Alastair Gordon, 6th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
Encyclopedia
Alastair Ninian John Gordon, 6th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair (20 July 1920 – 19 August 2002) was a botanical artist and art critic who succeeded to a peerage later in life.
Gordon was born in 1920, the youngest of five children and the fourth son of Lord Dudley Gordon
. He was raised at the family home of Haddo House
and attended Harrow
before entering Gray's School of Art
. Commissioned into the Scots Guards
in 1939, he served in the Middle East
and North Africa
before being invalided to Syria
after an Irish Guards
man accidentally shot him in the shoulder. Returning to active service, he fought in Italy
and North-West Europe before being demobilized as a staff captain
in 1946. After leaving the services, he and fellow veteran and nobleman Earl Haig
enrolled at the Camberwell School of Art.
It was at Camberwell that Gordon began to specialize in botanical paintings. Several exhibitions of his art would be held in London, New York, Chicago and Sydney. In 1950, he married the ceramic sculptor Anne Barry. Gordon was also a member of the International Association of Art Critics
and the modern art correspondent for Connoisseur magazine in the 1960s. It was at this time (1965) that his father inherited the Marquessate and Alastair became Lord Alastair Gordon.
Gordon settled at Ashampstead
, Berkshire, far from his ancestral home at Haddo, allowing him to enjoy the company of artistic, rather than country, society. Aside from his art, he also enjoyed a longtime role as an amateur singer in the Bach Choir.
Inheriting the marquessate after the death of his brother in 1984, he sat as a crossbencher in the House of Lords
. He attended the Lords only sparingly to speak on topics of interest to him. In his last year of life, he frequently wrote letters and columns on art criticism and other subjects for newspapers. However, he was best known for magazine and other pieces describing his experiences in the brothel
s of Knightsbridge
and Beirut
, an activity regarded by his wife with "tolerant amusement."
Aberdeen left two daughters and a son:
Gordon was born in 1920, the youngest of five children and the fourth son of Lord Dudley Gordon
Dudley Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair
Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley Gladstone Gordon, 3rd Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair DSO , styled Lord Dudley Gordon from 1916 to 1965, was a British peer, soldier, and industrialist....
. He was raised at the family home of Haddo House
Haddo House
Haddo House is a Scottish stately home located near Tarves in Aberdeenshire, approximately 20 miles north of Aberdeen . It has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1979....
and attended Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
before entering Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art is an integral part of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen that is one of the oldest established fine art institutions in Scotland...
. Commissioned into the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
in 1939, he served in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
before being invalided to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
after an Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
man accidentally shot him in the shoulder. Returning to active service, he fought in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and North-West Europe before being demobilized as a staff captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1946. After leaving the services, he and fellow veteran and nobleman Earl Haig
George Haig, 2nd Earl Haig
George Alexander Eugene Douglas Haig, 2nd Earl Haig OBE KStJ RSA DL succeeded to the Earldom of Haig on 29 January 1928, at the age of nine, upon the death of his father, Field Marshal the 1st Earl Haig. Until then he was styled Viscount Dawick...
enrolled at the Camberwell School of Art.
It was at Camberwell that Gordon began to specialize in botanical paintings. Several exhibitions of his art would be held in London, New York, Chicago and Sydney. In 1950, he married the ceramic sculptor Anne Barry. Gordon was also a member of the International Association of Art Critics
International Association of Art Critics
The International Association of Art Critics was founded in 1950 to revitalize critical discourse, which suffered under Fascism during World War II. AICA was initially affiliated with UNESCO as a non-governmental organization...
and the modern art correspondent for Connoisseur magazine in the 1960s. It was at this time (1965) that his father inherited the Marquessate and Alastair became Lord Alastair Gordon.
Gordon settled at Ashampstead
Ashampstead
Ashampstead is a small village and civil parish in the rural area between Reading, Newbury and Streatley in Berkshire. The parish population is about 400, occupying some 150 dwellings.-History:...
, Berkshire, far from his ancestral home at Haddo, allowing him to enjoy the company of artistic, rather than country, society. Aside from his art, he also enjoyed a longtime role as an amateur singer in the Bach Choir.
Inheriting the marquessate after the death of his brother in 1984, he sat as a crossbencher in the 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....
. He attended the Lords only sparingly to speak on topics of interest to him. In his last year of life, he frequently wrote letters and columns on art criticism and other subjects for newspapers. However, he was best known for magazine and other pieces describing his experiences in the brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s of Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
and Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, an activity regarded by his wife with "tolerant amusement."
Aberdeen left two daughters and a son:
- Lady Emma Cecile Gordon (b. 26 May 1953), married Dr. Rodney Foale
- Alexander Gordon, 7th Marquess of Aberdeen and TemairAlexander Gordon, 7th Marquess of Aberdeen and TemairAlexander George Gordon, 7th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair DL is a British peer and the son of Alastair Gordon, 6th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair....
(b. 1955) - Lady Sophia Katherine Gordon (20 July 1960 – 28 December 2005)