Charles Colville, 1st Viscount Colville of Culross
Encyclopedia
Charles John Colville, 1st Viscount Colville of Culross KT
, GCVO
, PC
(23 November 1818 – 1 July 1903), known as The Lord Colville of Culross between 1849 and 1902, was a British nobleman, Conservative
politician and courtier.
and the grandson of John Colville, 8th Lord Colville of Culross. He was educated at Harrow
.
. He succeeded his uncle in the lordship of Colville of Culross 1849 and was elected a Scottish Representative Peer
in 1851. He served under Lord Derby
as Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal from February to December 1852 and again from 1858 to 1859 and under Derby and subsequently Benjamin Disraeli as Master of the Buckhounds
from 1866 to 1868. In 1866 he was sworn of the Privy Council
. He was later Lord Chamberlain to the Princess of Wales
from 1873 to 1901 and to her as Queen Alexandra from 1901 to 1903.
Colville was also Chairman of the Great Northern Railway
Company from 1872 to 1895, a director of the Central London Railway
at its opening in 1900 and President of the Honourable Artillery Company
. He was made a Knight of the Thistle
in 1874 and created Baron Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth, in 1885, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. In 1902 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth.
, who rose to prominence as a Navy officer. Antother son, George, was the father of Sir Jock Colville, civil servant and memoirist. Lord Colville of Culross died in July 1903, aged 84, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles.
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(23 November 1818 – 1 July 1903), known as The Lord Colville of Culross between 1849 and 1902, was a British nobleman, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and courtier.
Background and education
Colville was the son of General the Honourable Sir Charles ColvilleCharles Colville
Sir Charles Colville was a British military leader who fought in the Peninsular War and in action near the Battle of Waterloo, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He was the son of John Colville, 8th Lord Colville of CulrossAmong other battles, Colville led the 2nd Brigade in Picton's 3rd...
and the grandson of John Colville, 8th Lord Colville of Culross. He was educated at 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...
.
Career
Colville served as a captain in the 11th Hussars11th Hussars
The 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was founded in 1715 as Colonel Philip Honeywood's Regiment of Dragoons and was known by the name of its Colonel until 1751 when it became the 11th Regiment of Dragoons...
. He succeeded his uncle in the lordship of Colville of Culross 1849 and was elected a Scottish Representative Peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
in 1851. He served under Lord Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
as Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal from February to December 1852 and again from 1858 to 1859 and under Derby and subsequently Benjamin Disraeli as Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
from 1866 to 1868. In 1866 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. He was later Lord Chamberlain to the Princess of Wales
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
from 1873 to 1901 and to her as Queen Alexandra from 1901 to 1903.
Colville was also Chairman of the Great Northern Railway
Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
Company from 1872 to 1895, a director of the Central London Railway
Central London Railway
The Central London Railway , also known as the Twopenny Tube, was a deep-level, underground "tube" railway that opened in London in 1900...
at its opening in 1900 and President of the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
. He was made a Knight of the Thistle
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
in 1874 and created Baron Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth, in 1885, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. In 1902 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Colville of Culross, in the County of Perth.
Family
Lord Colville of Culross married the Honourable Cecile Catherine Mary Carrington, eldest daughter of Robert Carrington, 2nd Baron Carrington, in 1853. Their second son was Sir Stanley ColvilleStanley Colville
Admiral Sir Stanley Cecil James Colville GCB GCMG GCVO was a British Royal Navy officer.Colville was born in Eaton Place, London, the second son of Charles Colville, 10th Lord Colville of Culross, entitling him to the style "The Honourable". His mother, Cecile, was the daughter of Robert...
, who rose to prominence as a Navy officer. Antother son, George, was the father of Sir Jock Colville, civil servant and memoirist. Lord Colville of Culross died in July 1903, aged 84, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles.