Schomberg Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian
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Schomberg Henry Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian KT
, PC (2 December 1833 – 17 January 1900), styled Lord Schomberg Kerr until 1870, was a British diplomat and Conservative
politician. He served as Secretary for Scotland
under Lord Salisbury
between 1887 and 1892.
, and Lady Cecil, daughter of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot
. His younger brothers Major-General Lord Ralph Kerr (1837–1916) and Admiral of the Fleet
Lord Walter Kerr
(1839–1927) both had distinguished military careers. He was educated at Trinity College Glenalmond, now Glenalmond College Perth, and was one of the first of 14 boys to join the newly started school in 1847. He arrived one day early by mistake. New College, Oxford
.
at Lisbon
and Tehran
in 1854, Baghdad
in 1855 and Athens
from 1857, then second secretary at Frankfurt
from 1862 and Madrid
from 1865 and Vienna
from 1865. In 1870 he succeeded in the marquessate on the early death of his childless elder brother. He was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
in 1874, a post he held until his death 26 years later, and was made a Knight of the Thistle
in 1878.
In 1886 he was sworn of the Privy Council and the following year he succeeded Arthur Balfour
as Secretary for Scotland
and Vice-President of the Scottish Education Department in Lord Salisbury
's Conservative administration. However, in contrast to Balfour he was not a member of the cabinet. He remained as head of the Scotland Office until the government fell in 1892.
Apart from his political career Lothian was also Rector of the University of Edinburgh between 1887 and 1890.
in June 1892, unmarried, while his second son Lord Schomberg Kerr (1869–1877) died as an infant. Lord Lothian died in London
in January 1900, aged 66, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his third and only surviving son, Robert. The Marchioness of Lothian later remarried and died in June 1938, aged 93.
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...
, PC (2 December 1833 – 17 January 1900), styled Lord Schomberg Kerr until 1870, was a British diplomat and 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. He served as Secretary for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
under Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
between 1887 and 1892.
Background and education
Lothian was the second son of John Kerr, 7th Marquess of LothianJohn Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian
John William Robert Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian PC , styled Lord Newbottle until 1815 and Earl of Ancram from 1815 to 1824, was a Scottish Tory politician...
, and Lady Cecil, daughter of Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot
Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot
Charles Chetwynd Chetwynd-Talbot, 2nd Earl Talbot KG, PC, FRS , styled Viscount Ingestre between 1784 and 1793, was a British politician. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between 1817 and 1821....
. His younger brothers Major-General Lord Ralph Kerr (1837–1916) and Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
Lord Walter Kerr
Lord Walter Kerr
Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Walter Talbot Kerr, GCB, PC was the British First Naval Lord from 1899 to 1904.-Early Life and Indian Mutiny:...
(1839–1927) both had distinguished military careers. He was educated at Trinity College Glenalmond, now Glenalmond College Perth, and was one of the first of 14 boys to join the newly started school in 1847. He arrived one day early by mistake. New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
.
Diplomatic and political career
Lothian entered the Diplomatic Service and was AttachéAttaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in 1854, Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1855 and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
from 1857, then second secretary at Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
from 1862 and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
from 1865 and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
from 1865. In 1870 he succeeded in the marquessate on the early death of his childless elder brother. He was appointed Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland
The office of Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, one of the Great Officers of State, first appears in the reign of David II. After the Act of Union 1707 its holder was normally a peer, like the Keeper of the Great Seal...
in 1874, a post he held until his death 26 years later, and 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 1878.
In 1886 he was sworn of the Privy Council and the following year he succeeded Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
as Secretary for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
and Vice-President of the Scottish Education Department in Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
's Conservative administration. However, in contrast to Balfour he was not a member of the cabinet. He remained as head of the Scotland Office until the government fell in 1892.
Apart from his political career Lothian was also Rector of the University of Edinburgh between 1887 and 1890.
Family
Lord Lothian married Lady Victoria Alexandria, daughter of Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, in 1865. They had three sons and six daughters. His eldest son Walter Kerr, Earl of Ancram (1867–1892) died in a shooting accident in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in June 1892, unmarried, while his second son Lord Schomberg Kerr (1869–1877) died as an infant. Lord Lothian died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in January 1900, aged 66, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his third and only surviving son, Robert. The Marchioness of Lothian later remarried and died in June 1938, aged 93.