Charles Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Home
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An 1870 photo of Charles Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home, with his wife Maria
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 4 July 1881 – 30 April 1918 Hereditary peerage |
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| Preceded by | The 11th Earl of Home |
| Succeeded by | The 13th Earl of Home |
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| Born |
Charles Alexander Home
11 April 1834 |
| Died | 30 April 1918 |
Charles Alexander Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home (born April 11, 1834 – died April 30, 1918) was an important British nobleman and politician. For many years, he was known as Lord Dunglass before he became the Earl of Home. He held significant positions, like being the Queen's representative in different parts of Scotland.
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Who Was Charles Douglas-Home?
Charles Alexander Home was born in a place called The Hirsel, near Coldstream. His father was the 11th Earl of Home, and his mother was Lucy Elizabeth Montagu-Scott.
His Early Life and Education
Charles went to two famous schools. First, he studied at Eton College, which is a well-known boarding school. After that, he attended Trinity College, Cambridge, a very old and respected university.
Inheriting Important Estates
In 1877, Charles inherited a lot of land and properties from his mother. These included large estates like Douglas Castle and Bothwell Castle. These lands covered about 104,000 acres, mostly in areas like Lanarkshire, Roxburghshire, and Berwickshire in Scotland.
Because of this inheritance, his name was officially changed to Charles Alexander Douglas-Home. A few years later, in 1881, he also inherited his father's titles and the family estate at The Hirsel.
Important Roles and Honors
Charles Douglas-Home held several important jobs and received special honors during his life.
Serving as Lord Lieutenant
He was the Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire from 1879 to 1890. A Lord Lieutenant is like the Queen's personal representative in a county. They help with local government and ceremonies. Later, he became the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire from 1890 to 1915.
Working for the Queen
From 1887 to 1897, he served as an aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant to a high-ranking official, like a monarch.
Other Special Positions
He was also the Captain of the Royal Company of Archers. This is a special group that acts as the monarch's bodyguard in Scotland. He also held the rank of Honorary Colonel in some military groups.
In 1899, he was given a very high honor. He became a Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle. This is one of the oldest and most important orders of chivalry in Scotland. He also received the Territorial Decoration for his military service.
His Family and Legacy
Lord Home married Maria Grey on August 18, 1870. Maria was the daughter of Captain Charles Conrad Grey. They had five children together:
- Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home (1873–1951)
- Lady Mary Elizabeth Margaret Douglas-Home (died 1951)
- Lady Issobel Charlotte Douglas-Home (died 1934)
- Lady Beatrix Douglas-Home (died 1940)
- Lady Margaret Jane Douglas-Home (died 1955)
A Friend to Labradors!
One interesting fact about Lord Home is his connection to Labrador Retrievers. In the 1880s, he worked with his cousin, the 6th Duke of Buccleuch, and the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury. They all helped to develop the modern Labrador Retriever breed.
They did this by breeding dogs that their families had brought from Newfoundland in the 1830s. The puppies from these special breedings are considered to be the ancestors of all the Labradors we see today!
