Earl of Dalhousie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earldom of Dalhousie |
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| Peerage | Peerage of Scotland |
| First holder | William Ramsay, 1st Earl of Dalhousie |
| Present holder | James Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie |
| Heir apparent | Simon David Ramsay, Lord Ramsay |
| Subsidiary titles | Lord Ramsay of Keringtoun Lord Ramsay of Dalhousie Baron Ramsay |
| Seat(s) | Brechin Castle (for sale) |
| Former seat(s) | Dalhousie Castle |
The Earl of Dalhousie is an important title in the Peerage of Scotland. It belongs to the head of Clan Ramsay, a famous Scottish family. The title is named after Dalhousie in Midlothian, Scotland.
Contents
The Dalhousie Earldom: A Brief History
The story of the Earls of Dalhousie begins with Sir George Ramsay. He was a representative for Kincardineshire in the Scottish Parliament in 1617. King James VI gave him the title Lord Ramsay of Melrose in 1618. However, Sir George preferred a different name. So, in 1619, the King allowed him to change it to Lord Ramsay of Dalhousie.
Becoming Earls: The First Earls of Dalhousie
Sir George's eldest son became the second Lord. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament and a Sheriff. In 1633, he received even higher titles. He was made Lord Ramsay of Keringtoun and Earl of Dalhousie. This made him the first Earl of Dalhousie.
His grandson, the third Earl, fought in the Battle of Bothwell Brig in 1679. The fourth Earl sadly died young in a duel. His younger brother became the fifth Earl. He was a brave soldier, serving as a colonel in the Scots Guards. He also fought in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Important Earls and Their Contributions
The ninth Earl, George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, was a very important figure. He was a distinguished soldier and served as Governor General of British North America. He also founded Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Later, he became the Commander-in-Chief of India. In 1815, he received a new title, Baron Dalhousie, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords.
His son, James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, became the tenth Earl. He was a powerful politician and served as Governor-General of India from 1847 to 1856. In 1849, he was made Marquess of Dalhousie. This was an even higher title. However, he had no sons, so when he died in 1860, the marquessate title ended.
The Scottish titles then passed to his cousin, Fox Maule. He became the eleventh Earl. He was a well-known politician and served as Secretary of State for War. When he became Earl, he added the Ramsay name to his own. He also had no children, so his title of Baron Panmure ended when he died.
The twelfth Earl, George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie, was an admiral in the Royal Navy. In 1875, he was given the title Baron Ramsay, which also gave him a seat in the House of Lords.
Recent Earls and Family Members
The thirteenth Earl, John William Ramsay, was a Liberal politician. He served as Secretary of State for Scotland in 1886. His son, the fourteenth Earl, was a captain in the Scots Guards.
The sixteenth Earl, Simon Ramsay, 16th Earl of Dalhousie, was a Conservative Member of Parliament. He later served as Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He was also Chancellor of the University of Dundee.
Today, the titles are held by his eldest son, James Hubert Ramsay, the seventeenth Earl. He became Earl in 1999. Lord Dalhousie is the current Chief of Clan Ramsay.
Many other members of the Ramsay family have also achieved great things.
- The Hon. William Ramsay, son of the eighth Earl, became Baron Panmure in 1831.
- The Hon. Sir Patrick Ramsay, a diplomat, served as an Envoy to Greece, Hungary, and Denmark.
- The Hon. Sir Alexander Ramsay, an admiral in the Royal Navy, was married to Princess Patricia of Connaught. She was the youngest child of Prince Arthur, a son of Queen Victoria.
Family Homes
The main family home is Brechin Castle near Brechin, Angus. It is currently for sale. Another historic home, Dalhousie Castle, was sold in the late 20th century. It is now a hotel. For a long time, Dalhousie Castle was known for being owned by the same family longer than any other castle in Scotland.
The title "Dalhousie" is pronounced "Dal-how-sy".
Lords Ramsay of Dalhousie (1618)
- George Ramsay, 1st Lord Ramsay of Dalhousie (died before 1629)
- William Ramsay, 2nd Lord Ramsay of Dalhousie (died 1672) (created Earl of Dalhousie in 1634)
Earls of Dalhousie (1633)
- William Ramsay, 1st Earl of Dalhousie (died 1672)
- George Ramsay, 2nd Earl of Dalhousie (died 1674)
- William Ramsay, 3rd Earl of Dalhousie (died 1682)
- George Ramsay, 4th Earl of Dalhousie (died 1696)
- William Ramsay, 5th Earl of Dalhousie (died 1710)
- William Ramsay, 6th Earl of Dalhousie (c. 1660 – 1739)
- Charles Ramsay, 7th Earl of Dalhousie (died 1764)
- George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie (died 1787)
- George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie (1770–1838)
- James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 10th Earl of Dalhousie (1812–1860) (created Marquess of Dalhousie in 1849)
Marquesses of Dalhousie (1849)
Earls of Dalhousie (1633; Reverted)
- Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie (1801–1874)
- George Ramsay, 12th Earl of Dalhousie (1806–1880)
- John William Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie (1847–1887)
- Arthur George Maule Ramsay, 14th Earl of Dalhousie (1878–1928)
- John Gilbert Ramsay, 15th Earl of Dalhousie (1904–1950)
- Simon Ramsay, 16th Earl of Dalhousie (1914–1999)
- James Hubert Ramsay, 17th Earl of Dalhousie (b. 1948)
The heir apparent (the person next in line to inherit the title) is the present Earl's son, Simon David Ramsay, Lord Ramsay (born 1981). His son, the Hon. William Fox Ramsay (born 2017), is next in line after him.
See also
- Clan Ramsay
- Earl of Panmure
- Baron Panmure
