James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon
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Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(11 July 1846 – 27 April 1898) was a soldier and politician and the son of James Du Pre Alexander, 3rd Earl of Caledon and Lady Jane Grimston, styled Viscount Alexander until 1855.
He was born at his family's home in Carlton House Terrace
Carlton House Terrace
Carlton House Terrace refers to a street in the St. James's district of the City of Westminster in London, England, and in particular to two terraces of white stucco-faced houses on the south side of the street overlooking St. James's Park. These terraces were built in 1827–32 to overall designs by...
, London and educated Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He succeeded to the title Earl of Caledon at the age of nine on the death of his father in 1855.
In 1861, during his minority, an extensive but remote property at Castlederg
Castlederg
Castlederg is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is close to the border with County Donegal. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, known as the Derg Estate, was purchased through the Landed Estates Court by his guardians from a kinsman of the Alexanders, Sir Robert Ferguson. The Caledon family took an active interest in the management of their estates. The 2nd and 3rd Earls made extensive improvements to the village of Caledon
Caledon, County Tyrone
Caledon , historically known as Kinnaird , is a small village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the Clogher Valley on the banks of the River Blackwater, 7 miles from Armagh. It lies in the southeast of Tyrone and near the borders of County Armagh and County Monaghan. In the...
, erected the flour mill in the village, gave financial support to the poor of Caledon and to schools on the estate, and improved their property by draining, liming, etc. In addition, large sums of money were spent improving and extending the 'big house' at Caledon (variously known as Caledon House, Caledon Hill and Caledon Castle), and on laying out the richly ornamental demesne and gardens of over 600 acres (2.4 km²).
As an adult, Lord Caledon was elected to sit in the House of Lords as a Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
for Ireland in 1877 and was Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of County Tyrone. He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the 1st Life Guards, became a Major serving with the 4th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and fought in the Egyptian Campaign in 1882. He was also invested as a Knight of the Order of St. Patrick
Order of St. Patrick
The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is a British order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by George III. The regular creation of knights of Saint Patrick lasted until 1921, when most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State...
on 14 November 1896.
He married Lady Elizabeth Graham-Toler, daughter of Hector Graham-Toler, 3rd Earl of Norbury, on 9 October 1884 and had issue:
- Eric Alexander, 5th Earl of CaledonEric Alexander, 5th Earl of CaledonEric James Desmond Alexander, 5th Earl of Caledon was a soldier and the eldest son of James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon and Lady Elizabeth Graham-Toler....
(9 August 1885 - 10 July 1968) - Lt.-Col. Hon. Herbrand Charles Alexander DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(28 November 1888 - 6 May 1965), who fought with the 5th Lancers during the First World War and was mentioned in despatches three times, and in the Second World War as a Lieutenant Colonel of the Pioneer Corps. He married, firstly, Millicent Meredyth, only daughter of Sir Henry Meredyth, 5th Baronet, in 1919 (divorced 1927), and had issue: (i) Denis Alexander, 6th Earl of CaledonDenis Alexander, 6th Earl of CaledonDenis James Alexander, 6th Earl of Caledon was a soldier and landownerHe was the son of Lt.-Col. Hon. Herbrand Charles Alexander and Millicent Valla Meredyth and grandson of James Alexander, 4th Earl of Caledon. He was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst...
. He married, secondly, the Hon. Ada Kate Bellew (who died in 1994), daughter of the late Hon. Richard Eustace Bellew and granddaughter of Edward Bellew, 2nd Baron Bellew, in 1937. - Field Marshal the 1st Earl Alexander of TunisHarold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of TunisField Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was a British military commander and field marshal of Anglo-Irish descent who served with distinction in both world wars and, afterwards, as Governor General of Canada, the 17th since Canadian...
(10 December 1891 - 16 June 1969). Married Margaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of TunisMargaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of TunisMargaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of Tunis GBE, DStJ , born Lady Margaret Bingham, was a daughter of George Bingham, Lord Bingham . On 14 October 1931, she married Hon. Harold Alexander and they had four children....
GBE (16 September 1905 – 17 August 1977), born Lady Margaret Bingham, was a daughter of George Bingham, Lord BinghamGeorge Bingham, 5th Earl of LucanColonel George Charles Bingham, 5th Earl of Lucan GCVO, KBE, CB, PC, TD, DL , known as Lord Bingham from 1888 to 1914, was a British Conservative politician....
(later the Earl of LucanEarl of LucanEarl of Lucan was a title in the Peerage of Ireland which has been possessed by two related Irish families in creations of 1691 and 1795. The current holder is presumed to be Richard Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, who vanished in 1974....
). - Colonel Hon. William Sigismund Patrick Alexander DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(16 November 1895 - 24 December 1972), who fought with the Irish GuardsIrish GuardsThe Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
in the First World War and was mentioned in despatches, and in the Second World War and was Deputy LieutenantDeputy LieutenantIn the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
from 1956 to 1967.. He married Jane Buxton (who died in 1967), only daughter of the late Commander Bernard Buxton DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
RNRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, in 1934, and had issue.
Writing about the Caledons' neighbours Sir John Leslie and his wife Constance, Mark Bence-Jones
Mark Bence-Jones
Mark Adayre Bence-Jones was a British writer, noted mainly for his books on Irish architecture, the British aristocracy and the British Raj...
says: "As a grande dame, Lady Constance [Leslie] was surpassed by her much younger neighbour, the Countess of Caledon, who lived with her husband and four sons at Caledon, a magnificent Georgian house of which the demesne marched with that of Glaslough, though it was across the county boundary in Tyrone. Lady Constance, when she drove out in her carriage, has a liveried footman on the box; Lady Caledon had postillions in white buckskin breeches. Only once did Lady Caledon appear at a disadvantage; she turned up unexpectedly at Glaslough just before dinner in an evening dress and satin slippers, having walked all the way from Caledon after her husband had done something to offend her. She was welcomed by Lady Constance, given dinner and put into the best guest bedroom for the night. Next morning a contrite Lord Caledon came for her in a pony trap, waiting at the inner gate until she chose to join him."
Lord Caledon died on 27 April 1898 at the age of 51 in Curzon Street
Curzon Street
Curzon Street is located within the exclusive Mayfair district of London. The street is located entirely within the W1J postcode district and is 400 yards to the north west of Green Park tube station...
, Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, London from blood poisoning and pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. He was buried at Caledon, County Tyrone. Lady Caledon died on 6 October 1939.