Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland
Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, KG (20 July 1851– 27 June 1913),[1] styled Lord Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower until 1858, Earl Gower between 1858 and 1861 and Marquess of Stafford between 1861 and 1892, was a British peer and politician from the Leveson-Gower family.
The Duke of Sutherland | |
|---|---|
| Tenure | 22 September 1892 – 27 June 1913 |
| Predecessor | George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland |
| Successor | George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland |
| Other titles | Earl of Sutherland |
| Born | 20 July 1851 London |
| Died | 27 June 1913 (aged 61) |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Millicent St Clair-Erskine |
| Issue | Lady Victoria Elizabeth Sutherland-Leveson-Gower George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland Lord Alastair Sutherland-Leveson-Gower Rosemary Ward, Viscountess Ednam |
| Parents | George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland Anne Hay-Mackenzie |
Early life Edit
Sutherland was the eldest son of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland. He was born in London and educated at Eton College.[2]
Career Edit
As Marquess of Stafford, Sutherland entered the 2nd Life Guards as a cornet. He retired from regular army service as a lieutenant in 1875,[2] but was commissioned Captain in the Staffordshire Yeomanry in 1876 and commanded that regiment as Lieutenant-Colonel from 1891 to 1898, after which he became its honorary colonel.[3] He was also Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sutherland Rifles, a volunteer regiment of his ducal county in Scotland, from 1882 to 1891.[2] From 1911 until his death he was honorary colonel of the 5th Territorial Force battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders.[4]
Under the name of Marquess of Stafford, Sutherland served as member of parliament for Sutherland from the election of 1874, when he was unopposed, standing as a Liberal, and held the seat as a Liberal until he stood down at the 1886 election. On succeeding to his father's peerages in 1892, he became a member of the House of Lords. By then his political allegiance had shifted, and he sat on the Conservative benches. He also served as Mayor of Longton, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in 1895–96, and was an alderman of the borough from 1898.[4] For some years he was Master of Foxhounds of the North Staffordshire Hunt.[5]
The Duke was President of the Staffordshire Territorial Forces Association from the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908.[4]
Despite being very rich, Sutherland became concerned that his landed estates were no longer viable. Towards the end of his life, he sold properties in Great Britain, such as Trentham Hall and Stafford House,[citation needed] and began moving his wealth to Canada.[6]
Honours Edit
The Duke was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) in the 1902 Coronation Honours list published on 26 June 1902,[7] and was invested by Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 8 August 1902.[8]
Marriage and children Edit
He married Lady Millicent St Clair-Erskine, daughter of Robert St Clair-Erskine, 4th Earl of Rosslyn, on 20 October 1884. They had four children:
- Lady Victoria Elizabeth Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1885–1888), died young.
- George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland (1888–1963)
- Lord Alastair St. Clair Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1890–1921), married Elizabeth Demarest (former wife of John G. A. Leishman Jr., only son of John George Alexander Leishman). They were the parents of Elizabeth Sutherland, 24th Countess of Sutherland.
- Lady Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1893–1930), dated Edward, Prince of Wales[9] before marrying William Ward, 3rd Earl of Dudley and had issue. Died in a plane crash with Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 3rd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava.
In 1900 the Duke of Sutherland owned about 1,358,000 acres (550,000 hectares) and the steam yacht Catania, which was chartered by some of the super-rich of that era.
The Duke died at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland, on 27 June 1913, aged 61, and was buried at Dunrobin.[5]
References Edit
- ^ Who's Who 1914, p. xxiv, has 26 June as the date of death
- ^ a b c The Complete Peerage, Volume XII. St Catherine's Press. 1953. p. 567.
- ^ Kelly's Handbook of the Titled, Landed and Official Classes, 1900. Kelly's. p. 1301.
- ^ a b c Kelly's Handbook of the Titled, Landed and Official Classes, 1913. Kelly's. p. 1648.
- ^ a b The Complete Peerage, Volume XII. p. 568.
- ^ Duke of Sutherland dead, New York Times
- ^ "The Coronation Honours". The Times. No. 36804. London. 26 June 1902. p. 5.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36842. London. 9 August 1902. p. 6.
- ^ Rachel Trethewey (The History Press, 2018) Before Wallis: Edward VIII’s other women
External links Edit
- Works by or about Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland at Internet Archive
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Sutherland
- "SUTHERLAND, 4th Duke of (cr. 1833), Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower". Who's who biographies, 1901. 1901. p. 1084.