John Bowes, 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Encyclopedia
John Bowes, 10th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (14 April 1769 – 3 July 1820) was the eldest son of John Bowes, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
and Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. His mother was the author of the verse drama, "The Siege of Jerusalem" (1769).
He succeeded his father as Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne when the latter died at sea on 7 March 1776.
From 30 June 1796 to 24 October 1806 and again from 9 June 1807 to 29 September 1812, he sat as a Scottish Representative peer
in the House of Lords
.
He had a long affair with the commoner Mary Milner, the beautiful daughter of a gardener; according to some versions (notably offered by Augustus Hare
) he went through a false ceremony of marriage with her. They had one son:
The Earl was created Baron Bowes on 1815 and held this as a subsidiary title to his death.
He married Mary on 2 July 1820, a mere day before his death. He attempted to legitimize his son by this marriage and his will named his son as his heir. According to his will (dated 3 July 1817) , all his real estate were left to Mary and five other trustees in name of his son. The trustees were also required to pay Mary £l,000 p.a for life.
However this deathbed marriage did not prevent his primary title from being inherited by his younger brother Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 11th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
. The Scottish courts agreed that by marrying Mary, John had been legitimized under Scottish law, but since both parties (notably the father) were domiciled in England, English law would prevail. Furthermore, Scottish law required Scottish domicile of the parents for the son to have been legitimated. It was on the point of domicile that John's legitimation failed.
A bitter court case followed over the terms of the Earl's will, and after five years, it was decided that the Earl's son John would inherit his English estates, including Gibside
, Streatlam Castle
and St Paul's Walden Bury
, while his brother would inherit the Scottish estates. His secondary title as Baron Bowes became extinct.
Mary, now Dowager Countess of Strathmore, married in 1831 her son's tutor William Hutt
, and died in 1860. Her son John Bowes married twice, but had no issue. He is best known today as the founder of the Bowes Museum
. On his death, all his wealth and properties were inherited by the family of his uncle, reuniting the Scottish and English estates of the Bowes-Lyon family.
John Bowes, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
John Bowes , born John Lyon, was the 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and one of the ancestors of the Queen Mother. His father was Thomas Lyon, 8th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and his mother was the former Jean Nicholsen.In 1767 he married Mary Eleanor Bowes, and upon the request of the...
and Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. His mother was the author of the verse drama, "The Siege of Jerusalem" (1769).
He succeeded his father as Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne when the latter died at sea on 7 March 1776.
From 30 June 1796 to 24 October 1806 and again from 9 June 1807 to 29 September 1812, he sat as 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 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 had a long affair with the commoner Mary Milner, the beautiful daughter of a gardener; according to some versions (notably offered by Augustus Hare
Augustus Hare
Augustus John Cuthbert Hare was an English writer and raconteur.He was the youngest son of Francis George Hare of Herstmonceux, East Sussex, and Gresford, Flintshire, Wales, and nephew of Augustus William Hare and Julius Hare...
) he went through a false ceremony of marriage with her. They had one son:
- John Bowes (1811–1885), known as Lord Glamis from birth until 1820, and sent to Eton under that name.
The Earl was created Baron Bowes on 1815 and held this as a subsidiary title to his death.
He married Mary on 2 July 1820, a mere day before his death. He attempted to legitimize his son by this marriage and his will named his son as his heir. According to his will (dated 3 July 1817) , all his real estate were left to Mary and five other trustees in name of his son. The trustees were also required to pay Mary £l,000 p.a for life.
However this deathbed marriage did not prevent his primary title from being inherited by his younger brother Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 11th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 11th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
Thomas Lyon-Bowes, 11th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was the third son of John Bowes, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and Mary Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne...
. The Scottish courts agreed that by marrying Mary, John had been legitimized under Scottish law, but since both parties (notably the father) were domiciled in England, English law would prevail. Furthermore, Scottish law required Scottish domicile of the parents for the son to have been legitimated. It was on the point of domicile that John's legitimation failed.
A bitter court case followed over the terms of the Earl's will, and after five years, it was decided that the Earl's son John would inherit his English estates, including Gibside
Gibside
Gibside is a country estate near Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear, North East England that was previously owned by the Bowes-Lyon family. It is now a National Trust property. The main house on the estate is now a shell, although the property is most famous for its chapel...
, Streatlam Castle
Streatlam Castle
Streatlam Castle was a Baroque stately home located near the town of Barnard Castle in County Durham, England. Owned by the Bowes-Lyon family, Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, the house was one of the family's two principal seats, alongside Glamis Castle in Forfarshire, Scotland. Streatlam...
and St Paul's Walden Bury
St Paul's Walden Bury
St. Paul's Walden Bury is a stately home and surrounding gardens located in the village of St Paul's Walden in Hertfordshire. A home of the Bowes-Lyon family, it is best known for its connection to the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother...
, while his brother would inherit the Scottish estates. His secondary title as Baron Bowes became extinct.
Mary, now Dowager Countess of Strathmore, married in 1831 her son's tutor William Hutt
William Hutt (British MP)
Sir William Hutt KCB, PC was a British Liberal politician who was heavily involved in the colonization of New Zealand and South Australia.-Background and education:...
, and died in 1860. Her son John Bowes married twice, but had no issue. He is best known today as the founder of the Bowes Museum
Bowes Museum
The Bowes Museum has a nationally renowned art collection and is situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, England.The museum contains an El Greco, paintings by Francisco Goya, Canaletto, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, François Boucher and a sizable collection of decorative art,...
. On his death, all his wealth and properties were inherited by the family of his uncle, reuniting the Scottish and English estates of the Bowes-Lyon family.