John Glencairn Carter Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
Encyclopedia
John Glencairn Carter Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell (1829–1900), was a Scottish
soldier and politician.
Hamilton was born in Marseilles, France, the only son of Archibald James Hamilton, 12th of Orbiston (1793–1834), and was educated at Eton College
. He served in the 2nd Life Guards
, rising to the rank of commissioned cornet
in 1847, lieutenant in 1849 and captain in 1854. In 1856 he was appointed major in the Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Cavalry. Although retiring from the regular Army in 1860, he continued to serve in the Yeomanry until 1885.
He began his political career in 1857 as Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Falkirk
, serving for two years. He later sat for Lanarkshire South
in 1868-74 and 1880-86. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
, and as Deputy Lieutenant and Vice-Lord Lieutenant
for Lanarkshire.
In 1886, Hamilton was raised to the peerage as Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
. He served in William Ewart Gladstone
's government as a Lord-in-Waiting
from 1892 to 1894.
The Hamiltons made large amounts of money in the nineteenth century, as the lands they held in Lanarkshire were sold for coal exploitation. In the late 1850s and 1860s Hamilton was able to greatly extend his home of Dalzell House
, a former tower house
outside Motherwell, laying out landscaped grounds at the same time. In 1864 he married Lady Emily Leslie-Melville (d. 1882), daughter of David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven
, and had issue:
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 politician.
Hamilton was born in Marseilles, France, the only son of Archibald James Hamilton, 12th of Orbiston (1793–1834), and was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. He served in the 2nd Life Guards
Life Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
, rising to the rank of commissioned cornet
Cornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
in 1847, lieutenant in 1849 and captain in 1854. In 1856 he was appointed major in the Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Lanarkshire Yeomanry
The Lanarkshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1819, which served as a dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and provided two field artillery regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry in...
Cavalry. Although retiring from the regular Army in 1860, he continued to serve in the Yeomanry until 1885.
He began his political career in 1857 as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Falkirk
Falkirk Burghs (UK Parliament constituency)
Falkirk Burghs was a district of burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. The constituency comprised the burghs of Falkirk, Airdrie, Hamilton, Lanark and Linlithgow, lying in Stirlingshire, Lanarkshire and Linlithgowshire.In 1918,...
, serving for two years. He later sat for Lanarkshire South
Lanarkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Lanarkshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1868. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.-Boundaries:...
in 1868-74 and 1880-86. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, and as Deputy Lieutenant and Vice-Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
for Lanarkshire.
In 1886, Hamilton was raised to the peerage as Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
Baron Hamilton of Dalzell
Baron Hamilton of Dalzell, in the County of Lanark, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1886 for the Liberal politician John Hamilton. He had previously represented Falkirk and Lanarkshire South in the House of Commons and after his elevation to the peerage served...
. He served in William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's government as a Lord-in-Waiting
Lord-in-Waiting
Most Lords in Waiting are Government whips in the House of Lords who are members of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As members of the Royal Household their duties are nominal, though they are occasionally required to meet visiting political and state leaders on visits...
from 1892 to 1894.
The Hamiltons made large amounts of money in the nineteenth century, as the lands they held in Lanarkshire were sold for coal exploitation. In the late 1850s and 1860s Hamilton was able to greatly extend his home of Dalzell House
Dalzell House
Dalzell House is a historic house in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located to the south of the town, on the north bank of the River Clyde. At its core is a 15th-century tower house, with extensive additions built during the 17th and 19th centuries...
, a former tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
outside Motherwell, laying out landscaped grounds at the same time. In 1864 he married Lady Emily Leslie-Melville (d. 1882), daughter of David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven
David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven
David Leslie-Melville, 8th Earl of Leven, 7th Earl of Melville was a Scottish peer and admiral.He entered the Royal Navy c. 1800; he became Rear Admiral in 1846, and Vice Admiral in 1858....
, and had issue:
- Ellinor Hamilton (1865–1957)
- Archibald John Hamilton (1868–1870)
- Gavin George Hamilton (1872– 1952), later 2nd baron
- Leslie d'Henin Hamilton (1873–1914)
- John David Hamilton (1878–1900)