Thomas Erskine, 9th Earl of Kellie
Encyclopedia
Thomas Erskine, 9th Earl of Kellie (about 1746 – 6 February 1828) was a Scottish
merchant, landowner and politician who for many years lived in the Swedish
port city of Gothenburg
. He returned to Scotland in 1799 when he inherited an earldom
from a nephew and became the 9th Earl of Kellie.
family that had become comparatively impoverished because of confiscations due to their support for the Stuart pretenders
. He was probably born at Cambo House in Fife
, one of the forfeited properties.
exile who had established himself as a merchant there. After a few years, he transferred to the firm of the iron-exporting English
brothers John and Benjamin Hall, and became a partner in the firm in 1767. In his 30 years as a partner, he managed to amass a large fortune. In addition to retaining his partnership in the firm of the Hall brothers, Erskine pursued business under his own name, later partnering with David Mitchell from Montrose, who took over Thomas Erskine & Co. as sole owner after Erskine's departure for Scotland.
In 1775 Erskine was appointed British consul
for Gothenburg, Marstrand
, and the other port cities on the West Coast of Sweden. As such, he wrote regular reports to the British government, including reports on the Swedish contraband
trade with France during the revolutionary wars
. This position also enhanced his social position in Gothenburg. He was one of the 20 (at the time unmarried and for the largest part British-born) founding members of the Bachelors' Club, an English-type gentlemen's club
established in 1769 mainly in order to circumvent a ban on the playing of billiards
at public establishments.
As Earl of Kellie, Erskine was elected a representative Scottish peer in the British
House of Lords
in 1804, was re-elected in 1807, and remained such until his death. In 1824, he succeeded the Earl of Morton
as Lord Lieutenant of Fife
.
. The marriage was childless, but Erskine's daughter born out of wedlock, Harriet (born in 1763), married Johan Henrik Engelhart, professor of medicine at Lund
. Four of Harriet's children were raised in their grandfather's house in Scotland. While the earldom was inherited by Erskine's brother Methven, a new Erskine baronetcy
was granted in 1820 to the 9th Earl's grandson, David Engelhart, who changed his name to Erskine and on whom Thomas Erskine entailed the estate of Cambo. David's sister, Harriet Engelhart, married a first cousin, another David Erskine (a nephew of the 9th Earl of Kellie and the natural son of Sir David Erskine) who settled as a merchant in Stockholm
.
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...
merchant, landowner and politician who for many years lived in the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
port city of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. He returned to Scotland in 1799 when he inherited an earldom
Earl of Kellie
The title Earl of Kellie or Kelly is one of the peerage titles of in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1619 for Sir Thomas Erskine, who was Captain of the Guard and Groom of the Stool for James VI...
from a nephew and became the 9th Earl of Kellie.
Biography
Erskine was born in Scotland to an aristocraticAristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
family that had become comparatively impoverished because of confiscations due to their support for the Stuart pretenders
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
. He was probably born at Cambo House in 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...
, one of the forfeited properties.
Gothenburg
At a young age, he was sent to Gothenburg to learn a trade. He was employed in 1759 in the office of George Carnegie, a JacobiteJacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
exile who had established himself as a merchant there. After a few years, he transferred to the firm of the iron-exporting English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
brothers John and Benjamin Hall, and became a partner in the firm in 1767. In his 30 years as a partner, he managed to amass a large fortune. In addition to retaining his partnership in the firm of the Hall brothers, Erskine pursued business under his own name, later partnering with David Mitchell from Montrose, who took over Thomas Erskine & Co. as sole owner after Erskine's departure for Scotland.
In 1775 Erskine was appointed British consul
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
for Gothenburg, Marstrand
Marstrand
Marstrand is a seaside locality situated in Kungälv Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,432 inhabitants in 2005. It has held city privileges since 1200. The most striking feature about Marstrand is the 17th century fortress Carlsten, named after King Carl X Gustav of Sweden. The...
, and the other port cities on the West Coast of Sweden. As such, he wrote regular reports to the British government, including reports on the Swedish contraband
Contraband
The word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
trade with France during the revolutionary wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
. This position also enhanced his social position in Gothenburg. He was one of the 20 (at the time unmarried and for the largest part British-born) founding members of the Bachelors' Club, an English-type gentlemen's club
Gentlemen's club
A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for British upper class men in the eighteenth century, and popularised by English upper-middle class men and women in the late nineteenth century. Today, some are more open about the gender and social status of...
established in 1769 mainly in order to circumvent a ban on the playing of billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
at public establishments.
Return to Scotland
Erskine bought back Cambo House in 1790. He spent the winter of 1793-94 in Scotland, but returned to Gothenburg, where he remained as consul and continued his business until 1799. In that year he inherited the Earldom of Kellie from his nephew Charles Erskine. His definite departure for Scotland was troubled by a conflict with the Gothenburg City Council, which demanded that he pay a sixth of his fortune before leaving Sweden.As Earl of Kellie, Erskine was elected a representative Scottish peer in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
in 1804, was re-elected in 1807, and remained such until his death. In 1824, he succeeded the Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton, KT was the son of Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton.He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in February, 1785 and served as their vice-president from 1795-1819...
as Lord Lieutenant of Fife
Lord Lieutenant of Fife
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Fife.*George Lindsay-Crawford, 22nd Earl of Crawford 17 March 1794 – 1807*Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin 7 March 1807 – 1807...
.
Marriage and family
In 1771 Thomas Erskine wed Anne Gordon, a daughter of Captain Adam Gordon of ArdochArdoch
Ardoch Roman Fort is an archaeological site just outside the village of Braco in Perthshire, Scotland, about 7 miles south of Crieff. At Ardoch are the remains of a Roman fort and castra which included Ardoch Tower...
. The marriage was childless, but Erskine's daughter born out of wedlock, Harriet (born in 1763), married Johan Henrik Engelhart, professor of medicine at Lund
Lund
-Main sights:During the 12th and 13th centuries, when the town was the seat of the archbishop, many churches and monasteries were built. At its peak, Lund had 27 churches, but most of them were demolished as result of the Reformation in 1536. Several medieval buildings remain, including Lund...
. Four of Harriet's children were raised in their grandfather's house in Scotland. While the earldom was inherited by Erskine's brother Methven, a new Erskine baronetcy
Erskine Baronets
There have been five Baronetcies created for person with the surname Erskine, two in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
was granted in 1820 to the 9th Earl's grandson, David Engelhart, who changed his name to Erskine and on whom Thomas Erskine entailed the estate of Cambo. David's sister, Harriet Engelhart, married a first cousin, another David Erskine (a nephew of the 9th Earl of Kellie and the natural son of Sir David Erskine) who settled as a merchant in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.