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James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose

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The Duke of Montrose
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office
26 February 1858 – 11 June 1859
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterThe Earl of Derby
Preceded byMatthew Talbot Baines
Succeeded bySir George Grey, Bt
Postmaster General
In office
19 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
MonarchVictoria
Prime MinisterThe Earl of Derby
Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded byThe Lord Stanley of Alderley
Succeeded byMarquess of Hartington
Personal details
Born(1799-07-16)16 July 1799
Died30 December 1874(1874-12-30) (aged 75)
Cannes, Provence, France
NationalityBritish
Political partyConservative
Spouse
(m. 1836)
ChildrenDouglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose
Violet, Lady Greville
Parent(s)James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose
Lady Caroline Montagu
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge

James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose, KT, PC (16 July 1799 – 30 December 1874), styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, of Buchanan Castle, Stirlingshire and 45 Belgrave Square, London,[1] was a British Conservative politician.

Background and education

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Montrose was the son of James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose, by his second wife Lady Caroline Maria, daughter of George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester.[2] He was educated at Eton[3] and Trinity College, Cambridge.[4]

Cricket

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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.[5]

Political career

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In 1821, aged 21, Montrose was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household,[6] despite not having a seat in Parliament, and was sworn of the Privy Council the same year.[7] He remained as Vice-Chamberlain until 1827. He was returned to Parliament for Cambridge in 1825, a seat he held until 1832,[8] and served as a commissioner of the India Board between 1828 and 1830.[3] 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,[9] 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[10] and under Derby and later Benjamin Disraeli as Postmaster General between 1866 and 1868,[11] 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.[3]

Castle Buchanan, rebuilt by the 4th Duke after fire.

Apart from his political career Montrose served as Chancellor of the University of Glasgow between 1837 and 1874 (succeeding his father)[3] and as Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire between 1843 and 1874.[11] He was made a Knight of the Thistle in 1845.[12]

Marriage and issue

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In 1836, Montrose married Hon. Caroline Agnes Horsley-Beresford (1818-1894), daughter of John Beresford, 2nd Baron Decies and grand-niece of the 1st Marquess of Waterford. In 1860, they were both survivors of the train involved in the Atherstone rail accident. She survived him and in 1876 married secondly to William Stuart Stirling-Crawfurd.[2][13][14] By his wife he had issue including:[15]

Sons

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Daughters

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Death

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He died at Cannes in December 1874, aged 75, and was succeeded in the dukedom by his son, Douglas Graham, 5th Duke of Montrose (1852–1925).

References

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  1. ^ The Royal Court Guide, and Fashionable Directory, 1842
  2. ^ a b thepeerage.com James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
  3. ^ a b c d "Biography at universitystory.gla.ac.uk". Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Graham, James, Marquess of (GRHN817J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  5. ^ "Lord James Graham". CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  6. ^ "No. 17695". The London Gazette. 7 April 1821. p. 781.
  7. ^ "No. 17683". The London Gazette. 24 February 1821. p. 466.
  8. ^ "leighrayment.com House of Commons: Caernarfon to Cambridgeshire South West". Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "No. 21297". The London Gazette. 2 March 1852. p. 670.
  10. ^ "No. 22106". The London Gazette. 2 March 1858. p. 1207.
  11. ^ a b leighrayment.com Peerage: Monteagle to Mottistone[usurped]
  12. ^ "No. 20453". The London Gazette. 14 March 1845. p. 812.
  13. ^ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, p.2176
  14. ^ See law suit "Stirling_Stuart v Montgomerie and others (Stirling-Crawfurd's Trustees) Stirling Scottish Court of Session, 6 February 1885 [1]
  15. ^ a b c d e f g "Montrose, Duke of (S, 1707)". www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk. Heraldic Media Limited. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  16. ^ Law, Cheryl (2018). "Greville [née Graham], Lady (Beatrice) Violet (1842–1932), journalist and author". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.50387. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Cambridge
1825–1832
With: Frederick Trench
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
1821–1827
Succeeded by
Preceded by Lord Steward
1852
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
1858–1859
Succeeded by
Preceded by Postmaster General
1866–1868
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
1837–1874
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire
1843–1874
Succeeded by
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Duke of Montrose
1836–1874
Succeeded by