James St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn
Encyclopedia
General
James Alexander St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn PC
, DL
(15 February 1802 – 16 June 1866), styled Lord Loughborough from 1805 to 1837, was a Scottish
soldier and Tory
politician. A General
in the British Army
, he also held political office as Master of the Buckhounds
between 1841 and 1846 and again in 1852 and as Under-Secretary of State for War
in 1859.
, by his wife Harriet Elizabeth Bouverie, daughter of the Honourable Edward Bouverie.
in 1819. He purchased a captaincy in the 9th Light Dragoons in 1823 and a lieutenant-colonelcy in 1828. He was promoted to Major-General in 1854, to Lieutenant-General in 1859 and to General
in May 1866. In 1864 he was appointed a Colonel
of the 7th Regiment of Hussars. Lord Rosslyn also commanded the Auxiliary Cavalry Regiment, The Fife Mounted Rifle Volunteers from 1860 until his death in 1866.
, in 1830, a seat he held until 1831, and then represented Grimsby from 1831 to 1832. He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1837. In 1841 he was sworn of the Privy Council
and appointed Master of the Buckhounds
under Sir Robert Peel, which he remained until the government fell in 1846. He held the same office from February to December 1852 under Lord Derby
, and was briefly Under-Secretary of State for War
under Derby from March to June 1859.
Lord Rosslyn was also a Deputy Lieutenant
for Fife
.
, in 1826. They had two sons and one daughter. Lord Rosslyn died in June 1866, aged 64, and was succeeded in the earldom by his only surviving son, Robert
.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
James Alexander St Clair-Erskine, 3rd Earl of Rosslyn PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, DL
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....
(15 February 1802 – 16 June 1866), styled Lord Loughborough from 1805 to 1837, was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
soldier and Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
politician. A General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, he also held political office as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
between 1841 and 1846 and again in 1852 and as Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
in 1859.
Background
Rosslyn was the son of James St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of RosslynJames St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn
General James St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn GCB, PC , known as Sir James Erskine, Bt, between 1765 and 1789 and as Sir James St Clair-Erskine, Bt, between 1789 and 1805, was a Scottish soldier, politician, and Acting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, on behalf of King George...
, by his wife Harriet Elizabeth Bouverie, daughter of the Honourable Edward Bouverie.
Military career
Rosslyn entered the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1819. He purchased a captaincy in the 9th Light Dragoons in 1823 and a lieutenant-colonelcy in 1828. He was promoted to Major-General in 1854, to Lieutenant-General in 1859 and to General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in May 1866. In 1864 he was appointed a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 7th Regiment of Hussars. Lord Rosslyn also commanded the Auxiliary Cavalry Regiment, The Fife Mounted Rifle Volunteers from 1860 until his death in 1866.
Political career
Rosslyn was returned to Parliament for Dysart Burghs, in FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, in 1830, a seat he held until 1831, and then represented Grimsby from 1831 to 1832. He succeeded his father in the earldom in 1837. In 1841 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
and appointed Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
under Sir Robert Peel, which he remained until the government fell in 1846. He held the same office from February to December 1852 under Lord Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
, and was briefly Under-Secretary of State for War
Under-Secretary of State for War
The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean . In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies...
under Derby from March to June 1859.
Lord Rosslyn was also a 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....
for Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
.
Family
Lord Rosslyn married Frances Wemyss (16 September 1794–30 September 1858), daughter of Lieutenant-General William Wemyss, of Wemyss Castle, FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, in 1826. They had two sons and one daughter. Lord Rosslyn died in June 1866, aged 64, and was succeeded in the earldom by his only surviving son, Robert
Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn
Robert Francis St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn , styled Lord Loughborough until 1866, was a Scottish Conservative politician...
.