet of a British Baron

(1631–1688)'' **** Coronet of a British Baron

(1657–1709/10)'' ***** Coronet of a British Baron

(1692–1782)'' ***** Coronet of a British Baron

(1707–1793)'' **** ''Henry Fairfax (1659–1708)'' ***** ''

William Fairfax William Fairfax (1691–1757) was a political appointee of the British Crown in several colonies as well as a planter and politician in the Colony of Virginia. Fairfax served as Collector of Customs in Barbados, Chief Justice and governor of the ...

(1691–1757)'' ****** ''

George William Fairfax George William Fairfax (January 2, 1724April 3, 1787) was a Planter (American South), planter in colonial Virginia who represented then-vast Frederick County, Virginia, Frederick County and later Fairfax County, Virginia, Fairfax County in the Hou ...

(1724–1787)'' ****** ''Thomas Fairfax (d. 1746)'' ****** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Reverend Bryan Fairfax, 8th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1737–1802)'' ******* ( Coronet of a British Baron

) '' Thomas Fairfax, de jure 9th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1762–1846)'' ******** ''Albert Fairfax (1802–1835)'' ********* ( Coronet of a British Baron

) '' Charles Snowden Fairfax, de jure 10th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1829–1869)'' ********* ( Coronet of a British Baron

) '' Dr. John Contée Fairfax, de jure 11th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1830–1900)'' ********** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Albert Kirby Fairfax, 12th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1870–1939) Rep. peer from 1917'' *********** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Thomas Brian McElvie Fairfax, 13th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1923–1964) Rep. peer 1945–1958'' ************ Coronet of a British Baron

Nicholas John Albert Fairfax, 14th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (born 1956) ''Ejected 1999, elected 2015, taking

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu Baron Montagu of Beaulieu (, Engl. pronunciation: "bewley", from French ''beau'', "beautiful" and ''lieu'', "place"), in the County of Hampshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1885 for the Conservative pol ...

's room.'' ************* (1) Edward Nicholas Thomas Fairfax (b. 1984) ************* (2) John Frederick Anthony Fairfax (b. 1986) ************* (3) Rory Henry Francis Fairfax (b. 1991) ************ (4) Hugh Nigel Thomas Fairfax (b. 1958) ************* (5) Alexander Thomas Digby Fairfax (b. 1986) ************ (6) Rupert Alexander James Fairfax (b. 1961) ************* (7) William Thomas John Fairfax (b. 2004) ************* (8) James Edward Cecil Fairfax (b. 2006) *********** ''Peregrine John Wishart Fairfax (1925–2012)'' ************ (9) Thomas Philip Fairfax (b. 1966) ************* (10) Frederick Hector Fairfax (b. 2004) ******** ''Henry Fairfax (1804–1847)'' ********* ''Raymond Fairfax (1829–1907)'' ********** ''Henry Reginald Fairfax (1875–1955)'' *********** ''Reginald Randolph Fairfax (b. 1908)'' *********** (11) Ronald Cary Fairfax (b. 1915) ******* '' Ferdinando Fairfax (1766–1820)'' ******** ''Dr. Ferdinando Fairfax (1803–1873)'' ********* ''William Henry Fairfax, M.D. (1834–1907)'' ********** ''Frederick Griffith Fairfax (1867–1948)'' *********** ''Fernando Griffith Fairfax (b. 1908)'' *********** ''Edmund Wharton Fairfax (1913–1966)'' ************ (12) Edmund Wharton Fairfax (b. 1944) ************ (13) Bryan Griffith Fairfax (b. 1959) *********** ''Frederick Griffith Fairfax (1916–1999)'' ************ (14) Frederick Griffith Fairfax (b. 1947) ************* (15) Frederick Christopher Fairfax (b. 1970) ************** (16) Mr. Fairfax (b. 19–––) ************ (17) William Henry Fairfax (b. 1950) ************* (18) William Fairfax (b. 19–––) ************* (19) Wesley Fairfax (b. 19–––) ************* (20) Wayne Fairfax (b. 19–––) ********** Colville Lee Fairfax (b. 1877) ******** ''Archibald Blair Fairfax (1809–1867)'' ********* ''Archibald Carlyle Fairfax (1843–1879)'' ********** ''William Redwood Fairfax (1876–1952)'' ********* ''Llewellyn Cary Fairfax (b. 1855)'' *** Bryan Fairfax (1633–1711) ** Charles Fairfax (1597–1673)

Notes

References

*Fairfax, Hugh. ''Fairfax of Virginia: the Forgotten Story of America's Only Peerage, 1690-1960'' London: Privately Published by the Fairfax Family, 2017 * *

External links