James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
| His Grace The Duke of Montrose KT, PC | |
|---|---|
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
|
In office 26 February 1858 – 11 June 1859 | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Derby |
| Preceded by | Matthew Talbot Baines |
| Succeeded by | Sir George Grey, Bt |
| Postmaster General | |
|
In office 19 July 1866 – 1 December 1868 | |
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister |
The Earl of Derby Benjamin Disraeli |
| Preceded by | The Lord Stanley of Alderley |
| Succeeded by | Marquess of Hartington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 July 1799 |
| Died | 30 December 1874 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Hon. Caroline Horsley-Beresford (d. 1894) |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose KT, PC (16 July 1799 – 30 December 1874), styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, was a British Conservative politician.
Background and education
Montrose was the son of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, by his second wife Lady Caroline Marie, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester.[1] He was educated at Eton[2] and Trinity College, Cambridge.[3]
Cricket
A member of Marylebone Cricket Club, Montrose made a single first-class appearance for an All-England team against Hampshire in 1828. He was recorded in the scorecard as Lord James Graham and scored two runs.[4]
Political career
In 1821, aged 21, Montrose was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household,[5] despite not having a seat in parliament, and was sworn of the Privy Council the same year.[6] He remained as Vice-Chamberlain until 1827. He was returned to Parliament for Cambridge in 1825, a seat he held until 1832,[7] and served as a Commissioner of the India Board between 1828 and 1830.[2] In 1836 he succeeded his father in the dukedom and entered the House of Lords.
When the Earl of Derby became Prime Minister in February 1852, Montrose was appointed Lord Steward of the Household,[8] a post he retained until the government fell in December of the same year. He again served under Derby as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1858 and 1859[9] and under Derby and later Benjamin Disraeli as Postmaster General between 1866 and 1868,[10] although he was never a member of the cabinet. As Postmaster-General he introduced the Electric Telegraphs Bill which resulted in the transfer of British telegraph companies to the Post Office.[2]
Apart from his political career Montrose served as Chancellor of the University of Glasgow between 1837 and 1874 (succeeding his father)[2] and as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire between 1843 and 1874.[10] He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1845.[11]
Family
Montrose married the Hon. Caroline Agnes, daughter of John Horsley-Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies, in 1836. They had several children. He died in December 1874, aged 75, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, Douglas, Marquess of Graham. The Duchess of Montrose later remarried and died in November 1894.[1]
References
- 1 2 thepeerage.com James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
- 1 2 3 4 Biography at universitystory.gla.ac.uk
- ↑ "Graham, James, Marquess of (GRHN817J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ↑ "Lord James Graham". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 17695. p. 781. 7 April 1821.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 17683. p. 466. 24 February 1821.
- ↑ leighrayment.com House of Commons: Caernarfon to Cambridgeshire South West
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 21297. p. 670. 2 March 1852.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 22106. p. 1207. 2 March 1858.
- 1 2 leighrayment.com Peerage: Monteagle to Mottistone
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 20453. p. 812. 14 March 1845.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Montrose
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Frederick William Trench Charles Madryll Cheere |
Member of Parliament for Cambridge with Frederick William Trench 1825–1832 |
Succeeded by George Pryme Thomas Rice |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Viscount Jocelyn |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1821–1827 |
Succeeded by Sir Samuel Hulse |
| Preceded by The Marquess of Westminster |
Lord Steward 1852 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Norfolk |
| Preceded by Matthew Talbot Baines |
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1858–1859 |
Succeeded by Sir George Grey, Bt |
| Preceded by The Lord Stanley of Alderley |
Postmaster General 1866–1868 |
Succeeded by Marquess of Hartington |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by The 3rd Duke of Montrose |
Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1837–1874 |
Succeeded by Sir William Stirling-Maxwell, Bt |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Abercromby |
Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire 1843–1874 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Dunmore |
| Peerage of Scotland | ||
| Preceded by James Graham |
Duke of Montrose 1836–1874 |
Succeeded by Douglas Graham |