Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Eglinton
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| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 1 March 1852 – 17 December 1852 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Derby |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Clarendon |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of St Germans |
| In office 8 March 1858 – 11 June 1859 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Derby |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Carlisle |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Carlisle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 September 1812 Palermo, Sicily |
| Died | 4 October 1861 (aged 49) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouses | (1) Hon. Theresa Newcomen (d. 1853) (2) Lady Adela Caroline Harriett Capell (1828–1860) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Eton College |
Archibald William Montgomerie, the 13th Earl of Eglinton and 1st Earl of Winton, was an important British politician. He was born on September 29, 1812, and passed away on October 4, 1861. He was known for being a member of the Conservative Party.
One of his most significant roles was serving as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This was like being the Queen's representative or governor in Ireland. He held this position twice: first in 1852, and then again from 1858 to 1859.
Contents
Early Life and School
Archibald William Montgomerie was born in Palermo, a city in Sicily. His father was Major-General Archibald Montgomerie, who was the eldest son of the 12th Earl of Eglinton. His mother was Lady Mary Montgomerie.
He went to a famous school called Eton. Besides his studies, he really enjoyed playing golf. He even played with a well-known golfer named James Ogilvie Fairlie.
Political Journey
Eglinton was a strong supporter of the Conservative Party. In 1846, he worked as a "whip" in the House of Lords. This meant he helped organize votes and make sure party members were present for important decisions.
He became the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in February 1852. He served in this role until December of the same year. When the Earl of Derby's government returned to power in February 1858, Eglinton was again appointed Lord-Lieutenant. He continued in this job until June 1859.
In 1859, he was given a new title: the Earl of Wintoun. This title had a long history in his family. It was held by the Setons from 1600 until 1716. The 5th Earl of Wintoun lost the title because of serious actions against the government. The creation of this new title was a special event. A relative, Georgina Talbot, even named a new housing area in Bournemouth "Winton" to celebrate.
Lord Eglinton passed away on October 4, 1861, at Mount Melville House. He was buried in his family's burial place in Kilwinning, Ayrshire.
Love for Horse Racing
For many years, Lord Eglinton was very interested in horse racing. He owned many racehorses and became quite famous in the world of sports. His most successful horse was named The Flying Dutchman. This amazing horse won two very important races in 1849: The Derby and the St Leger Stakes.
The Eglinton Tournament
In 1839, Lord Eglinton became widely known because of a special event he organized called the Eglinton Tournament. This grand event took place at his home, Eglinton Castle. It was a very expensive event, costing him a lot of money.
Even though it rained a lot and the weather was bad, it was a real tournament. The people taking part had trained regularly, and they even broke lances during the jousts, just like in olden times. Famous people attended, including Prince Louis Napoleon (who later became Napoleon III) and Lady Seymour.
You can read more about the tournament in a book written by Reverend John Richardson, which includes drawings. It was also mentioned in a novel called Endymion by Benjamin Disraeli.
His Family
Lord Eglinton was married twice. His first marriage was in 1841 to Theresa Howe Cockerell. She passed away in 1853. They had four children together:
- Archibald Montgomerie, 14th Earl of Eglinton (born 1841, died 1892)
- Lady Egidia Montgomerie (born around 1843, died 1880)
- Hon. Seton Montolieu Montgomerie (born 1846, died 1883)
- George Montgomerie, 15th Earl of Eglinton (born 1848, died 1919)
After Theresa's death, Lord Eglinton married again in 1858 to Lady Adela Caroline Harriett Capell. She was the daughter of the 6th Earl of Essex. They had two daughters:
- Lady Sybil Amelia Montgomerie (died 1932)
- Lady Hilda Rose Montgomerie (died 1928)
Lady Adela passed away in December 1860 when she was only 32 years old. Lord Eglinton died less than a year later, in October 1861, at the age of 49. His eldest son, Archibald, became the next Earl of Eglinton.
A statue of Lord Eglinton was put up in St Stephen's Green, Dublin, in 1866. Sadly, it was destroyed in an explosion in 1958.
See Also
- Eglinton Country Park
- Eglinton Tournament Bridge
